ZTE and VEON the Amsterdam-based international telecoms company formerly known as VimpleCom, announced they have signed a global framework agreement covering network function virtualisation infrastructure (NFVI) and virtual evolved packet core (vEPC), as a part of which they plan to cooperate of the development of virtualisation technology.
Under the agreement, ZTE becomes a supplier to the VEON group for NFVI solutions, and will deploy large-scale NFVI and vEPC networks in a number of countries where VEON operates, including Russia. The cooperation between the companies is intended to promote VEON's wider NFV strategic planning and digitalisation initiative.
In addition, as part of the partnership ZTE and VEON will continue to collaborate in the field of virtualisation, and ZTE will support VEON as it implements its long-term digital transformation program designed to enhance the services provided to customers.
In early 2016, VEON/VimpelCom announced plans to build a complete virtual network infrastructure to support the delivery of 4G, 3G and 2G mobile data services to customers in five markets, and that it had selected ZTE to build the new network environment.
For the project, ZTE's vEPC solution was to be implemented initially in Kyrgyzstan and Laos, followed by deployments in Uzbekistan, Armenia and Tajikistan, with the roll-out due to be completed during 2016.
