XIT Wireless selects Alcatel NGN solution to enhance its mobile network in Texas

Barcelona, February 13, 2006 — Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) today announced that XIT Wireless, a subsidiary of XIT Telecommunication & Technology Co-operative, has selected Alcatel’s NGN solution to expand its mobile network. Currently offering TDMA and GSM services in the Texas Panhandle, the deployment of the Alcatel Mobile NGN solution will provide XIT with a flexible and economical way to deliver services to their GSM clients. In addition, XIT will no longer have to outsource their GSM switching services, a significant benefit to their bottom line.

Featuring an IT-based architecture unique in the industry, Alcatel’s NGN solution will bring enhanced flexibility, greater scalability and improved cost-effectiveness to XIT Wireless’ network. Based on Spatial Atrium technology, the cornerstone of the Alcatel distributed MSC solution, is the Alcatel 5020 Wireless Call Server (WCS), a multi-standard and field-proven call server controlling distributed media gateways and managing call session control for voice and data services. With industry leading capacity, scalability and density, the footprint of the Alcatel solution is 10 times smaller than legacy switches, leading to dramatic OPEX savings.

Simultaneously supporting multiple generations of mobile radio access and transport technologies, the Alcatel solution will enable XIT Wireless to reduce the operating costs of its mobile GSM core network while optimizing its costs for 3G/UMTS introduction, ensuring long-term investment protection in preparing for the introduction of IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS).

“The Alcatel Mobile NGN solution offers the most advanced technology available, enabling us to expand and grow our business with, significant CAPEX and OPEX savings” said Jeff Harlow, Assistant Manager Outside Operations, XIT Wireless. “The ability to add 3G/UMTS and evolve to economical voice over WIFI services without having to forklift hardware is a significant advantage to our business operations and cost structure as well as a competitive advantage.”

“For rural carriers like XIT Wireless, the Alcatel NGN solution offers them the same state of the art technology being deployed by nation-wide operators to deliver the next generation of mobile services to customers regardless of their location,” said Marc Rouanne, Chief operating officer of Alcatel’s mobile communications activities. “Alcatel’s distributed NGN call server / media gateway architecture offers a scalability unique in the industry, enabling Alcatel to support carriers regardless of size or geography to ensure that their customers can access the most advanced services available.”

Alcatel’s distributed Mobile NGN offering is a commercially available, field-proven and IT-based solution that allows cost-effective network rollout or extensions. It has already been chosen by leading operators and has been deployed or is currently being deployed by tier one service providers in North America, in Europe and in Asia.


About XIT
Serving the Northwest Texas Panhandle, XIT Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc. has been providing telecommunications to the rural residents of Texas for more than 50 years. Locally owned and operated, XIT Communications provides local telephone service to the residents and business of Dalhart, Stratford, Hartley and Channing in Western Texas. The company bridges the digital divide by providing residents and businesses in their service area with the most modern, state-of-the-art service at the most competitive prices. For more information, visit www.xit.net

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.

Contact Information

Charlie Guyer

USA

Alcatel

Contact via E-mail