UAE’s Etisalat selects Alcatel-Lucent’s IP portfolio for network transformation

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that Etisalat, the incumbent operator of the UAE, has selected Alcatel-Lucent’s IP/Ethernet solution. This major contract provides Etisalat with a highly reliable, scalable and cost-effective solution upon which it can converge all existing and planned business and residential services – regardless of whether they are fixed or mobile. The contract, which complements Etisalat’s previous selection of Alcatel-Lucent‘s IP service routing solution, supports the operator’s recent strategic decision to transform to an all-IP network.

Alcatel-Lucent’s comprehensive routing and aggregation solution will enable the operator to more efficiently offer existing services such as triple play (Voice, IPTV and Internet), while broadening the reach of its business IP VPN services. Alcatel-Lucent’s IP service routing solution enabled Etisalat to migrate legacy business services to IP/MPLS VPNs; the new solution will provide a state-of-the art aggregation network that offers the security, scalability and flexibility required to handle all traffic types.

“The transformation of operator networks is a trend we continue to see in all regions around the world as our customers strive to maintain an edge in this competitive marketplace,” said Olivier Picard, president of Alcatel-Lucent’s activities in Europe and South. “We are very pleased that Etisalat, the leading service provider in the Middle East, continues to choose highly available and scalable Alcatel-Lucent IP/MPLS solutions as part of the foundation for its fully converged network.”

Etisalat will now deploy the Alcatel-Lucent 7450 Ethernet Service Switch and 5620 Service Aware Manager in addition to its existing 7750 Service Router network in its existing multi-vendor IP/MPLS network.

Over 180 service providers in more than 70 countries around the world have selected the Alcatel-Lucent IP portfolio as key elements for their IP transformation, including massive, multi-year projects at AT&T, BT and Telstra. Alcatel-Lucent has recently announced wins with Cable & Wireless, China Mobile, China Unicom, Portugal Telecom, SFR, Telefonica, Verizon and Vodafone. During the second quarter of 2007, Alcatel-Lucent reinforced its #2 position in IP/MPLS edge garnering 21% of the market according to Ovum-RHK, and is the fastest growing routing vendor in the world.