Nokia says no delay in Hutchison deliveries, not replaced by Siemens, NEC
From AFX News Ltd
18 March 2002
Nokia denies it has been replaced in part of H3G's UMTS network build-out in the U.K., despite claims in Wall Street Journal Europe
Arja Suominen, head of communications at Nokia Corp unit Nokia Networks, said Nokia is delivering its 3G network components to Hutchison Whampoa according to time schedule, and that Nokia's market share in the deal is unchanged, Kauppalehti Online reported.
The comments came in response to an article in the Wall Street Journal Europe, which said Hutchison has replaced the Finnish giant with Siemens AG and NEC Corp to supply radio equipment for an early roll-out of a 3G network in London and the south of England.
"Our market share in the network and the size of the deal is completely unchanged. As we said when we published the deal last April -- we are building the base network and we are a sizeable deliverer in the radio network," Suominen was quoted as saying.
According to the Wall street Journal Europe, Hutchison "swapped it around because of the delay of the other company (Nokia)," said Michikazu Chirara, manager of the first mobile systems sales department in NEC's international mobile systems division.
Suominen said there was a change of area last fall before the building of the network started, where it was decided Nokia will be delivering its network for north London, and not south London.
"We have delivered components to Hutchison since last fall, and will continue to do so at full pace and in line with the time schedule," Suominen said. |
