Cisco (CSCO) and ZTE Corporation have signed an agreement to work together in the joint solutions of NGN, 3G and data technologies to develop business opportunities in the telecommunications service provider market in China and the Asia Pacific region, excluding Japan.

Cisco and ZTE will initially identify opportunities to jointly address the telecoms service provider market and accelerate the deployment of the companies' IT and communications technologies in the rapidly growing Asia Pacific region.

Cisco and ZTE will also explore additional opportunities to jointly develop customer solutions and collaborate to meet customer requirements.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony at ZTE's headquarters in Shenzhen earlier this month.

"Our two companies have very strong skills and complementary strengths that will provide excellent value to our customers in this region," said Owen Chan, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific Operations, Cisco Systems.

"ZTE's strength in both fixed line and wireless telecommunications combined with Cisco's strength in routing and data communications offers customers a unique and compelling solution, especially if they are exploiting the efficiencies of IP-based communications in their networks," said Mr Zhong Hong, ZTE's Vice President and General Manger for ZTE's Data Division.