Nokia has signed a USD 125 million contract for the expansion of GSM network of Henan Mobile Communications Corporation Ltd. (Henan MCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of China Mobile (HK) Limited. The operator’s subscriber capacity will exceed 10 million after this expansion.
Deliveries of the full Nokia GSM core and radio access network infrastructure and Nokia’s network and service management system, Nokia NetAct(TM) including NetAct Traffica for real-time monitoring, have already begun.  In addition to care services, Nokia will provide an extensive range of radio and core GPRS optimization services, software maintenance service and consultative support as well as implementation service. The expanded network is expected to be fully operational during the first half of 2004.

“Henan MCC is committed to establishing a comprehensive mobile network with high quality service, rich variety of business and wide coverage for its customers.  We have been working with Nokia since 1995.  With this expansion we will be better able to serve our customers, increase capacity and raise competitiveness so as to make contribution to the information and economic development of the province and prepare for next generation mobile services,” says Yuan Jianguo, General Manager of Henan Mobile Communications Corporation Ltd.

“This expansion agreement further underlines our strategic cooperation with Henan MCC, as well as Nokia’s commitment to mobility in China, a major growth market for mobile services, ” says David Ho, Senior Vice President of Nokia Networks, China. “At Nokia our target is to grow the global market for mobile services to 2 billion subscribers in 2008.  We know that China will play a very large role in reaching that milestone.”

Henan Mobile Communications Corporation Ltd. is one of the wholly owned subsidiaries of China Mobile (HK) Limited. and was listed in HK and New York Stock Exchanges since 1999. The operator serves Henan province in central China, with a population of 96 million.  China Mobile (HK) Limited, of which China Mobile (HK) Group Limited is the major shareholder, set wholly owned subsidiaries in 21 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) in China.
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