Tokyo January 20, 2011 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) announced today the addition of the iPASOLINK 400 to its iPASOLINK Series, the converged flexible platform designed to meet the capacity, topology and intelligence requirements for the transformation of both fixed and mobile backhaul networks to the next generation, including 4G LTE.

"The NEC iPASOLINK 400 enables operators to adopt an ultra-flexible approach in the migration to an LTE, all-IP network. By combining multiple functions into a converged unit, the NEC iPASOLINK 400 allows operators to take an incremental approach by investing gradually in the transformation of their networks - from today's hybrid TDM and Ethernet backhaul towards the full IP transport required by 4G," said Hiroyasu Ishii General Manager of Global Network Division, NEC Corporation.

The NEC iPASOLINK 400 has an all-in-one, converged design created for edge aggregation deployments comprising four universal slots. It enables operators to swap in and out different backhaul technologies such as microwave or packet transport as per their requirements.

This flexibility coupled with high-capacity switching and microwave transmission allows operators to invest gradually and in step with actual service and traffic demand while delivering high-quality network performance. It means operators can upgrade their network pragmatically, reducing the need to follow future network prediction requirements based on assumptions that can become quickly out dated in the mobile broadband era.

The four-way nodal capability reduces the need for multiple equipment units, cabling and storage space and allows operators to 'sweat' legacy backhaul technology for more cost-effective migration to next-generation technologies. The Carrier Ethernet and TDM technologies enable the aggregation of both data and voice traffic with greater efficiency. As a result, by deploying the NEC iPASOLINK 400, operators can reduce the total cost of ownership.

Hiroyasu Ishii continued, "The iPASOLINK 400 design, combined with NEC's outstanding engineering reliability and simple installation, ensures it delivers value to operators unmatched by other solutions. In fact, our customers already deploying the iPASOLINK platform commend it for its best-in-class reliability and built-in flexibility."

NEC launched its PASOLINK business in the early 1980s. PASOLINK has been widely adopted as a microwave communications system between base stations, with shipments of more than 1.5 million units throughout 145 countries. The NEC iPASOLINK Series is the next generation of PASOLINK products and iPASOLINK 200, the first product in the NEC iPASOLINK Series, to date has received a total of 23,000 unit orders in 18 countries.