Nokia Siemens Networks Shapes Telecom Italia LTE Infrastructure

After demonstrating its 200 Mbps HSPA+ technology at the 2011 CTIA Wireless event, Nokia Siemens Networks has signed an agreement with Telecom Italia to modernize the carrier's LTE mobile infrastructure with 7,000 base stations able to offer a throughput of more than 140 Mbps.

In light of the new partnership, Nokia Siemens Networks will deploy its single Radio Access Network Flexi Multiradio base stations in several Italian regions in the 900-1800 and 2100 MHz frequency bands.

This network upgrade will enable Telecom Italia to provide its customers with improved voice quality and higher data speeds in addition to optimizing the performance and supporting the strong increase of smartphone owners.

Massimo Mazzocchini, head of Telecom Italia customer team at Nokia Siemens Networks said: “This technology will be able to offer a throughput of more than 140 megabits per second (Mbps) per cell with a latency of only 10 milliseconds, demonstrating the true value of a modern network for driving the growth of Italy’s economy.”

The implementation of LTE in the 2.6 GHz and 800 MHz bands will enable Telecom Italia subscribers to enjoy advanced mobile broadband services including high-quality video calls, High Definition (HD) streaming and mobile gaming.

Telecom Italia's officials stated that the radio network modernization will be initially implemented in some of the most developed, industrialized and economically vital Italian regions, including Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Marche and Umbria.

Nokia Siemens Networks is the main supplier of LTE technology in Europe. The company is known for building LTE networks for major carriers, including TeliaSonera, Elisa and O2.

To extend its business, Nokia Siemens Networks is set to purchase Motorola's telecom-equipment arm. The move has been delayed by the Ministry of Commerce in China due to an injunction by Huawei that claims intellectual property infringement.