Nokia Siemens Networks has entered into a pact with China Mobile with a new deal for the deployment of TD-LTE in three cities by the end of 2012. The deployment is part of China Mobile’s large-scale pre-commercial trial of its TD-LTE network.

 Nokia Siemens Networks will deploy its TD-LTE 8-pipe radio and Flexi Multiradio Base Stations. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks will help China Mobile with Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) technology testing in Hangzhou, a technique used to offer voice calls alongside TD-LTE services.

With approximately 650 million customers, China Mobile is one of the world’s largest operators. As the demand for smartphones and mobile data services soars, China Mobile is expanding its TD-LTE network trial in 13 cities by the end of this year. This trial will increase the commercialization and globalization of TD-LTE to an unprecedented level and with a total of 20,000 base stations deployed by multiple vendors, China Mobile will create a true, pre-commercial mobile broadband network.

Through its parent companies, Nokia Siemens Networks has an over 20-year working relationship with China Mobile. When part of Nokia’s Networks business, the company was one of the first vendors to support the operator’s initial GSM network.  Nokia Siemens Networks also supported the operator’s network evolution when technology moved to TD-SCDMA and then to TD-LTE, which was deployed in phase one large-scale trials in Hangzhou and Xiamen with exceptionally good results. The cooperation between the two companies, right from the start of digital mobile communications, has resulted in Nokia Siemens Networks’ development of TD-LTE technology and its aim to create an ecosystem for the global success of TD-LTE as one of the key 4G technologies.

“Nokia Siemens Networks is once again honored to work on the multi-city TD-LTE deployment with China Mobile,” said Markus Borchert, president of Nokia Siemens Networks Greater China Region. “Our significant presence as a leading innovator in China, our strong R&D milestones in TD-LTE and our global leadership in LTE are the reasons our customers choose us, both in China and in other parts of the world.  We’re pleased to continue our groundbreaking work with China Mobile on its large-scale TD-LTE rollout.”