Alcatel and ACCA Networks to expand Universal 802.16e WiMAX trials in urban areas in Japan

Paris, November 16, 2006 - Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) and ACCA Networks Co., Japan’s leading provider of DSL service, today announced that it had successfully tested Universal WiMAX in the sub-urban area of Yokosuka Research Park, and that it plans to expand its test to include the urban area of Yokohamacity from December 2006. ACCA will be the first provider in Japan to conduct 802.16e-2005 WiMAX verification testing in both sub-urban and urban areas, allowing it to ascertain the respective characteristics of both types of areas.

This trial is an important step towards offering commercial services and satisfying growing demand for wireless broadband access to advanced broadband Internet applications from any location, in Japan.

Alcatel provided ACCA with its Alcatel 9100 Evolium® WiMAX end-to-end radio solution, including base stations, Wireless Access Controller, Operation and Maintenance Center as well as indoor CPEs (Customer Premises Equipment) mobile terminals and integration services. Since June, the two companies have validated the capability of WiMAX and have tested broadband wireless applications such as video streaming, high-speed internet and Voice-over-IP. In the second phase, further focus will be put on extended features such as QoS, in particular with the planned service integration through IMS. The trial is operating in the 2.5 GHz frequency band and is based on Universal WiMAX IEEE 802.16e-2005 standard equipment.

“ACCA will be the first provider in Japan to conduct verification testing in both sub-urban and urban areas. To carry out this experience, we needed to partner with a leading player in the field, Alcatel”, said Yoshio Sakata, President of ACCA and Head of WiMAX Business Development. “Alcatel, who has an impressive portfolio in WiMAX, NGN, IMS, IP service edge routers, was committed to the WiMAX standard, IEEE 802.16e, from day one, and has demonstrated an advanced product roadmap. ”

“Our cooperation with ACCA Networks on this WiMAX trial is a great success so far and ’a first’ in Japan –one of the world’s most advanced and challenging wireless market. We will leverage the experience to continue demonstrating the huge potential of this WIMAX solution worldwide,” noted Marc Rouanne, President of Alcatel’s mobile communications activities. “Alcatel is today recognized as a leader in WiMAX and is increasingly selected by service providers worldwide,” he added.

Alcatel’s Universal WiMAX solution integrates the most advanced radio technology available on the market today. The Alcatel Evolium® 9116 WiMAX base station is compact and easy to install, enabling easy site acquisition, fast rollout and flexible configuration. Built-in Advanced Antenna Technologies, including beamforming and later MIMO, enable higher throughputs, longer reach and sharply lowered capital expenditures.

Alcatel has begun shipping Universal WiMAX IEEE 802.16e-2005 standard equipment and is supporting a number of WiMAX IEEE 802.16e-2005 trials worldwide.

About WIMAX
WiMAX is a broadband wireless access technology that enables connectivity through wireless networks for fixed, nomadic or mobile use in urban, suburban and rural areas. The technology offers a cost-effective broadband access alternative where DSL is unavailable for technical or economical reasons, or a last-mile alternative to unbundling for operators who are offering a combination of voice and broadband access offers to the next generation of wireless devices. The 802.16e-2005 WiMAX standard is a more advanced successor to 802d.16-2004 (called “Static WiMAX,” or Revision d), and offers superior performance and flexibility in pure fixed deployment scenarios.

About ACCA Networks:
ACCA Networks (http://www.acca.ne.jp/) is a CSC(Communication Service Company) that provides high quality and cost effective solutions and services to personal and business users to respond to their broadband needs. ACCA offers an always-on Internet connection at a fixed rate and has deployed ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) and Optical Fiber broadband access service for more than 1.3 million end users. ACCA provides ADSL lines to consumers through 16 major Internet Service Providers: OCN, @nifty, DION, BIGLOBE, ASAHI net, So-net, ReSET.JP, TikiTiki Internet, hi-ho, ZERO, Willcom, and 5 others. ACCA also provides a DSL premium service for enterprise users served through 11 NSPs (Network Service Providers): NTT Communications, KDDI, Sony, NTT ME, NTTPC Communications, Fusion Communications, Japan Telecom, VIC TOKAI, K-OPTI.com, MIND and Vectant.

About Alcatel
Alcatel provides communications solutions to telecommunication carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises for delivery of voice, data and video applications to their customers or employees. Alcatel brings its leading position in fixed and mobile broadband networks, applications and services, to help its partners and customers build a user-centric broadband world. With sales of EURO 13.1 billion and 58,000 employees in 2005, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com

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Régine Coqueran

Corporate Media Relations

Alcatel

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