MBNL Selects NSN for Network Integration Task

Mobile Broadband Network Ltd. (MBNL), the network collaboration joint-venture between T-Mobile UK  and 3 UK has selected Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) as technology partner for 3G network integration. Nokia Siemens Networks will provide a network consolidation solution, bringing environmental benefits and cost savings to the operators and improvements for customers.
NSN has been selected as the 3G radio network infrastructure supplier for the consolidation of the two operators’ 3G radio access network infrastructure under MBNL, in the process creating the UK’s most extensive 3G network, providing near complete population coverage by the end of 2009.
The contract has been awarded by MBNL, the 50:50 joint venture formed at the beginning of 2008 between 3 and T-Mobile UK to supervise the creation and operation of the joint network on behalf of both companies. The network consolidation agreement will significantly increase both operators’ 3G network quality and coverage, accelerate the provision of new high-speed mobile broadband services, and deliver cost savings and environmental benefits.
The first integrated cell site was commissioned in early February. Since then, MBNL has concluded a pilot in the Leeds and Bradford area which successfully validated that the network consolidation technology will deliver the desired benefits, focused on achieving nationwide 3G coverage.
“We are now moving ahead with the large scale consolidation of cell sites,” says T-Mobile UK Technology Director, Emin Gurdenli. “A key objective was to ensure that we achieve scale and integrate quickly and smoothly, minimizing costs whilst quickly expanding coverage so as to enable a much improved service experience for our growing number of mobile internet and broadband customers. We believe that with Nokia Siemens Networks as our principal technology partner, MBNL will deliver on its objective of creating what will be Europe’s largest HSDPA network in record timescales.” 
Graham Baxter, Chief Technology Officer for 3 UK, says the network collaboration agreement with T-Mobile will help to accelerate the adoption of new services in a timescale neither network could not have achieved on its own.
“It also enables us to cost effectively meet customer demand for wider coverage, faster speeds and greater capacity that is starting to arise as mobile devices become the most cost-effective and convenient route to access the Internet,” says Baxter.
Although masts and the 3G access networks are being combined, each company’s core network and T-Mobile’s 2G network will not be shared. Both parties will retain responsibility for the delivery of services to their respective customers and use their own frequency spectrum. NSN’s radio access solution will replace most of the two operators’ communications stations across the UK, with equipment at the remaining sites being upgraded and reconfigured for higher quality and capacity. The solution, featuring energy-efficient NSN Flexi base stations, will allow a reduction the number of sites in the network of around 30%.
Synergies in network operations will be achieved thanks to NSN’s Multi-operator Radio Access Network (MORAN) solution, which will enable each network to function independently, re-using existing infrastructure and reducing the number of sites.
As well as network infrastructure, NSN will deliver project management, network deployment and managed spare parts capability, as well as care services to maintain network performance and increase its efficiency.