Four years after building the Next G HSDPA network for Telstra, Ericsson is going to do it all over again for Vodafone Hutchison Australia.
VHA has named Ericsson to build it a new multi-million dollar nationwide transmission network deploying thousands of upgraded microwave radio and optical fibre links across Australia. The new network is expected to be operating within 12 months
The contract – for an undisclosed amount – includes the supply, rollout and integration of Ericsson optical and microwave transmission equipment.
Ericsson’s services will include design, installation and integration, field support and project management. The Swedish company will integrate the new transmission elements with existing equipment, including products from other vendors.
The system will be based on Ericsson’s MHL 3000 DWDM platform, OMS 1400 series of optical transport products, and its Mini-Link TN microwave equipment.
Andy Reeves, chief technology officer at VHA says the company is taking the opportunity to migrate its mobile backhaul to an all-IP network.
This allows us to greatly increase our network capacity and end-user speeds at a fraction of the cost of older backhaul technologies,” Reeves says.
Ericsson has been a major supplier to Hutchison, now key part of VHA after its merger with Vodafone Australia. But the Swedish company missed out an earlier contract to manage VHA’s network. That deal was won by Nokia Siemens.
