The operator's WCDMA radio network was provided by two main suppliers, but in late 2003, ONE announced a decision to focus on a single vendor for WCDMA UTRAN. Peter Pedersen, technical director for ONE, highlights two main reasons for this decision. "ONE chose a single vendor strategy because we believe that the technology for interface handling is less complicated if you go with one vendor. The other benefit is reduced costs," he says.

The operator chose Ericsson as the sole supplier of its radio base stations and equipment for its WCDMA UTRAN network. "ONE went through a long and detailed evaluation and analysis of the vendor alternatives before choosing a supplier," Pedersen says. "We believed that Ericsson's access network would provide a very stable and mature solution that would support our business well."

The contract was signed in April 2004. Ericsson immediately tackled the complex task of dismantling and replacing another vendor's equipment with its own. Stefan Hedelius, Ericsson's vice president of Customer Unit ONE says the pioneer project was a challenging one. "People have changed out GSM equipment for some time, but it was the first time for 3G. This brought both technical and operational challenges that required detailed planning and skilled resources," he says.

Download the pdf to read more (104 KB).