Casema and Alcatel-Lucent successfully perform Netherlands’ first Universal 802.16e–2005 WiMAX trial

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) and Casema, one of the largest cable operators in the Netherlands with more than 1.4 million subscribers, today announced that it has successfully tested Universal WiMAX in the Netherlands. Casema is the first operator in the Netherlands to conduct verification testing for WiMAX, and it used the most advanced version, Universal WiMAX 802. 16e-2005.

This field trial is a significant step toward satisfying growing demand in the Netherlands for access to advanced broadband Internet services from any location. The trial has been designed to test several applications in the framework of the “Smart Homes” project, which is subsidized by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affaires and is designed to improve the overall welfare of the community by leveraging advances in telecommunications technology in three critical areas. Those areas are videoconferencing/telemedicine for welfare and care; video surveillance for security; and broadband Internet access to enhance general communications.

The WiMAX pilot network was deployed by Alcatel-Lucent in January in the southwestern part of the country and complies with the latest mobile WiMAX standard (IEEE 802.16e-2005). WiMAX stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, and it is a flexible technology designed to provide broadband wireless access to users in wide coverage areas. This technology enables people to access high-speed, high-quality broadband wireless services wherever they are and wherever they go, making it truly “Universal Wireless” broadband access.

“The deployment of this WiMAX pilot network plays a key role in accelerating the realization of the ‘Smart Homes’ project. Very soon, our existing broadband customers will be able to enjoy broadband services no matter where they are as they travel around the country,” said Mirko Mensink, Director Strategy from Casema. ”We selected Alcatel-Lucent because its solution complies fully with the WiMAX Rev-e standard and because of its demonstrated commitment to provide operators with the most advanced solutions to help them meet their customers’ needs. The facts that Alcatel-Lucent’s solution is available now and can be easily integrated into our network were also important factors in our decision"

Alcatel-Lucent provided a complete WiMAX solution that operates in the 2.5 GHz frequency band, including base station equipment, wireless access controller, operation and maintenance center, customer premises equipment (CPE) – including WiMAX fixed CPE and PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) cards for laptop computers -- to deliver Internet broadband access when on the move. Alcatel-Lucent also provided its advanced WiMAX engineering expertise and integration services.

“This field trial with Casema further illustrates Alcatel-Lucent’s commitment to WiMAX as a key element of its universal broadband access strategy,” said Luc Defieuw, Vice President Benelux and Scandinaviafrom Alcatel-Lucent. “WiMAX has the potential to give people access to cutting-edge and useful broadband services, no matter where they are and innovative service providers like Casema are leveraging that potential to better meet the needs of their customers. ”

Alcatel-Lucent’s WiMAX solution integrates state-of-the-art advanced antenna technology such as “Beamforming ” (*) that enables better indoor penetration of the radio signal while reducing the number of radio sites needed to provide coverage -– in some instances by as much as 40 percent. In addition, Alcatel-Lucent proposes fixed and nomadic terminals from various CPE partners in a global end-to-end offering. This is part of Alcatel-Lucent’s Open CPE policy, which aims at promoting an open device ecosystem and ensuring customers have the widest possible range of interoperable end-user devices.

Alcatel-Lucent is among the world’s leading WiMAX vendors, with more than 40 operators worldwide deploying its WiMAX equipment.