THUNDER BAY – Ericsson today announced that it will overlay TBayTel’s existing CDMA mobile network with HSPA+ technology. With data rates of up to 21 Mbps, HSPA+ will provide improved mobile broadband experience to TBayTel’s diverse customer base in Northern Ontario.
The deal, the first of its kind between Ericsson and Thunder Bay-based TBayTel, builds on a strategic business relationship announced in March between Rogers and TBayTel to extend HSPA services across Northern Ontario.
“TBayTel remains focused on providing Northern Ontario residents with advanced telecom solutions in an increasingly competitive and demanding marketplace. Our unique ability to forge a critical national link with our new HSPA network has led to new strategic relationships,” said Don Campbell, President & CEO TBayTel. “Now Northern Ontario customers will have expanded wireless coverage with enhanced mobility features throughout the region.”
As the leading telecommunications solutions provider in Northern Ontario, TBayTel will be able to offer its customers competitive mobile broadband access speeds from just west of Sault Ste. Marie to the Manitoba border, enabling the increasingly diverse economy of Northern Ontario.
“HSPA+ technology will give TBayTel’s business and residential customers, some of whom work and live in the more sparsely populated areas of the province, high speed internet access wherever they are,” said Mark Henderson, president and CEO of Ericsson Canada. “From a business perspective, overlaying existing CDMA network infrastructure with HSPA technology is a cost effective way to offer customers the most advanced wireless technology on the market today.”
Ericsson will supply TBayTel with a complete mobile broadband overlay infrastructure (both hardware and software); including radio access network technology, mobile switching solutions, a mobile packet backbone, network management systems and professional services.
Ericsson is the world’s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. Ericsson is the leader in 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies, and provides support for networks with over 2 billion subscribers and has the leading position in managed services. The company’s portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, telecom services, software, broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and the media industry. The Sony Ericsson and ST-Ericsson joint ventures provide consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.