Centennial Communications Corp. selected Ericsson as the sole supplier for its planned GSM/GPRS technology overlay of the carrier’s U.S.-based legacy TDMA network.
Ericsson said it will immediately begin deploying EDGE-ready 850 MHz GSM/GPRS radio access and core network equipment onto Centennial’s network under a five-year contract.
“After an exhaustive review process, we are pleased to partner with Ericsson in this exciting network upgrade,” said Phillip Mayberry, president of Centennial’s U.S. wireless operations.
Centennial announced its overlay plans late last year in connection with multi-year roaming agreements with Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and AT&T Wireless Services Inc. Analysts estimated the cost of the overlay would total approximately $90 million.
