Rumor: Huawei Ousts NSN in Sweden

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. has ousted Nokia Networks for a mobile-network buildout in Sweden, according to a source familiar with NSN's European operations.

3G Infrastructure Services AB (3GIS), which operates a network shared by operators Telenor Group (Nasdaq: TELN) and Hi3G Access AB (3 Sweden), selected Huawei as its radio access network (RAN) equipment provider last week, the source says.

Huawei allegedly won the deal by offering three years of free service.

NSN had previously been picked to provide base stations to 3GIS -- a decision that would now appear to be nullified. Its optical gear is being used elsewhere in the network, alongside Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) routers, the source says. (See Swedish Operators Upgrade 3G With NSN .)

Huawei and NSN declined to comment.

— Craig Matsumoto, Managing Editor, Light Reading