Nokia Gets $230 Million Services Deal From Vodafone Australia

STOCKHOLM -(Dow Jones)- Finland's Nokia Corp. Thursday said it has signed a $230 million seven-year managed services agreement with Vodafone Australia, of Vodafone Group.

The deal includes engineering, operations and maintenance of Vodafone's HSDPA, 3G, GPRS and GSM networks.

As part of the arrangement, Nokia will be responsible for managing Vodafone Australia's ongoing network operations covering HSDPA, 3G, GSM and core networks infrastructure including the detailed design, engineering, optimization operations as well as network management, monitoring, fieldwork and maintenance services for the networks.

"Outsourcing the management of the networks to Nokia makes good business sense for Vodafone Australia. It delivers cost efficiencies and, at the same time, allows us to control the quality and technical direction of our networks so that we can deliver the best and most advanced technology available to Australian customers," said Russell Hewitt, chief executive of Vodafone Australia.

As part of the managed services agreement, Vodafone Australia will transfer related employees and contractors into the Services business unit of Nokia Networks.