A new way to build 3G

In anticipation of the Nokia Mobility Conference 2005, Nokia has launched the Nokia Flexi WCDMA Base Station.

Based on a completely new platform, the high-capacity Nokia Flexi WCDMA Base Station is an innovation enabling operators to make more efficient use of their base station sites than ever before, leading to savings of up to 70 percent through reduced site construc-tion work, quicker base station installation and decreased power consumption.

The small and modular Nokia Flexi WCDMA Base Station makes site selection more flexible than before.

Not only can it be installed both indoors and outdoors, but the Nokia Flexi WCDMA Base Station also supports a distributed base station architec-ture.

The Nokia Flexi WCDMA Base Station allows for an easy technology evolution to multi-radio networks since its modules can also be fitted inside existing Nokia UltraSite EDGE Base Station cabinets.

According to the Global Mobile Suppliers Association, 55 operators are currently dep-loying both WCDMA and EDGE.

Nokia supplies either or both technologies to over half of the commercially launched WCD-MA/EDGE networks.

The Nokia Flexi WCDMA Base Station is also an investment in the future. It supports WCDMA and High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) technologies, and its modular architecture, compatible with Open Base Station Architecture Initiative (OBSAI) specifications, will later also allow operators to rapidly deploy new techno-logies, including WiMAX.

Further flexibility comes from the easy capacity upgrades that Nokia Flexi WCDMA Base Station allows as traffic increases.

The Nokia Flexi WCDMA Base Station will be available in the latter half of 2006.

"We believe that this open, modular base station offers all our customers a new and easier way to build 3G networks, now and in the future," said Robin Lindahl, Nokia vice president for radio networks.

"The small size and flexibility of the Nokia Flexi WCDMA Base Station will make a real difference to our customers’ operating and capital expenditure since existing and new sites can be used in a very efficient way. In addition, this new platform will make it easy for operators to deploy new radio technologies," Lindahl added.