Nokia launches Flexi EDGE Base Station to revolutionize cost efficient radio access network deployment

Modular Nokia Flexi Base Station platform expands to include GSM/EDGE

Nokia World 2006, Amsterdam - Nokia today introduces the Nokia Flexi EDGE Base Station, a new revolutionary product for building out GSM/EDGE networks more cost effectively and quickly than ever before.

In developing the Flexi EDGE Base Station, the smallest on the market, Nokia has taken full advantage of its latest innovations in electronics and system design to provide operators with a compact and powerful platform to deploy high quality networks with minimized operating and capital expenditures.

Based on a modular compact design, the Nokia Flexi EDGE Base Station makes a significant impact on GSM/EDGE network coverage and capacity, as well as making base station siting easier and faster. Operators gain cost savings in site deployment, operations and in reduced number of sites - all resulting in lower network total cost of ownership.

Nokia’s Flexi EDGE Base Station delivers market leading radio performance ensuring excellent coverage for wide and hot spot areas. As a result it reduces remarkably the number of sites needed. Also, the compact design of the new Flexi Base Station requires much less space and therefore can make more efficient use of existing or new base station sites. The high capacity Nokia Flexi EDGE Base Station enables easy capacity upgrades as traffic increases. Nokia Flexi EDGE Base Station also delivers significant improvements in power consumption.

Nokia Flexi EDGE Base Station deliveries are expected to start from mid 2007 onwards.

“The new Nokia Flexi EDGE Base Station is designed to further enhance operator revenue and to
deliver superb operational efficiencies and capabilities. In mature markets the new Nokia Flexi EDGE Base Station enables operators to strengthen their radio capacity and to ensure the service continuity for WCDMA networks. In new growth markets, Nokia Flexi EDGE Base Station supports fast and cost-effective GSM network rollout and deployment, both critical success factors for operators building businesses on mass market low ARPU customer bases,” says Ari Lehtoranta, Senior Vice President, Radio Networks, Nokia.

The Flexi EDGE Base Station’s weather-proof modules can be installed indoors or outdoors stacked on a floor or shelf, mounted on wall or pole, or fitted in cabinet or any standard 19” rack. As the modules are so small and lightweight, one person can carry the modules and install a base station, thus leading to a faster network deployment.

The new Nokia Flexi EDGE Base Station is the latest variant in the family of Nokia Flexi Base Station products. The Nokia Flexi Base Station platform, unique in the industry, brings the benefits of modularity to GSM/EDGE, WCDMA/HSPA and WiMAX operators. The three Nokia Flexi Base Station variants, all based on modular architecture provided by the Open Base Station Architecture Initiative (OBSAI), create great synergies in radio network deployment, operation and maintenance. In addition to its newly launched Flexi EDGE Base Station, Nokia has previously launched Nokia Flexi WCDMA and Nokia Flexi WiMAX base stations.

Nokia is highlighting its Flexi Base Station products at the Nokia World conference, Amsterdam, November 29-30. Nokia World related press releases, product photos, event photos and broadcast material are available at: http://www.nokia.com/nokiaworld/press


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