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Nokia receives USD 165 Million order for CDMA phones from Telefônica Celular in Brazil
June 01, 1999
Nokia has received an order for the delivery of Code Division Multiple Access-based (CDMA) handsets from Telefônica Celular worth more than USD 165 million.
The agreement calls for Nokia to supply Telefônica Celular with Nokia 6180 and Nokia 5180 dual-mode handsets. Deliveries will begin in June.
"Nokia is pleased to provide Telefônica Celular with handsets for its digital CDMA network in Brazil", said K-P Wilska, president, Nokia Mobile Phones, Americas. "These new phones incorporate Nokia's own CDMA chip design, which provides customers a choice in selecting CDMA digital technology. Customers will also benefit from outstanding performance times, combined with easy-to-use features and personalization options."
"Telefônica Celular has exceeded the milestone of 600,000 cellular lines on its digital CDMA network. The population from Rio de Janeiro benefits from the largest digital CDMA network in Latin America and our goal is to continue growing", said Paulo Cesar Texeira, Operations vice president from Telefônica Celular. "To guarantee quality and customer service efficiency we will continue to look for high quality partners such as Nokia."
The Nokia 6180 includes an internal modem for data and fax connections, an in-built vibrating alert and performance times of up to 5 hours of talk time and more than 7 days standby time. The Nokia 6180 has a phone directory that stores up to 200 names and numbers, a calendar, alarm clock, calculator, four electronic games, 32 ringing tones and supports seven languages.
The Nokia 5180 is an affordable, easy-to-use CDMA digital handset for consumers seeking value and style in a wireless phone. With optional Xpress-on covers in six colors (Tango Orange, Antigua Red, Gecko Green, Bermuda Blue, Dolphin Silver and Midnight Blue), the Nokia 5180 phone can be personalized by every consumer. Weighing only 166 grams (with a standard nickel metal hydride battery) the Nokia 5180 phone can store up to 100 names and numbers, and supports five languages, including Portuguese.
The phones will be manufactured in Manaus, Brazil, at Nokia's manufacturing joint venture, NGI. The facility, owned by Nokia and Gradiente Electronica S.A. was established in January 1998 and manufactures handsets for the Brazilian market using Nokia technology.
Telefônica Celular is a wireless operator covering the Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Bahia, Segirpe and Rio Grande do Sul region since August 1998. Its operations cover the largest CDMA network in Latin America. At the start of its operations a year ago there were just over 620 000 subscribers in the region. Today Telefônica Celular provides service to over 1.1 million subscribers and has more than 500 points of sale to attend to the high demand for wireless phones. Digitalization of the network in that period has grown from 0% to 54%. Telefônica Celular intends to enable more than 3 million cellular phone lines before 2001.
Nokia is the world's leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile and fixed telecom networks including related customer services. Nokia also supplies solutions and products for fixed and wireless datacom, as well as multimedia terminals and computer displays. In 1998, net sales totaled EUR 13.3 billion (USD 15.7 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the New York (NOK), Helsinki, Stockholm, London, Frankfurt and Paris stock exchanges, has sales in over 130 countries and employs more than 47 000 people worldwide.
Contact information:
For Nokia- US: Megan Matthews, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Tel. +1 972 894 4267
For Nokia- Latin America: Blanca Juti, Manager, Corporate Communications, Tel. +1 972 894 4707
For Nokia- Finland: Nokia Mobile Phones, Communications, Tel. +358 10 5051
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