UAE's leading telecom services operator Etisalat has signed up technology leader Alcatel-Lucent for expansion of its long-term evolution (LTE) network coverage across the country.

As per the deal, Etisalat will deploy Alcatel-Lucent's LTE solution for this extension, applying the most efficient and sustainable means of delivering a LTE-FDD (long-term evolution frequency-division duplexing)-based network and high-speed mobile broadband to customers in the UAE.

The new network will address the challenge of increasing demand for high-speed mobile broadband fueled by video, gaming and other high-bandwidth applications, said a statement from the UAE firm.

The expanded network also paves the way for the introduction of advanced cloud services and evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS) in 2014, as well as supporting Etisalat's Smart City and Expo2020 initiatives.

Etisalat will also upgrade its existing 3G-2G infrastructure for future LTE service, it added.
 
Today's announcement builds upon an agreement between Etisalat and Alcatel-Lucent, announced in December 2011, aimed at developing the most efficient and sustainable means to deliver mobile broadband to customers, using the lightRadio product family.
 
Etisalat said the expanded network will not only offer increased speeds, capacity and quality, but also give Etisalat the ability to support service in smaller coverage areas, with lower power-consumption and even greater efficiency.
 
Alcatel-Lucent's technology will support Etisalat's plan to cover 99 per cent of populated areas in the country with LTE service by 2015 - including buildings, shopping malls, stadiums, airports and other densely populated areas, said the statement.

Alcatel-Lucent LTE solution will help Etisalat to offer advanced cloud-based services in 2014 and support operator's goal of becoming one of world's top five fastest ultra-broadband networks.

Haitham Abdulrazzak, the chief technology officer of Etisalat UAE, said: "This additional business collaboration with Alcatel-Lucent will enable our customers in the UAE to continue to experience cutting-edge broadband connectivity in terms of mobile broadband internet access, mobile TV applications, video streaming and video calls."

"This expanded relationship with Alcatel-Lucent supports our goal of making Etisalat one of the world's top five operators in ultra-broadband speed," he added.
 
Luis Martinez Amago, the president of Alcatel-Lucent's EMEA region, said: "Etisalat's deployment of Alcatel-Lucent's LTE solution underscores the confidence they have in our ability to rapidly expand the reach of their network to keep pace with exploding ultra-broadband demands of customers throughout the UAE."-TradeArabia News Service