Coventry firm Marconi is to bring multimedia technology to more than 100 million people after securing a contract to supply a network in China.

The optical communications network will transform Sichuan Telecom's Chinese communications network. 

The deal is the first of its kind that Marconi has won in Sichuan, China's most populated province.

It follows recent contract wins in other parts of the country, including a deal to upgrade the Beijing Telecommunications Authority network and an agreement to provide high-capacity optical solutions for an expansion by ShanDong Zibo Telecom.

As part of the latest contract win, Marconi will solve the problem of handling traffic across the Sichuan Telecom network.

In addition, Marconi will provide technical support and training for the Chinese operator's staff.

The new voice, data and multimedia network will be the largest of its kind in south-west China, operating at a bandwidth - or capacity - of up to 2.5 Gbit/s.

Marconi has already won contract to build major networks across China, including one of the world's longest optical fibre links, running 3,000 kilometres from Shanghai, through Wuhan to Chongqing.

Coventry-based Marconi Communications Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia President, Peter Brown, said:

"This is a strategically important win, which we have made in the face of stiff competition from suppliers inside China as well as across the world.

"Sichuan is a vital addition to the provincial and metropolitan markets we have already established and a major milestone in Marconi's continuing development as the supplier of choice for optical networking solutions throughout China.”