Alcatel partners with Global Imaging Online for the development of digital medical imagery in Africa via broadband

Paris, January 26, 2006 - Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) announced today the signature of a 3-year MOU with Global Imaging Online, a French company specializing in medical treatment and medical diagnostic imagery.

The solution supplied by Global Imaging Online relating to digital radiology machinery offers, particularly in rural and isolated zones of Africa, substantial savings and fights against certain pandemics such as tuberculosis linked to HIV/AIDS in a more efficient manner due to improved patient monitoring. This solution offers easy and intuitive access, through a web interface, to a collection of medical images relating to the patient’s file. It allows one to get a remote diagnosis utilizing the power of the Internet.

Alcatel envisages that they will develop several projects with Global Imaging Online in African countries. Alcatel will provide a relevant solution to adapt broadband Internet access (DSL, WiMAX, satellite…), which will allow a medical centre, situated in a rural zone, to send every type of medical image to other competent centers. For those patients that aren’t able to benefit from an appropriate medical structure in the proximity of their place of residence, the remote diagnosis will be carried out in the principal hospitals of the country and if necessary, in hospitals situated abroad.

Thierry Albrand, Vice President of Digital Bridge for Alcatel, declared: “Alcatel is committed to bridging the digital divide in underserved regions so that the local population can have access to value-added services, allowing them to improve the conditions of daily life such as access to health services. Also, we are delighted to announce this partnership with Global Imaging Online who have a high level of expertise in the area of the developing diagnostic imagery applications. This MOU will allow us demonstrate that high speed Internet isn’t just a luxury that rich countries can afford and it can assure a better monitoring of patients’ health in rural areas of Africa”.

“Global Imaging Online has been involved in Senegal since 2004, implementing its management solutions, medical treatment and medical diagnostic imagery solutions in order to allow decentralized bases to benefit from the expertise of central centers. We have based our developments on web solutions which are communication orientated, benefiting from rapid and quality images, in order to give doctors a delocalized diagnosis. We are very happy with our partnership with Alcatel who will bring their competence to the area of communications. This MOU is going to allow us to improve the quality of care in the geographic zone concerned.” added Mr. Jean-Pierre Deschateaux, President of Global Imaging Online.

Alcatel’s Digital Bridge Initiative strives to reduce the Digital Bridge and to subscribe to Alcatel’s Sustainable Development strategy. Concentrating on the clearly identified needs of the local popuation, this approach brings partners and local players, associations and other stakeholders together at a local level in order to propose solutions that combine technology, services and finance.

About Global Imaging Online
Global Imaging Online develops powerful web solutions that are economical, advanced and intuitive for the communication and visualization of radiological and cardiological images. Thanks to the New Technologies of Information and Communication, Global Imaging Online allows medical bodies to interpret tests at a distance, if necessary, for a better offering and better patient monitoring. With over 100 installation sites in France and with over 70 web PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) abroad, Global Imaging is one of the major French players. For more information, visit Global Imaging Online on the Internet: http://www.global-imaging.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 to their 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 12.3 billion and 56,000 employees in 2004, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries.

Contact Information

Mark Burnworth

Alcatel

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