AINMT Holding, part of Ukrainian-American billionaire Len Blavatnik's Access Industries, said it has awarded Alcatel-Lucent a contract to deploy 4G and IP networking technology throughout Scandinavia. The company will initially roll out a complete mobile broadband access network, one of the first in the 450 MHz spectrum band, for Ice.net in Norway and for Net 1 in Sweden and Denmark.
AINMT currently provides broadband connectivity to consumers, as well as mission-critical communications to customers such as the police, ambulances, coastguard and Red Cross. The new 4G LTE network will allow AINMT and its subsidiaries to meet the growing demand for high-speed, high-capacity data services in the region.
The network will be deployed across Norway during 2015 as Alcatel-Lucent replaces a competitor's existing CDMA network with its 4G technology. Alcatel-Lucent will also conduct trials of high-quality Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services with ice.net in order to prepare for market launch. Services will later be expanded to the 800 MHz, 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands in Norway.
Alcatel-Lucent will deploy a comprehensive 4G network to deliver and manage high-quality, high-speed broadband access to customers in Norway. These will include the company's LTE Radio Access Network (RAN),Evolved Packet Core product, IMS with VoLTE, and products from its Motive portfolio including operation support system (OSS) services such as installation, commissioning, network planning and maintenance.
JD Fouchard, CEO of AINMT Holdings said the company will have the first LTE-only network in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. It will address the smartphone segment in Norway with the most advanced technology, he said. Eivind Helgaker, CEO of Norway’s Ice.net, said the new network will bring high-bandwidth mobile data connections to consumers and businesses in Norway.
