Globalive Wireless has revealed that Alcatel-Lucent is the secondequipment supplier for its new network. The company said Wednesday ithas awarded a “multi-million dollar” contract to the Paris-basedcompany, a week after announcing that Nokia Siemens Networks has beenawarded a similar contract. Two suppliers? Yup. Each isbuilding in a different part of the country. Typically,wireless operators only make these kinds of announcements when thenetworks are close to being finished. So, I asked CEO Ken Campbell, canI conclude Globalive is close to launching?
No, Campbell said, failing to take the bait. The company still says it will launch either late this year or early next year.
Globalivewon spectrum across most of the country except southern Quebec. Its newHSPA-based network will launch in selected cites first and then branchout. In a press release, Globalive saidAlcatel-Lucent is providingan end-to-end, LTE-ready solution based on its multi-standard radioaccess line, including radio network controllers, base stations, IPservice routers, service aggregation routers, microwave packet radios,and a wireless network management system.