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Bulgaria’s Mobiltel selects Alcatel-Lucent’s latest generation of GSM/EDGE radio equipment to enhance its wireless network


WEBWIRE

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that it has been selected by Mobiltel, the leading mobile operator in Bulgaria and a wholly owned subsidiary of Telekom Austria Group, to upgrade and enhance its wireless network with the latest generation of Alcatel-Lucent’s GSM/EDGE radio controller platform, based on the industry’s most advanced hardware architecture.



With its compact new design and high performance, this platform will bring superior flexibility to Mobiltel’s existing radio access network and prepare it for the next-generation network architecture. This will make it easier to introduce new advanced IP-based services while reducing operating expenses and optimizing the ability to accommodate growing demand for the operator’s services.



Alcatel-Lucent’s 9130 Base Station Controller/Multi-BSC Fast Packet Server (BSC/MFS) is a new base station subsystem controller platform that supports the ever-increasing, market-driven volume of voice and data traffic. This state-of-the art equipment is based on the field-proven Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture (ATCA) and will enable Mobiltel to create a more centralized and optimized GSM/EDGE network architecture that will reduce the cost of enhancing and expanding its network.



“Alcatel-Lucent’s new BSC/MFS technology was extensively tested within our network and proved to be stable and reliable,” said Thomas Klemenschits, CTO Mobiltel. “This new Alcatel-Lucent platform is a major step toward our IP network transformation and helps us reduce our operating expenses.”



"Alcatel-Lucent has a strong presence in South-Eastern Europe and has supplied GSM infrastructure solutions to Mobiltel since 2001. We are confident this new deployment will strengthen our partnership and are proud to have been selected by Mobiltel to introduce this Alcatel-Lucent state-of-the-art wireless technology to Bulgaria,” said Dan Bedros, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s activities in South-Eastern Europe.



He added that this contract further demonstrates Alcatel-Lucent’s commitment to deliver to its customers the most advanced GSM/EDGE solution for network expansion. It follows Alcatel-Lucent’s strategic partnership announcement with mobilkom austria group – the mobile arm of Telekom Austria -- last month at the 3GSM World Congress, to continue the modernization of the operator’s networks in Central and South Eastern Europe.



Alcatel-Lucent has more than 170 GSM/EDGE customers in more than 90 countries, making it a leading provider of mobile communications solutions. Alcatel-Lucent is boosting its GSM/EDGE portfolio by introducing the field-proven ATCA-based BSC Evolution associated with the powerful TWIN Transceiver module.



As a global leader in the development and deployment of third-generation (3G) networks, Alcatel-Lucent has deployed commercial 3G (CDMA2000 and UMTS/HSPA) systems for more than 70 operators worldwide.



About Mobiltel Bulgaria

Mobiltel is the national market leader with 52.5% market share. With more than 4.3 million customers it is the biggest telecommunications network in Bulgaria and one of the most successful mobile operators in Europe. The operator became the first to start EDGE, UMTS and WiMax networks in Bulgaria and the fifth in the world to start a HSDPA network.

In July 2005 Mobiltel joined the mobilkom austria group comprising the Austrian mobilkom austria (a 100% subsidiary of Telekom Austria), the Croatian VIPnet, the Slovenian Si.mobil, and mobilkom liechtenstein in Liechtenstein. Together the group serves more than 10.2 million customers and has about 6,000 employees.





About Alcatel-Lucent

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) provides solutions that enable service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide, to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. As a leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications, and services, Alcatel-Lucent offers the end-to-end solutions that enable compelling communications services for people at home, at work and on the move. With operations in more than 130 countries, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with global reach. The company has the most experienced global services team in the industry, and one of the largest research, technology and innovation organizations in the telecommunications industry. Alcatel-Lucent achieved adjusted proforma revenues of Euro 18.3 billion in 2006 and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. [All figures exclude impact of activities to be transferred to Thales]. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the Internet: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com



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