UPDATE 1-Nokia Siemens jv buys carrier ethernet firm Atrica

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HELSINKI Oct 25 (Reuters) - Nokia Siemens Networks [NSN.UL] said on Thursday it has agreed to buy technology firm Atrica, which providers carrier ethernet technology for city networks, but did not disclose the cost of the acquisition.

Israeli media said the price of the deal was $100 million, a figure a Nokia Siemens spokesman declined to comment on.

"Nokia Siemens Networks is continuing its investments in the development of solutions and products for data-optimised networks," it said in a statement.

The 180 carrier ethernet specialists at Atrica, working in Israel and the United States, will be transferred to Nokia Siemens Networks.

"It was an easy decision for both sides given the obvious synergies," Chen Amit, Atrica's chief executive, told Reuters.

Nokia Siemens said the market for carrier ethernet products is one of the fastest-growing segments of the telecommunications market, with leading analysts forecasting annual growth of 15 percent.

Nokia Siemens said the acquisition is expected to be closed this year, subject to customary regulatory approvals.