Golan Telecom Ltd., owned by Michael Golan, has chosen Nokia-Siemens Networks as the vendor to set up its mobile telephony network in Israel. Nokia-Siemens is the exclusive vendor to French mobile carrier Free Telecom SAS, which is a partner in Golan Telecom, and which is currently setting up nationwide network in France. Golan Telecom apparently obtained the same terms as Free Telecom.
In an interview with "Globes" earlier this year, Free Telecom owner Xavier Niel said that if Golan Telecom won the mobile carrier tender, Nokia-Siemens would be the vendor that would set up its network, because he believes that it has the best mobile solutions in the world. This implies that Golan Telecom did not publish a tender among vendors, and was locked with Nokia-Siemens from the outset.
Nokia-Siemens is also the exclusive vendor for Mirs Communications Ltd., which had to give its consent for the contract between Nokia-Siemens and Golan Telecom. Mirs was worried that Nokia-Siemens would not be committed to it, and that it would not be able to set up two networks simultaneously. It therefore demanded a commitment from Nokia-Siemens that it would set up its network.
Mirs views the agreement between Nokia-Siemens and Golan Telecom as proof that, belying Golan Telecom's claims, Mirs was not trying to prevent vendors from working with its rival.
Golan Telecom's new network is based on a range of broadcasting facilities made by Nokia-Siemens. These facilities are known for their small size, low power consumption, and use of low-power access installations. The Nokia-Siemens base station is adapted for rapid deployment and fits in with Golan Telecom's policy of taking environmental considerations into account.
Golan Telecom recently signed an inland roaming agreement with Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL), which will allow Golan Telecom to offer full mobile services nationwide immediately upon launch of its network, scheduled in 2012.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 14, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011