Nokia expands Wataniya Telecom's Kuwaiti HSDPA

Details: Alec Barton; Category: Wireless Networks; 02 November 2006; 13650 views

Nokia has won a contract to expand Wataniya Telecom's High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) radio and core network in Kuwait...

Nokia has won a contract to expand Wataniya Telecom's High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) radio and core network in Kuwait. The new installation will increase the network's capacity and extend the HSDPA network coverage to new areas. In addition to the 3.6 Mb/s HSDPA radio network, Nokia will provide Wataniya Telecom with a core network upgrade (including packet core equipment and the Nokia MSC Server mobile soft switch) and a range of services such as network planning, consulting, systems integration, implementation, pre-launch optimisation, maintenance, and care services. Deliveries have already begun.

Previously, Nokia has supplied Wataniya Telecom's core network, upgraded its GSM radio network with EDGE, and supplied the WCDMA 3G/HSDPA radio network in order to run advanced services such as video calling, video sharing, and push to talk. Nokia's own system is known as HSPA. It is a simple software upgrade to Nokia WCDMA networks, thus enabling a fast, cost-effective rollout. Nokia HSPA is made up of two key technologies, HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access), enabling mobile broadband with breakthrough data speeds of up to 14.4 Mb/s in the downlink and up to 5.8 Mb/s in the uplink. Nokia HSDPA is claimed to offer almost ten-times faster data services than current 3G networks, generating an enhanced service experience.

* Launched in December 1999, Wataniya Telecom has helped to increase mobile market penetration in Kuwait to over 80% of the population. With operations in Kuwait, Iraq, Tunisia and Algeria, Wataniya Telecom is actively expanding its presence within the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, serving over 3 million customers.

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