Alcatel-Lucent has won a major contract to deploy a part of China Mobile’s new TD-LTE trial network rollout as it extends services to 10 cities. Following the new rollout as well as upgrades to three existing networks, China Mobile's trial TD-LTE network will cover a total of 13 cities.

Under the terms of the contract, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell will deliver approximately 3,000 base stations in the cities of Shanghai, Nanjing and Qingdao, three major economic hubs of China. China Mobile will extend its large scale trial to launch new services in the cities early next year.   

To meet increased demand of mobile data services in the dynamic economic centers of Shanghai, Nanjing and Qingdao, the new TD-LTE network deployed by Alcatel-Lucent will increase the speeds, capacity and quality of China Mobile’s network, said the company. 

The rollout follows a comprehensive trial of TD-LTE technology and the signing of a co-creation agreement between Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile in Shanghai.  Since February 2012, Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile have been developing and testing a series of lightRadio technology elements.  In August 2012, the companies extended this agreement by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct joint nanocell research in China. Nanocells are a type of radio access technology that integrates wireless small cells with carrier grade Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access points.