Telecom Lead Middle East: Huawei and Alcatel-Lucent have signed five year agreement with Orascom Telecom Holding’s Mobilink to roll out 3G mobile broadband services in Pakistan.
The Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei won 50 percent of the radio network and 100 percent of the core and value added services networks, while Alcatel-Lucent was awarded the other 50 percent of the radio access network.
Huawei and Alcatel-Lucent will offer design, purchase, deployment, and maintenance of next-generation mobile network equipment and supporting services.
Mobilink will enhance the data and voice services in Pakistan. The two telecom equipment vendors will also assist the telecom operator in introducing 3G services as soon as these are licensed in Pakistan.
“As part of our commitment to the Pakistani telecom market, this strategic investment will allow Mobilink to continue to provide cutting-edge, high-quality mobile broadband and voice services to our customers in Pakistan while reducing costs associated with operating the network,” said Ahmed Abou Doma, group chief executive officer of Orascom Telecom.
Mobilink is expecting better network performance, network efficiency and operating costs.
Orascom operates GSM networks in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, having a total population under license of approximately 415 million with an average mobile telephony penetration of approximately 51 percent as of 30 June, 2012.
Orascom Telecom operates GSM networks in Algeria (OTA), Pakistan (Mobilink) and Bangladesh (banglalink) and has an indirect equity shareholding in Globalive Wireless Canada (Wind Mobile).
In addition, it has an indirect equity ownership in Telecel Zimbabwe and through its subsidiary Telecel Globe, OTH also operates in Burundi and the Central African Republic. Orascom Telecom reached over 83 million subscribers as of June 30th, 2012.
