Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei overtook Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) to become the second largest wireless infrastructure company in the world in terms of sales in the final quarter of 2011, according to ABI Research.

Huawei sold US$2.53 billion worth of equipment, up 54 percent on the previous quarter and 38 percent compared to the same quarter a year ago. ABI practice director for mobile networks Aditya Kaul said Huawei had “an exceptionally good fourth quarter.”

In contrast, NSN managed to generate US$2.4 billion in equipment sales during the same period.

NSN recently shifted its focus to mobile broadband as part of a major restructure which has seen it spin off a number of non-core business divisions and cut 17,000 jobs “to improve our profitability and cash generation.” CEO Rajeev Suri outlined the company’s future plans at Mobile World Congress in February.

ABI Research said most vendors finished the calendar year strongly, with Ericsson continuing to lead the way with  US$3.5 billion in wireless equipment sales for the period.

However, the fourth quarter was weaker in terms of wireless equipment sales in general, compared to 2010. “Wireless network operators did not spend as much in the fourth quarter as they have in past years, presumably taking a cautious approach due to uncertainty of the macroeconomic situation,” said ABI principal analyst for wireless infrastructure Jim Eller.