China-based ZTE Corporation,  a leading provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, has signed a deal to build Algeria Telecom’s LTE Phase II project.

Algeria Telecom is the only public fixed communications operator and the main provider of broadband in the country.

This is the second time ZTE has worked with Algeria Telecom following its LTE phase I project, with the first purchase order for Phase II covering 14 wilayas in the north east region.

Algeria is the second country to commercially start the LTE in Africa, having launched the first phase project in April last year.

The Algerian government gave high priority to the building of fixed broadband and wireless broadband, with the LTE project one of the main elements of its national broadband strategy.

The deployment of LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) aims to help both families and businesses to enjoy the benefits of a fixed broadband service.

By the end of 2014, ZTE said it had achieved more than 170 LTE EPC commercial contracts. The company is the fastest growing LTE vendor, with around 25 per cent of the market share in new markets.-TradeArabia News Service