Siemens awarded EDGE contract

Malaysian mobile operator DiGi.com has commissioned equipment supplier Siemens to upgrade its network to incorporate GSM, GPRS and EDGE technology. The initial phase of the project will focus on the Klang Valley network; once the mobile radio base stations, switching technology and hardware and software components have been installed Malaysia will have commercial access to EDGE technology for the first time. EDGE will provide faster access by tripling the speed of data transfer over the current GSM/GPRS infrastructure and is seen as a stepping stone towards the provision of 3G services. The country has one of the fastest growing mobile markets in Asia with a current penetration rate of around 40% of the 24.9 million-strong population; a subsidiary of Norwegian telco Telenor, DiGi’s customer base of 1.9 million equals almost 20% of the market share.