SHENZHEN, China--()--ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment, network solutions and mobile devices, and major European mobile operator E-Plus are to extend their partnership, with ZTE taking a more substantial role in the operator’s forthcoming LTE network expansion in Germany.
The E-Plus Group has been successfully working together with ZTE in the expansion of its UMTS network, the modernisation of its core network and the current LTE field trials. This cooperation will now continue with the deployment of the first phase of the next generation of E-Plus’s LTE network. In addition to the delivery of LTE base stations (eNodeB) and supporting E-Plus with the LTE network upgrade, ZTE will now implement its Evolved Packet Core (EPC) technologies, to more effectively enable the LTE roll-out across the E-Plus network. ZTE’s highly advanced LTE technologies in the access and core networks will play a major part in managing the anticipated significant increases in mobile data volumes across the E-Plus network.
“This year E-Plus will launch a demand-driven LTE expansion under the motto ‘Smart LTE’. This will continue our user-oriented and economically targeted network expansion strategy,” said Andreas Pfisterer, Chief Technology Officer, E-Plus Group. “The achievements of recent years have shown that ZTE is a suitable partner to pursue this strategy efficiently and successfully, for both the customer and the company.”
After the rapid upgrading of parts of the E-Plus network to the faster HSPA+ data transport standard, and intensive preparation of the network for the next generation of LTE, this extended cooperation between E-Plus and ZTE is the next step in a successful partnership. ZTE will become the primary partner to deploy the LTE network for E-Plus by using the existing HSPA+ grid for LTE on 1800 MHz. E-Plus network customers can benefit from the excellent performance and high capacity of the UMTS network, with speeds of up to 21 Mbit/s, or of the even higher LTE data rates, if required.
“ZTE delivers a complete package of LTE base stations and Evolved Packet Core network technologies. Together with the existing HSPA+ network infrastructure, based on ZTE technology, we are providing E-Plus with a high-performance broadband data network solution. This is a further milestone in the partnership between E-Plus and ZTE, which commenced in 2009 and will further strengthen the position of both companies in the telecommunications market,” added Li Jun, ZTE General Manager for the Netherlands. “This collaboration has a strategic role for both E-Plus and ZTE in Europe – and also with respect to the market position of both companies.”
ZTE has also already achieved positive results in other European networks, one example being the 3 (Hutchison Group) Network in Austria, which tests in 2012 by Connect magazine showed to be the best network in Austria. 3 uses ZTE technology exclusively.