Nokia Siemens Networks, the world's second largest maker of
wireless networks, said its third-quarter sales rose 26.4 percent
in China, a sign of growing customer confidence in the joint
venture.
"The result signals that our customers' concern over the joint
venture's integration has eased and that now we're on the right
track," said Zhang Zhiqiang, head of Nokia Siemens Networks Greater
China. "We will continue to streamline our business for further
growth here in China."
The company's sales from China reached 372 million euros in the
third quarter, about one-tenth of its 3.7 billion euros of global
sales revenue in the same period. The growth came after a lukewarm
start when the joint venture was established in April.
The telecom giant has secured several new deals in China over
the past few months as it tries to streamline the joint venture's
product portfolio and introduce new lines.
Nokia Siemens Networks said on Tuesday it had struck a deal with
Guangdong Telecom, a China Telecom subsidiary, to supply a charging
system for the operator. In September, it won a 2 billion yuan deal
to provide equipment for China Mobile's Henan subsidiary to upgrade
its GSM network.
"We will continue to increase our research and development staff
in China," said Zhang, without revealing figures. In May, the
company said it would cut 9,000 jobs before 2010, including 300 in
China. But in August it said it would enhance its research and
development capacity to maintain its lead in China.
Nokia Siemens Networks employs around 5,500 in China, including
at a research center it established in Chengdu in August.
(China Daily October 25, 2007)
