NII Holdings Has Selected Huawei as Its 3G W-CDMA Supplier in Mexico and Brazil

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- GLOBAL MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS -- Huawei, a leader in providing next generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, and NII Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: NIHD), a leading provider of mobile communication services operating under the NEXTEL brand in Latin America, announced that Huawei has been selected to provide equipment and related services for new W-CDMA networks for NII subsidiaries in Mexico and Brazil.

Under the contemplated agreements, Huawei will use its expertise to provide end-to-end W-CDMA solutions to build Nextel Brazil and Nextel Mexico's W-CDMA networks on recently acquired 3G spectrum licenses in Mexico and 3G spectrum for which Nextel Brazil has successfully bid in Brazil. It is contemplated that Huawei will develop and deliver the core network, radio access network (RAN) and backhaul, all of which will be customized for NII's Push-to-Talk service.

NII's decision to once again select Huawei as a supplier derives from its successful venture in 2009 to build W-CDMA networks for Nextel Peru and its ongoing deployment for Nextel Chile.

"Partnering with technology leader Huawei on the development of our 3G network deployments in Brazil and Mexico will enable us to continue to deliver on the differentiated wireless communications offerings our customers have come to expect. We will provide our customers in those markets with next-generation wireless service offerings. Selecting Huawei as our 3G network supplier is a significant step in bringing high-quality and efficient 3G communication services to our customers. Our expanded relationship with Huawei demonstrates our commitment to our 3G strategy in Latin America and in Huawei's global infrastructure expertise," said Alan Strauss, EVP, Chief Technology Officer, NII Holdings.  

"It is a great honor for Huawei to be selected as the supplier to assist in building NII's W-CDMA networks for its subsidiaries in Mexico and Brazil. We fully understand the importance of the loyalty and trust NII has placed in us. Huawei is committed to delivering outstanding W-CDMA networks in both Mexico and Brazil and will continue to support NII with the innovative technologies, creative applications and distinguished devices that support their competitive edge," said Eric Xu, EVP of Huawei.

About NII Holdings, Inc.

NII Holdings, Inc., a publicly held company based in Reston, Va., is a leading provider of mobile communications for business customers in Latin America. NII Holdings, Inc. has operations in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile offering a fully integrated wireless communications tool with digital cellular voice services, data services, wireless Internet access and Nextel Direct Connect® and International Direct Connect(SM), a digital two-way radio feature. NII Holdings, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, trades on the NASDAQ market under the symbol NIHD and is a member of the NASDAQ 100 Index. Visit the Company's website at www.nii.com

Nextel, the Nextel logo, and Nextel Direct Connect are trademarks and/or service marks of Nextel Communications, Inc.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the securities laws. The statements in this news release regarding the deployment of 3G networks and service offerings, the business outlook, and future performance, as well as other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements are estimates and projections reflecting management's judgment based on currently available information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements.  With respect to these forward-looking statements, management has made assumptions regarding, among other things, network usage, customer growth and retention, pricing, operating costs, the timing of various events, and the economic and regulatory environment.  Future performance cannot be assured and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include the risks and uncertainties relating to the impact of more intense competitive conditions and changes in economic conditions in the markets we serve; the risk that our network technologies will not perform properly or support the services our customers want or need, including the risk that technology developments to support our services will not be timely delivered; the risk that customers in the markets we serve will not find our services attractive; unexpected results of litigation;  and the additional risks and uncertainties that are described from in NII Holdings' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, as well as in other reports filed from time to time by NII Holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  This press release speaks only as of its date, and NII Holdings disclaims any duty to update the information herein.

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading telecoms solutions provider serving 45 of the world's top 50 telecom operators. Huawei's products and solutions have been deployed in over 100 countries and support the communications needs of one third of the world's population. The company is committed to providing innovative and customized products, services and solutions to create long-term value and growth potential for its customers. For more information, visit Huawei online: www.huawei.com. Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/huaweipress and YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HuaweiPress.

SOURCE NII Holdings, Inc.