Under the agreement, Nokia will supply to AIS GSM radio and core network equipment, including Nokia UltraSite base stations, base station controller upgrades, and a mobile switching center that includes packet-switching support for GPRS service. An industry-leading product, the Nokia UltraSite base station supports High Speed Data, GPRS, as well as EDGE and WCDMA 3G technologies.

In addition to equipment, Nokia will provide its Network Deployment Package including network planning, project management, site construction, implementation and integration services for fast network ramp-up. Deliveries have already commenced and are expected to be concluded in May.

This new expansion will enhance AIS's network coverage and capacity to better answer the increasing demand for voice and data services in its GSM network and support evolution to the Mobile Internet era.

"We selected Nokia for this network expansion because we have strong confidence in Nokia's technology and professional supporting services," says Wichian Mektrakarn, Vice President of Engineering, AIS. "Nokia's leading-edge products and services will enable us to realize our commitment to offering the best services that best answer our subscribers' needs. This agreement also demonstrates our commitment to our partners who have been working with us for a long time."

"We are very pleased to continue and further expand our long-term cooperation with AIS," says Pekka Mielonen, Director Customer Operations, Nokia Thailand. "Our world-leading GSM system equipment, complemented by value-adding service support, will provide AIS with a solution that supports evolution to 3G technologies and services, such as EDGE and WCDMA, while immediately improving the quality and coverage of AIS's existing voice and GPRS-based data services nationwide."

Advanced Info Service Plc. or AIS is the largest mobile phone operator in Thailand with over 7 million subscribers. AIS strongly believe that wireless communications will bring changes to the lives of the Thai people in the way they lead their lives, regardless of who they are and what they do. With the existence of endless communications possibilities, the quality of life is better.