Nokia Siemens Networks won a $935 million contract to build 2G and 3G mobile networks in Saudi Arabia for Kuwait telecom operator Zain. The deal also extends to a five year period of managed services, such as network planning, project management, logistics or field services. According to the two companies, further business is not to be excluded in the future.

The former MTC Corp, currently known as Zain, is a Kuwait-based multinational corporation specialized in Mobile Telecommunications, who won the mobile license for Saudi Arabia over six months ago after paying $6.1 billion. Its business spreads over 22 countries in Africa and the Middle East.

“This project will radically change the face of mobile communications in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and sets the benchmark for futurw mobile communications in the region,” said Dr. Marwan al-Ahmadi, Zain CEO. “We are extremely pleased with Nokia Siemens Networks’ dedicated team, broad product portfolio and its strong history in providing best-in-class technology. We see Nokia Siemens Networks as our preferred partner in supporting our global expansion plans and in creating the largest and most advanced networks in the world.”

Nokia Siemens Chairman for the Middle East and Africa stated as well: “This project takes our long-standing collaboration with Zain, established in 1994, to a new level. We are proud to support Zain’s entry into the Saudi market with our industry-leading services and solutions. This deal is one of the most important in Nokia Siemens Networks’ history.”

Nokia Siemens Networks is a world lead communication services supplier, created as a merge between Nokia Network Business Group and Siemens AG’s COM division in the June 2006. It became full operative in April 2007 and covers over 150 countries around the globe. Its main headquarters is in Espoo, Finland, while three of its five divisions are based in Munich, Germany.