Vinaphone selects Alcatel-Lucent for mobile network upgrade in Vietnam

Paris — Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that it has been awarded a contract by Vinaphone, the second largest mobile operator in Vietnam, to upgrade its GSM network in 16 northern provinces with advanced EDGE broadband data functionality. In addition, Alcatel-Lucent’s cost-efficient solution provides Vinaphone with the flexibility to introduce new technologies in the future, including EDGE+, W-CDMA, HSPA, HSPA+, and LTE with a smooth evolution path to meet their market needs.

The contract was signed through Alcatel-Lucent’s flagship company in China, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell. The deployment is currently underway and the expanded network will begin providing commercial services in April 2009.

Upon commercial launch, this network upgrade and modernization project will boost the capacity and coverage of Vinaphone’s network and enable the operator to offer its customers a wide range of advanced services in the future. Alcatel-Lucent’s advanced mobile networking technology will lay a solid foundation for Vinaphone’s upcoming 3G network construction.

Under the terms of the contract, Alcatel-Lucent will design, deploy and maintain its industry-leading multi-standard GSM/EDGE radio access solution including its latest Base Station Controller platform and TWIN transceivers.

“With our strong local presence, project management skills and our state-of-the-art wireless technology, we are confident that we will be able to ensure that Vinaphone will be able to reach its goal of providing its customers some of the most advanced mobile services available in Vietnam,” saidOlivia Qiu, President of Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell.

Alcatel-Lucent is a leading player in the wireless infrastructure market having deployed 350 commercial wireless networks worldwide. With over 500,000 multi-standard cabinets shipped since 1999, Alcatel-Lucent’s pioneering multi-standard technology base station is designed to support IP transformation and is part of our unique converged radio access network (RAN) strategy that enable operators to smoothly evolve towards future mobile broadband technologies. The company is also a world leader in the design, deployment, management and integration of networks.

About Vinaphone
Officially launched in June 2006, Vinaphone has become one of the top three mobile operators in Vietnam with a subscriber base of nearly 13 million. In 2007, Vinaphone spent over USD 100 million installing around 2000 BTSs in order to ensure that mobile coverage would reach every district nation-wide, with a strong focus on border and rural areas. For 2008, Vinaphone plans to deploy another 3000 BTSs to reach a total of 8000. Vinaphone’s strategy for 2009 is network coverage, marketing and branding.

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