Lucent Still Ringing Up China Orders

Strengthening its foothold in China, Lucent Technologies has
secured a follow-on contract from mobile carrier Guangdong Unicom worth
nearly $100 million.

The telecom equipment maker’s base stations and services will be used in the
third phase of the carrier’s code-division multiple access
network. CDMA is a digital cellular technology that uses spread-spectrum
technologies.

Once completed, this portion of the project will boost capacity and coverage
in eight cities, allowing Guangdong Unicom to offer video-on-demand, live
streaming video and high-speed mobile Internet access.

What’s more, the infrastructure is designed to be easily upgraded to
third-generation cellular technology, so current investments
won’t be wasted.

Lucent was also the primary supplier for the first two phases of Guangdong
Unicom’s rollout, and the relationship dates back several years.

Ichiro Kawasaki, a Lucent spokesman, told internetnews.com that
Guangdong Unicom will continue to enhance and expand its network as needed.

While no formal agreements for future work have been made, Lucent obviously
has a working relationship with the Guangdong Unicom, a subsidiary of China
Unicom, one of the country’s largest carriers.

The deal is the latest for Lucent, which, like other networking sector
giants, has invested heavily in the populous country. The companies believe
the market is ripe for mobile equipment since the country lacks significant
wireline systems outside of major cities.

Lucent China has eight regional offices, two Bell Labs branches, four R&D
facilities and a number of joint ventures and wholly owned enterprises.

Currently, the company has approximately 3,000 employees in China. It
manufactures a range of network equipment for use there and around
the world.

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