9 May 2003 Beijing Lightwave -- Shandong Unicom, a subsidiary of China Unicom, has awarded a contract to Nortel Networks to build a new provincial optical backbone network intended to help address growing demand for high-speed mobile Internet services and e-commerce applications.
Under this contract, Nortel Networks will deploy Nortel Networks OPTera Connect DX Optical Switches and OPTera Long Haul 1600 Optical Line Systemsfor Shandong Unicom. This is expected to extend the reach of Shandong Unicom's DWDM capability and support wireless, fixed-line and data services.
The backbone project will link major cities and counties in Shandong Province with broadband transmission capacity to help increase efficiency of e-commerce and data services, and to help Shandong Unicom drive reduced capital and operating costs. Deployment is scheduled to begin in May 2003.
Nortel Networks is also working closely with Shandong Unicom to deploy Wireless Data Networks to address growing demand for advanced wireless communications services. Nortel Networks announced CDMA and GSM network expansion contracts with Shandong Unicom in March and April of 2003.
To date, Nortel Networks has won more than 50 contracts in China for 10-gigabit and DWDM optical solutions spanning more than 60,000 km.