ASIA Japan : Panasonic Mobile Communications and Nokia Siemens Networks have agreed to cooperate on LTE base station products. The companies jointly responded to the request by Japan's biggest mobile operator NTT DoCoMo, Inc. for its Super 3G(LTE) Base Station project, and Panasonic Mobile Communications has been selected as a supplier.

LTE is the next generation system for mobile networks like GSM, W-CDMA/HSPA and CDMA. It improves the delivery of new multimedia and rich call applications by enhancing data transfer speeds, reducing latency and building on a scalable flat network design.

Panasonic Mobile Communications has developed W-CDMA base stations for over ten years based on NTT DoCoMo's requirements and has delivered equipment for the operator's FOMATM network. Panasonic Mobile Communications also joined standardization of LTE technology and development of elements from the early stage.

Nokia Siemens Networks is the forerunner in flat architecture networks with its I-HSPA innovation, providing a smooth migration path for operators to LTE. Nokia Siemens Networks was the first to demonstrate LTE technology in 2006 with data speeds in the 160Mb/s range, and the first to demonstrate a handover between LTE and HSPA in 2007.

"We will collaborate on LTE development, and also leverage both companies' capabilities to deliver high quality and timely solutions that meet operators' requirements in a cost-efficient way," said Mr. Nobuyoshi Ito, Director and Member of the Board, Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., Ltd.

"We are extremely proud to cooperate with Panasonic Mobile Communications and NTT DoCoMo on the development of LTE. This collaboration is a significant step for us and underpins our commitment to technologically advanced Japanese market," said Ari Lehtoranta, Head of Radio Access, Nokia Siemens Networks.