Vodafone Qatar and Alcatel-Lucent launch the first “green” mobile base station in Qatar

Paris – Vodafone Qatar and Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced the deployment of the first hybrid powered Base Station in Qatar, using an integration of solar and wind energy. This initiative is part of a wider green technology program led by Vodafone Group to deploy green energy sources in all of its affiliates worldwide.

“As the first hybrid solution in Qatar to make use of both wind and solar energy, this achievement increases the availability and quality of mobile services to the end customer, while reducing the impact on the environment. What’s more, it is one of the most innovative and best-performing solutions that we have tested so far in Vodafone,” said Jenny Howe, CTO of Vodafone Qatar. “Our partnership with Alcatel-Lucent has enabled a significant first step toward commercialising the technologies we need to reduce our carbon footprint and make a world of difference for all people in Qatar.”

This Vodafone trial site in Qatar is a significant milestone in the validation of alternative energy solutions that can be implemented elsewhere in the Vodafone Group to enable the expansion of mobile communication to areas not served by electrical grids, as well as to reduce both operating expenses and environmental impact.

The solution is provided by Alcatel-Lucent’s Alternative Energy Program. Announced in Feb 2009 to address the challenge that more than 100,000 mobile base stations shall be equipped with alternative energy solutions between 2010 and 2012, representing a yearly savings of about 7 million tons of CO 2, the program aims at providing the first truly industrial solution of wireless Base Stations powered with alternative energies, ready for large deployments. Leveraging its “Sustainable Power” services suite, Alcatel-Lucent provides consulting to help operators build a comprehensive deployment plan tailored to their specific environment, and then manages design, dimensioning, installation, transformation and integration of the entire network.

“Alcatel-Lucent is absolutely convinced that business has a critical role to play in the transition to a low-carbon economy. And for us this means both reducing the CO2 emissions from our own operations and providing energy efficient solutions to our customers. This trial marks an important milestone for our industrial solution. It also further strengthens our relationship with Vodafone by giving us the opportunity to combat global climate change together,” said Marc Kassis, Head of Alcatel-Lucent business in Qatar.

The technology, provided by Alcatel-Lucent, enables Vodafone to take advantage of the fluctuating yet complementary local weather conditions, all while reducing the ongoing costs and improving the quality of maintenance at remote or inaccessible sites.

The wind turbine at the Qatar site has been mounted at the top of the existing mast to leverage higher winds. The energy controller brings intelligent control to simultaneously draw power from both the photovoltaic panels and wind turbine, based on solar intensity and wind speed, making the most – at every second – of the two sources’ fluctuating availability. The system also carefully monitors battery charging cycles and diesel generator maintenance runs so as to maximize their lifespan. A full monitoring system enables real-time tracking of all weather and energy parameters; a key component to enabling large scale deployments.

About Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C.
Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C. (“Vodafone Qatar”) is the holder of the second public mobile telecommunications networks and services license in the State of Qatar granted on 29 June 2008. Vodafone Qatar’s mission is to “Make A World of Difference for All People in Qatar” by aiming to become “the most admired brand in Qatar.” Please visit external linkwww.vodafone.com.qa for more details.

About Alcatel-Lucent’s eco sustainability initiatives
As a responsible corporate citizen and leader in the telecoms industry, Alcatel-Lucent works to enrich people’s lives—by transforming the way the world communicates and connects, and by acting in full recognition of its social and environmental responsibilities as a company. Alcatel-Lucent also recognises the important role the telecommunications sector must play in the global effort to address environmental issues such as climate change. It is devoted to be an active community player and to involve suppliers and business partners in its sustainability approach. Bell Labs, Alcatel-Lucent’s research arm, is also the lead organizer of the Green Touch™ initiative, an international industry consortium dedicated to substantially reducing ICT’s carbon footprint by a factor of 1,000.

About Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) is the trusted partner of service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide, providing solutions to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. A leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications and services, Alcatel-Lucent leverages the unrivalled technical and scientific expertise of Bell Labs, one of the largest innovation powerhouses in the communications industry. With operations in more than 130 countries and the most experienced global services organization in the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with a global reach. Alcatel-Lucent achieved revenues of Euro 16.98 billion in 2008 and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the Internet: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com