By Alex Scroxton6 October 2008
The UK
arms of mobile networks T-Mobile and 3 have signed up to BT’s 21CN platform in
a move that will provide a welcome boost to BT Wholesale’s coffers.
The agreement between BT Wholesale and MBNL, the joint venture company set up
in 1998 by T-Mobile and 3, supersedes a previously existing contract. BT will
now provide managed network solutions connecting 7,500 MBNL base stations over
the next five years.
T-Mobile technology director Emin Gurdenli pointed out that
the move onto 21CN would help T-Mobile provide a consistent, high quality
service to its mobile broadband subscriber base.
“This agreement … will make sure backhaul is not a
constraint now or in the future at a time when T-Mobile is experiencing strong
growth in mobile data services,” Gurdenli said.
“BT now supports the base station connectivity requirements
of four of the five mobile players in the UK, bringing economies of scale to
a hugely important element of the communications marketplace,” added BT
Wholesale Markets managing director Brian Fitzpatrick.
MBNL has made no secret of its ambitions to establish the UK’s most
extensive 3G network. It hopes to offer ‘close to complete’ coverage of the
country by 2010.
