Nokia wins USD 100 Million GSM expansion contract for China Unicom covering four Provinces

Two of Nokia's joint ventures in China, Beijing Nokia Mobile Telecommunication Corporation.Ltd (BNMT) and Beijing Nokia Telecommunication Corporation. Ltd. (BNT) are to provide expansions for China Unicom's mobile network.

The GSM network deal is worth over USD 100 million and will increase capacity for more than a million subscribers in Shanghai, Anhui, Hunan and Gansu provinces. China Unicom is the second largest operator in China with around five million mobile customers.

Nokia will supply its high capacity "i-series" network products including mobile switching centers, base stations, and base station controllers, as well as a range of Professional Services covering Network Planning, Project Management, Implementation and Commissioning.

Deliveries have already begun and the systems will be operational later this month. The Shanghai branch of China Unicom has already taken the Nokia Artuse Messaging Platform into commercial use for WAP services, and taken delivery of the Nokia GPRS system, following agreements with Nokia earlier this year.

"Nokia is pleased to be working again with China Unicom to develop a wide reaching level of GSM service for these four Provinces," said Malcolm Arnold, Vice President, System Business, Nokia (China) Investment Co. Ltd, "We have been in co-operation with China Unicom since 1995, when we provided network euipment for the Shanghai branch, and we are proud to remain as one of the main suppliers after more than five years."

As one of the world's leading telecommunications companies, Nokia is committed to long-term partnerships in China. With many technology innovations Nokia has strengthened its market position as a leading supplier of mobile and fixed communications systems and equipment in China. At present, China is Nokia's second largest country in the world in terms of sales revenue, and Nokia's investment in China already exceeds USD1 billion. Nokia currently employs approximately 4,000 people in China and has established eight joint ventures, one wholly owned manufacturing plant and a research & development center in China.

Nokia is paving the way to the mobile information society with its innovative products and solutions. The company is the leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile, broadband and IP networks, related services as well as multimedia terminals. In 1999, Nokia's net sales totaled EUR 19.8 billion (USD 19.9 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the New York (NOK), Helsinki, Stockholm, London, Frankfurt and Paris stock exchanges and employs more than 60 000 people.

Further information:

Communications Department
Nokia Networks
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nokia.networks@nokia.com

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