Mobile, Bangladesh, Asia: Nokia has won a radio network contract from Warid Telecom for the company's green-field operations in Bangladesh.

As part of the contract, which covers the key Dhaka administrative district, Nokia will supply its UltraSite base station solution, helping Warid meet increasing demand for higher voice and data traffic. Nokia's services are also part of the contract, including its NetAct network and service management solution, as well as installation, planning and project management services.

Nokia estimates that the number of mobile subscribers will grow to three billion in 2008, and around 80% of this growth will come from fast-growing markets such as Bangladesh. Nokia also expects that Asia-Pacific, including China, will account for 50% of that next billion subscribers.

* Warid Telecom (www.waridtel.com) is owned by the Abu Dhabi Group led by His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan. It is one of the largest in the Middle East and has diversified business interests ranging from oil and gas exploration, hospitality services, telecommunications, banking and financial services, automobile industries and property development.