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Alcatel-Lucent: Telecom Egypt awards Alcatel-Lucent new submarine cable network linking Northern Egypt to France(M2 PressWIRE Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) RDATE:31012008 Cairo, Egypt and Paris, France -- Telecom Egypt (TE) (Ticker: ETEL.CA; TEEG.LN), the incumbent telecom operator in Egypt, and Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced they have signed a USD125 million contract to deploy a new submarine cable network linking Sidi Kerir in Egypt to Marseille in France. Named TE North, the project will enable Telecom Egypt to expand international connectivity, providing diversity from existing cable routes. Additionally, the TE North submarine cable system will help Telecom Egypt enhance its network capacity to operate as a wholesale carrier to other operators and expand its service offering to businesses and consumers. Spanning 3,100 km, TE North can deliver an ultimate capacity of 128 x 10Gbit/s on eight fiber pairs, which makes it one of the largest cable systems in the region. As a result, Telecom Egypt will be able to meet the growing demand for broadband services of its business and residential users at more affordable costs. Moreover, it will further establish Egypt's role as international communication hub between Europe and Asia/Africa, and it will also reinforce the city of Marseille as a communications hub with 'open access' facilities. "Egypt has a young population with a growing demand for more and more capacity. In addition Telecom Egypt has decades long tradition of being the partner of choice to all Asia-Europe submarine cable systems, by providing the infrastructure for crossing from Red to Mediterranean Seas. Today, through TE North, we extend the Telecom Egypt service footprint by offering an option to extend this infrastructure from the Red Sea to Europe," said Akil Beshir, Chairman and CEO of Telecom Egypt. "Alcatel-Lucent's turnkey expertise and technological lead in submarine networks shall help us achieve our project and business objectives on time." "Access to advanced technologies is key to operators like Telecom Egypt to best serve their customers," said Georges Krebs, Chief Operating Officer of Alcatel-Lucent's submarine network activity. "By meeting the requirements of communications infrastructures in terms of capacity, flexibility and scalability, Alcatel-Lucent helps Telecom Egypt respond to the ramping demand for innovative applications." About Telecom Egypt Telecom Egypt (TE), Egypt's incumbent telecommunications operator, started its operations in 1854 with the first telegraph line in Egypt. Then it was corporatized in 1998 to replace the former Arab Republic of Egypt National Telecommunication Organization (ARENTO). The Company is the largest provider of fixed-line services in the Middle East and Africa with 11.03 million subscribers as at the end of September 2007. TE provides retail telecommunication services including access, local, long distance and international voice, Internet and data, and other services. The company also provides wholesale services including bandwidth capacity leasing to ISPs, and national and international interconnection services. Telecom Egypt's services also include the provision of narrowband and broadband internet access through its subsidiary TE Data. TE Data has active operations in Egypt and Jordan. TE currently participates in the mobile segment in Egypt by providing mobile interconnectivity through its current, increased 44.79% holding in Vodafone Egypt, one of the three existing Egyptian mobile operators. About the Alcatel-Lucent solution The Alcatel-Lucent submarine solution will be based on its 1620 Light Manager next-generation DWDM submarine platform, and will also include cable, branching units and submarine repeaters, providing direct connectivity to landing stations. A comprehensive suite of professional services, including permitting and project management, engineering, marine operation, and installation testing and commissioning, is part of this turnkey project. 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]. CONTACT: Alcatel-Lucent Press Office e-mail: [email protected] WWW: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com ((M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to [email protected])). Copyright ? 2008 M2 Communications Ltd. |