In a first for New Zealand, Telecom has signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) to work collaboratively with Huawei on new innovations for Telecom and for the New Zealand market.
That's a big deal because Huawei, who is already a key supplier on our new 4G network, has one of the biggest R&D resources in the world. We're not just talking big, we're talking humungous. Huawei, the Chinese technology giant that has built 73 LTE networks in 42 countries, has over 70,000 R&D staff.
The arrangement was signed by two Executive Sponsors both, coincidentally, named David. Our very own David Havercroft, Telecom Chief Operating Officer, and David Wang, President of Huawei Wireless (which is responsible for around a third of all Huawei's revenue).
The programme will work by focusing on areas of innovation that are important to Telecom and New Zealand customers, and areas in which Huawei have an R&D advantage .................................