AMSTERDAM -- VimpelCom Ltd. (NASDAQ: VIP), the international communications and technology company that is committed to bringing the digital world to each and every customer, today announces plans to build a complete virtual network infrastructure providing 4G, 3G and 2G mobile data services to customers across five markets in 2016. VimpelCom has engaged ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), an international provider of telecommunications technology solutions, to build the new network environment.

ZTE’s virtual Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) network will be introduced in Kyrgyzstan and Laos in February 2016. Following these two markets, VimpelCom plans to introduce the fully virtualised network in Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Tajikistan during the course of 2016. With virtualisation, the networks in the five VimpelCom markets will move from a legacy-heavy network made up of separate network elements to a common software-driven, lean infrastructure.

Yogesh Malik, Group Chief Technology Officer at VimpelCom said:”VimpelCom believes in instant innovation. Investing in innovative solutions to reinvent our network is high on the agenda as we transform into the digital operator of the future. We are convinced that virtualisation represents the new way forward for the industry. The reinvention of the current network to one that is software-driven and asset-light plays an important part in our digital transformation and is a leap forward in bringing the digital world to each and every customer as they navigate their digital lives.”

Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) in the core network enables a more effective resource utilisation and flexible maintenance for operators, and allows more flexibility in new network functions and product introductions, resulting in a seamless experience for our customers.

ZTE Corp. (Shenzhen: 000063; Hong Kong: 0763)