Paris, June 20, 2002, Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa Sp. z o. o. (PTC), Poland's leading mobile network provider, and Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) announce they have conducted voice, data and video communications on the UMTS trial system installed in Poznan by Alcatel.
Numerous tests have confirmed the Alcatel's Evolium UMTS infrastructure's ability in the area of high-speed data & video transfers. Whether for surfing the Internet (Web Browsing), having on-line access to information, images or videos (Video Streaming), or for transmitting video images from a remote Webcam. Alcatel?s UMTS trial system provides data rates of up to 384 kbit/s.
Thanks to a dedicated applications software platform from Alcatel, Era is also able to test various 3G services including Universal Mail Client, multi-access Personal Information Management, Music Charts (MP3 music stream was replayed), Community Board and Electronic Shopping List.
Under the terms of the MoU, Alcatel installed its complete Evolium solution, comprising - among other things - the UTRAN radio systems (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network), the Core network and Internet applications. The radio systems, including the UMTS base stations (Node B), supplied by Alcatel were developed and manufactured by Evolium SAS, a company owned jointly with Fujitsu.
Wilhelm Stuckemann, Director Network Operation & IT, Member of the Board of PTC said: " UMTS trials are important steps in PTC?s preparation for the next generation -for the future expected growing demand for data intensive mobile services. The UMTS trial gives PTC / Era first hand information about the capabilities of UMTS technology prior to the decisions regarding roll-out of commercial system." "This trial system is a significant success for Alcatel as PTC has rapidly established itself as the leading mobile services provider in Poland, indeed even in Central Europe. We are extremely pleased to see our cooperation growing up?, added Marc Rouanne, President of Alcatel's Mobile Networks activities.
The Era?s trial adds to the some 20 UMTS field trials networks in operation or planned to be delivered by Alcatel in Europe and in Asia by the end of June 2002.
About Alcatel
Alcatel designs, develops and builds innovative and competitive communications networks, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver any type of content, such as voice, data and multimedia, to any type of consumer, anywhere in the world. Relying on its leading and comprehensive products and solutions portfolio, stretching from end-to-end optical infrastructures, fixed and mobile networks to broadband access, Alcatel's customers can focus on optimising their service offerings and revenue streams. With sales of EURO 25 billion in 2001 and 99,000 employees, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries.
Alcatel is now the world's fastest growing GSM/GPRS supplier. Currently, over 110 mobile operators worldwide rely on Alcatel's Evolium? GSM/GPRS core and radio solutions. By creating Evolium SAS, an Alcatel-Fujitsu company, Alcatel clearly reinforces its position in both mobile infrastructure and mobile Internet. Evolium SAS combines Alcatel's expertise in GSM, GPRS, and EDGE as well as in ATM and IP technologies, with the advanced experience of Fujitsu as supplier of NTT DoCoMo. NTT DoCoMo is the world?s leading mobile communications company with more than 40 million customers. The company provides a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services. These include i-mode?, the world?s most popular mobile Internet service, which provides e-mail and Internet access to over 32 million subscribers, and FOMA, launched in 2001 as the world?s first 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA.
Alcatel's UMTS solutions are a reality today, with 20 UMTS field trials networks in operation or planned to be delivered by Alcatel in Europe and in Asia by the end of June 2002. Alcatel's strategy covers all aspects of UMTS deployment, from radio access and core network to terminals. Evolium SAS delivers a radio infrastructure that is 3GPP-compliant, field-proven and capitalises on Japanese 3G technical and field experience. Alcatel, which played a vital part in developing the mobile Internet market, in particular through the successful roll out of GPRS commercial networks world-wide, has today a timely UMTS offering.
For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com .
About PTC
Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa Sp. z o.o. ? Era Network Operator (www.era.pl) is the biggest mobile operator in Central and Eastern Europe and a Polish mobile market leader. The company has over 4 million subscribers and users. The network covers over 96.11% of the Polish territory and 99.41% population (April 2002). Era network users can use international roaming in 233 different networks in all continents (May 2002). The company is a holder of the UMTS licence. PTC - Era network operator has been awarded many prestigious awards. It is also the first operator in Central Europe, which has received ISO 14001 Certificate for environment management.
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