T-Mobile to turn off 5,000 basestations in UK — MobileMonday Global: Industry News

^{Sharing network with 3G UK} T-Mobile to turn off 5,000 basestations in UK

3 Oct 2008 at 14:34 GMT Timo Poropudas

UK mobile operator, T-Mobile is planning a shut-down of some 5,000 of its base stations as part of its network sharing deal with Hutchison 3G UK, reports UK trade magazine, Mobile Today. The publication said that both networks are removing transmitters as they begin to share resources.

Supposedly a small amount of new sites will be built as they take 3G into areas where there hadn’t been coverage before. Although masts and the 3G access networks are being combined, each company’s core network and T-Mobile’s 2G network will not be shared. Mobile Today reports that both parties will retain responsibility for the delivery of services to their respective customers and use their own frequency spectrum.

Nokia Siemens Networks' radio access solution will replace most of the two operators’ communications stations across the UK and equipment at the remaining sites is being upgraded and reconfigured.

The companies have estimated that combined savings are estimated at US$4.1 billion over 10 years.