Telecom Lead Europe: Nokia Siemens Networks on Friday said it is preparing O2’s network for LTE in the U.K.

Network modernization is expected to lay path for 4G services ahead of 2013 spectrum auction.

Nokia Siemens will deploy 4G network across London and the South East of England. The UK mobile operator is anticipating a rapid launch of 4G following Ofcom’s spectrum auctions scheduled for early 2013.

“We’re investing in our network now to ensure we’re able to make 4G available to our customers as soon as possible following next year’s spectrum auctions,” said Andrew Conway, head of Mobile Access for O2. “Our choice of vendor was based on the positive experiences we’ve had implementing Nokia Siemens Networks’ Liquid Radio solution in our network.”

O2, during the last 12 months, conducted LTE network trial involving consumers and businesses across parts of London.

O2’s investment in its UK network with Nokia Siemens Networks includes an upgrade to its existing GSM and 3G (HSPA) network with the latest radio access technology.

Nokia Siemens Networks is also enabling O2’s radio access network (RAN) sharing.

Rob Stent, head of the Telefónica UK customer team at Nokia Siemens Networks, said: “We have a strong relationship with O2 and are helping it meet its goals related to network simplification and managing the ever-increasing consumer expectations for capacity, while delivering cost savings.”

Besides providing Single RAN platform, Nokia Siemens Networks is implementing its Liquid Radio solution based on the energy-efficient Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station.

To enable consolidated configuration, monitoring, and network optimization across the networks, the contract includes Nokia Siemens Networks’ NetActnetwork management system. To ensure 2G and 3G network modernization as well as a smooth LTE rollout, Nokia Siemens will offer network implementation and care services across 50 percent of O2’s radio access network including the South-East of the UK and London.

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