ZTE Corp. plans to open a research and development (R&D) laboratory in Vodafone Group plc's test and innovation centre in Duesseldorf, Germany. The companies signed an agreement on the collaboration during the CeBIT technology fair. Setting up a new R&D unit in Germany will add to ZTE's capabilities in pitching and supplying its portfolio to European telecoms groups, while at the same time pooling expertise with Vodafone's innovation teams.

Vodafone Group plc is set to announce up to 500 job cuts at its Newbury headquarters. As part of a new 1 billion cost-cutting program announced last year, the company would reduce the number of people working for its UK operation in areas such as back-office functions and middle management. The company shed 500 UK staff last year, mostly in Newbury, but also created new jobs in its retail and Internet operations.

Andrew Solutions announced that it has teamed up with Turkey's three mobile operators to ensure reliable wireless signals reach 2G and 3G subscribers throughout Istanbul's new Sabiha Gokcen Airport. The three operators-AVEA, Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS and Vodafone Group plc-led the project, Andrew supplied its ION-M optical distributed antenna system (DAS), and Mikom Microwave, Andrew's business partner in Turkey, assisted with system design and commissioning. Andrew's ION-M is a multi-operator coverage and capacity solution, supporting the operators' 2G and 3G subscribers in the airport. ION-M transmits wireless signals across both fiber optic and coaxial cables to remote antennas from a master unit. The result is clear wireless coverage for travelers and employees throughout the Sabiha Gokcen Airport campus.