Nokia Siemens Tries to Play Nice with Canada

Nokia Siemens Networks’ (NOK, SI) efforts to win public support for its $650-million bid for Nortel’s (NRTLQ.PK) CDMA wireless business and LTE R&D unit went on the offensive last week when NSN CFO Luca Maestri told a press conference in Toronto that the company not only plans to keep all 800 wireless jobs in Canada but add more as its makes Canada a global “next-generation wireless development” centre.

“I made it very clear we want to make it the centre of excellence for LTE technology for us,” Mr. Maestri told the National Post. “We really want to keep Ottawa as a centre of excellence — it is going to be a global centre.”

Nokia has a vested interest in keeping jobs in Canada given Export Development Canada, a Crown agency, is providing $300-million of financing to support the company’s bid.

While there is a possibility that another bidder may emerge for Nortel’s CDMA business and LTE R&D unit, Nokia is clearly hoping that it can win approval to expand its North American foothold.

More: Unstrung has details on Nokia’s plans for Nortel’s LTE assets.