TMCnet News
Alcatel-Lucent and Georgia Tech Planning 4G Services Center of ExcellenceSAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcatel-Lucent, (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU), and Georgia Institute of Technology today announced, here at the CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment trade show and exhibition in San Francisco, that they are in negotiations to establish the Alcatel-Lucent Center of Excellence for ultra-high bandwidth services to jointly develop augmented reality applications and massive multiplayer online games for mobile devices. Under the proposed strategic agreement, Alcatel-Lucent and Georgia Tech would form a team, with funding from Alcatel-Lucent, on the university campus dedicated to developing high-bandwidth applications, identifying the network challenges that accompany such applications and creating solutions to those challenges. The joint work would focus on augmented reality, which is the addition of computer-generated graphics to a real scene, as well as multiplayer online gaming and television-gaming convergence. The Alcatel-Lucent and Georgia Tech partnership would be one of the first under the new University Innovations Program that Alcatel-Lucent also announced today. "Combining Alcatel-Lucent's leadership in wireless and convergence technology, with Georgia Tech, one of America's top research universities, will spark innovation leading to more exciting and robust applications that carriers can offer their customers no matter how they connect," said Jessica Stanley-Yurkovic, Vice President, North America Marketing, Alcatel-Lucent. "Our goal is to create scenarios in Georgia Tech's research labs that challenge the maximum capability of current wireless systems so that we can develop services and technologies that go beyond today's capabilities, toward a next-generation high-bandwidth user experience." Alcatel-Lucent and Georgia Tech intend to have prototype applications and a "test bed" in place by the end of 2008. "Alcatel-Lucent's view of network-challenging applications is timely and market-leading, and represents a definitive effort to articulate and exceed industry expectations for mobile services, including 4G," said Nikil Jayant, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and Director of the Georgia Tech Broadband Institute. "Alcatel-Lucent is, in effect, looking into the future to develop enjoyable and engaging services, while buttressing its wireless network capabilities to make them 4G-ready. In addition, this program would bring together researchers from Georgia Tech's School of Electrical & Computer Engineering, the College of Computing, the Interactive Media Technology Center and the School of Literature, Communication and Culture in an exciting convergence of disciplines and talent." Alcatel-Lucent University Innovations Program Alcatel-Lucent is teaming with leading universities to uncover new opportunities for ultra high bandwidth applications (wireless and wireline) to help visualize the future. Through this program, Alcatel-Lucent will support the development of new communications services that bring value to society: consumers, educational and non-profit institutions, and business. These applications and services will be based on creating innovations utilizing key emerging technologies and trends such as convergence, mobility, broadband and ultra-high bandwidth applications. About Alcatel-Lucent Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) provides solutions that enable service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide, to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. As a leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications, and services, Alcatel-Lucent offers the end-to-end solutions that enable compelling communications services for people at home, at work and on the move. With operations in more than 130 countries, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with global reach. The company has the most experienced global services team in the industry, and one of the largest research, technology and innovation organizations in the telecommunications industry. Alcatel-Lucent achieved adjusted proforma revenues of Euro 18.3 billion in 2006 and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. [All figures exclude impact of activities transferred to Thales]. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the Internet: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/ About the Broadband Institute The Georgia Tech Broadband Institute (broadband.gatech.edu) is a multidisciplinary center that seeks to understand and advance the ever-evolving array of broadband technologies and services. The Institute brings together the best minds in academia and industry to define significant research problems in all aspects of broadband communications. Areas of expertise span wireless and optical systems and multimedia communications, including the contemporary themes of sensor networks, cognitive radio, information security, distribution of personalized content, mobile gaming, and such residential applications as aging in place. Alcatel-Lucent CONTACT: Georgia Institute of Technology Press Contact: Nikil Jayant,+1-404-894-7285, [email protected] of Georgia Tech Broadband Institute;Alcatel-Lucent Press Contacts: Mike Alva, +1-510-747-5148,[email protected], or Mary Ward, +1-908-582-7658,[email protected]; or Alcatel-Lucent Investor Relations: PascalBantegnie, +33 (0)1 40 76 52 20, [email protected], MariaAlcon, +33 (0)1 40 76 15 17, [email protected], or John DeBono,+1-908-582-7793, [email protected] Web site: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/ |