3G, Network Solutions, R&D, China:  Nokia (www.nokia.com) and China Putian (www.china-putian.com) have recently signed an agreement to set up a joint venture in 2006 to focus on R&D, manufacturing and sales of 3G network solutions for TD-SCDMA and WCDMA technologies.

The two companies will market 3G products and solutions created by this joint venture under China Putian’s Potevio brand. The venture itself will be located in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province. Key focus will centre on network solutions for the 3G standards TD-SCDMA and WCDMA, as well as providing network construction and optimisation services. Total investment in the joint venture is RMB900 million, with China Putian and Nokia having 51% and 49% shares respectively. Nokia will continue to sell WCDMA systems under its own brand both globally and in China

China Putian and Nokia have cooperated in GSM technology for over ten years. The former has actively participated in the R&D and industrialisation of TD-SCDMA technology and was among the first companies to pass the TD-SCDMA field trials organised by the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry.

One of the initiators of China’s TD-SCDMA Industrial Alliance, China Putian was established on July 23, 2003 in Beijing with a registered capital of RMB1.9 billion. It has built up industrial manufacture bases in Yangtze River Delta, Zhujiang River Delta, Jingjinji Economic Cycle and the Middle West region of China, employing 5,000 R&D staff. China Putian owns the international bidding agent qualification awarded by the Ministry of Commerce. Its product and service have been sold to dozens of countries and regions. Meanwhile, it also undertakes international communication engineering projects and provides system solutions.