Nokia wins $230 mln mgmt deal with Vodafone Australia

Nokia and Vodafone Australia have signed a USD 230 mln, seven-year managed services agreement that includes engineering, operations and maintenance of Vodafone’s HSDPA, 3G, GPRS and GSM networks.
As part of the arrangement, Nokia will be responsible for managing Vodafone Australia’s ongoing network operations covering HSDPA, 3G, GSM and core networks infrastructure including the detailed design, engineering, optimization operations as well as network management, monitoring, fieldwork and maintenance services for the networks.
“Outsourcing the management of the networks to Nokia makes good business sense for Vodafone Australia. It delivers cost efficiencies and, at the same time, allows us to control the quality and technical direction of our networks so that we can deliver the best and most advanced technology available to Australian customers,” said Russell Hewitt, CEO, Vodafone Australia. Nokia has been working with Vodafone Australia since May 2004, and the new deal extends Nokia’s current WCDMA 3G network infrastructure relationship with the operator. Nokia also provides the WCDMA 3G network for Vodafone New Zealand and is currently supporting the 3G broadband (HSDPA) rollout for Vodafone in Australia and New Zealand.
With Nokia’s proven track record in managing networks on behalf of operators around the world, it is able to support operators to enhance their service offerings and reduce costs. Nokia is a major player in the managed services business with close to 60 managed services contracts globally. In WCDMA 3G, Nokia has 63 customers to date.
Vodafone is the world’s leading international mobile telecoms group with equity interests in 27 countries across 5 continents with 186.8 ml proportionate customers worldwide as well as 33 partners, including Cytamobile in Cyprusides quality services to 3.47 ml customers.