[August 27, 2001]

Alcatel Signs BellSouth To Three Year DSL Equipment Contract

Alcatel (CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA), a leader in Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) solutions, announced a three-year agreement to provide BellSouth (NYSE: BLS) with a wide array of DSL network equipment.

The agreement will be an integral part of BellSouth's aggressive deployment plan that will make DSL available to 70 percent of the households in the Southeastern U.S. and grow its DSL subscriber base to 600,000 by the end of this year. This agreement also includes provisions for the purchase of customer premises equipment.

Alcatel will provide a wide range of capabilities including central office and remote terminal equipment to meet BellSouth's increasing demand for DSL services throughout its vast broadband and Internet services network. This agreement further strengthens the relationship enjoyed by BellSouth and Alcatel, and it will help BellSouth reach its deployment goals. This critical agreement demonstrates BellSouth's continued commitment to providing high speed Internet access solutions to its customers and Alcatel's exceptional capability to meet BellSouth's requirements in building its next generation data network.

"Alcatel is a company we have come to count on as a key supplier of DSL solutions," said Ralph de la Vega, president of BellSouth broadband and Internet services. "This agreement will help ensure that we meet our goal of nearly tripling our subscriber base to 600,000 and reaching 70 percent of the households in our region by the end of 2001."

"Our relationship with BellSouth is outstanding," said Mike Dobbs, group vice president of Alcatel's broadband networking activities. "There is tremendous competition in the broadband marketplace, and BellSouth is a great leader in expanding DSL service areas at a rapid pace. This agreement further underscores the commitment of both companies to success in the DSL market."

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