My take is that they will have BOTH GSM and CDMA.

Take a look at the actual press release:

http://www.belizetelemedia.net/news.php?...amp;ucat=2&

Bold added by me



Belize Telemedia to Launch Two New Nortel Wireless Solutions
Belize – October 4, 2007- Belize Telemedia Limited, the leading telecommunications service provider in Belize, today announced that it has chosen Nortel [NYSE/TSX: NT], to replace and upgrade its existing GSM GPRS/Edge 850/1900 MHz wireless network, as well as implement a new CDMA/EVDO 450 MHz wireless network. These new wireless networks,(note plural) scheduled for installation in the first quarter of 2008, will support the continuing growth in cellular customers in Belize, expand service coverage, and support the growing subscriber demand for high speed wireless data services, mobile Web browsing, e-mail and high-speed download of videos and graphics.

"With these new service delivery platforms, supplied and installed by Nortel, Belize Telemedia will further enhance its reputation for quality, and support a more advanced and comprehensive range of services," said Dean Boyce, Chairman of the Executive Committee at Belize Telemedia. "We are substantially bolstering our network and market leadership by improving the reach, reliability, performance and capabilities of our wireless infrastructure. Furthermore, with the implementation of the CDMA/EVDO platform, utilizing the 450 MHz frequency, we are directly targeting the provision of voice and high speed internet service for the more rural and remote locations in Belize, which in turn will act as a primary generator of growth for those local economies."

"We are benefiting from Nortel's excellent technology and extensive expertise in deploying GSM and CDMA networks to ensure we have an infrastructure that is able to meet the increasing demand for wireless voice and data services in Belize today, while also providing us with the capacity to continue to grow and expand our service offerings in the future," said Ediberto Tesucum, Director of the Board, Belize Telemedia.

"We're excited about working with Belize Telemedia to help them to enhance the communications experience of their subscribers with new, sophisticated wireless services," said Chris Braddy, Nortel Account Manager for Belize Telemedia. "Telemedia can count on our world-class technology and our 30-plus years of experience in deploying advanced, reliable networks in the Caribbean region to help them to successfully complete this and future projects."

"We deliver on our Business Made Simple promise by helping customers reduce the complexity and harness the opportunities posed by Hyperconnectivity, a trend which encompasses person-to-person communication, person-to-machine and machine-to-machine, in their business environments,” said Ray Bulengo, Vice-President, Carrier Sales, Caribbean and Bermuda, Nortel. “Belize Telemedia is a long standing and valued customer and we look forward to expanding this relationship, and to continue to work with them to evolve their networks, cost-effectively, so that they can provide an advanced range of services to their customers.”

Nortel has designed, deployed and launched more than 300 wireless networks in more than 50 countries around the world. Nortel was the first industry supplier to have wireless networks operating in all advanced radio technologies (GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA2000 1X and EV-DO, UMTS and WLAN), and is the only end-to-end supplier of all new-generation wireless solutions.

About Belize Telemedia

Belize Telemedia Limited is the largest business, telecommunications and multimedia company operating in the country of Belize. The Company has an annual turnover in excess of US$70m, boasts 33,000 fixed telephone lines, 120,000 cellular customers and delivers directly and indirectly over 90% of the country’s internet services. With 475 skilled and trained employees and 15 branch offices throughout the country, Belize Telemedia Limited is focused on deploying state-of-the-art network and technologies to provide the best in communications and multimedia services. For more information regarding Belize Telemedia, please visit our website: www.belizetelemedia.net

About Nortel

Nortel is a recognized leader in delivering communications capabilities that make the promise of Business Made Simple a reality for our customers. Our next-generation technologies, for both service provider and enterprise networks, support multimedia and business-critical applications. Nortel's technologies are designed to help eliminate today's barriers to efficiency, speed and performance by simplifying networks and connecting people to the information they need, when they need it. Nortel does business in more than 150 countries around the world. For more information, visit Nortel on the Web at www.nortel.com. For the latest Nortel news, visit www.nortel.com/news.

I stand corrected on the GSM vs. CDMA usage in the US, misread the article.

But:

"Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards: In the United States only GSM phones use SIM cards. The removable SIM card allows phones to be instantly activated, interchanged, swapped out and upgraded, all without carrier intervention. The SIM itself is tied to the network, rather than the actual phone. Phones that are card-enabled can be used with any GSM carrier.

The CDMA equivalent, a R-UIM card, is only available in parts of Asia but remains on the horizon for the U.S. market. CDMA carriers in the U.S. require proprietary handsets that are linked to one carrier only and are not card-enabled. To upgrade a CDMA phone, the carrier must deactivate the old phone then activate the new one. The old phone becomes useless."

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-gsm-and-cdma.htm

Ray Bulengo,Nortel Caribbean region President:

“Signing this contract has significant implications for Nortel as BTL being a valued customer of ours.It actually brings forth new technologies,new capabilities to the people of Belize and CDMA technology which provides broadband access,which BTL will be using up to now extend services outside to the rural communities,but also to serve the other communities as well.”

He added also that the new system set to replace the existing wireless network in Belize is one that is effective and is currently being used by other companies in the region and around the world.

They seem to contradict each other.

Lets hope for both… will allow the most compatibility.

To me it would not make financial sense to run two networks to accomplish the same goal. The only reason they kept the analog system is it reaches many more customers than the digital system does. Here in PG their digital signal ends about 2 or 3 miles outside of town. I get great analog signal on an old bag phone at almost 9 miles outside of town and beyond if I take it in my car. Time will tell and someone has to pay all this cost to upgrade it, BTL sure is not going to eat it.