Mobile World Congress 2009

NSN Takes Our Suggestion, Unites 2G, 3G and 4G in Flexi

| Feb 9, 2009 | Wireless Infrastructure | Show Update

| Analysts: Peter Jarich, Michael Jude

Current Perspective: Very Positive Vendor Importance: Very High Market Impact: Moderate Click here

Event Summary

February 5, 2009 – Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) announced the launch of its Flexi Multiradio Base Station, building on its Flexi Multimode to support GSM/EDGE, WCDMA/HSPA and LTE from a common platform. Planned for deployment from the start of 2010, capacity comes in at 6+6+6 GSM, 4+4+4 WCDMA or 1+1+1 LTE in a 20 MHz channel with 180W per RF module (or 60W per RRH). Concurrently, NSN announced its Multicontroller platform supporting combined BSC/RNC operations from the second half of 2010.

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Very positive on NSN’s new Flexi Multiradio, because the new base station addresses the requirements of operators who need relatively simple upgrade strategies from 2G to 3G to 4G networks in a way that was impossible before (simultaneous multiple radio support, GSM through LTE support). At the same time, it unifies NSN’s Flexi portfolio and controller portfolio while carrying forward NSN’s green messaging theme. However, this announcement isn't exactly unique since competitors such as Huawei, ZTE and Ericsson can all claim their own multi-standard base station offerings as well (launched or planned).

• Vendor Importance: Very high to NSN, because the move to multi-standard base station support is increasingly common across the wireless industry. With this announcement NSN extends the Flexi platform into LTE, addressing operator concerns for network evolution. It also provides tools for unified network management and most importantly, it puts NSN in a better position to compete with other vendors offering a complete unified RAN offer, including those who have multistandard base stations (Huawei, ZTE and Ericsson) and rumored RNC/BSC offers.

• Market Impact: Moderate on the wireless infrastructure market, because NSN’s move to address 2G through 4G in a common base station will resonate with operators, as will the move to address 2G and 3G in a common controller. Yet, in the same way NSN’s nod to environmental efficiency has become de rigueur in the industry, so too has the strategy for supporting multiple technologies from the same base station, although not always in such a clear way.

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Current Perspective

Competitive Positives and Concerns

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