Nokia said in a statement it would significantly boost Henan Mobile's coverage and capacity in the province, particularly in rural areas.

The Finnish firm said it would supply a GSM/GPRS radio and core network, as well as support and network management systems.

It said deliveries will start immediately and the network would be operational by the end of September.

Nokia faces fierce competition in China, the world's biggest mobile communications market.

Others active in the market include Sweden's Ericsson and U.S.-based Motorola, as well as Chinese rivals Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd and ZTE Corp.