C&W pays £30m for FMC

Ericsson inks five-year network deal...

By Natasha Lomas, 12 September 2008 13:01

NEWS

Telecoms kit company Ericsson has inked a five-year, £30m contract with telco Cable & Wireless to supply and manage a GSM mobile network that will let C&W sell FMC (fixed mobile convergence) services.

FMC enables mobile phone calls to be switched between a cellular network and a VoIP network, meaning users only need one handset for both types of call.

Back in May, C&W announced Tesco as its first FMC customer. The supermarket giant signed a £100m deal with C&W for the overhaul of its telecoms network - including the installation of fixed networking for stores and FMC services based on picocells, to route the calls over fixed-line DSL.

Ericsson said the network will provide indoor fixed and mobile coverage for C&W's enterprise users, including Tesco. It will be based on small and low-power GSM base stations.

Under the deal, Ericsson said it will also provide C&W with a variety of professional services, including design and systems integration.

C&W acquired a licence for FMC services back in 2006, shelling out more than £50,000 for a GSM spectrum band.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

Log in or create your silicon.com account below

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy.

Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Membership FAQ