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Reliance Communications and Alcatel-Lucent enter long term billion dollar contract to further improve network performance and customer experience to offer Next Generation telecom solutions across multiple devices and platforms(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) * India's first end-to-end managed services contract and one of thelargest globally * Cost effectiveness through introduction of next gen processes, tools andintegrated management * Helps create leaner organization within Reliance with 4,000 employeesmoving to new managed service operation, providing them globalopportunities * Reduces Investment risks with pre-defined costs targeted towardsenhancing customer experience Mumbai -- Reliance Communications (RCOM), India'sfully integrated telecommunications service provider and Alcatel-Lucent(Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU), have today announced a first-of-its-kind,end-to-end network managed services contract aimed at delivering superiorcustomer experience in Eastern and Southern India up to 2020. The contract which extends RCOM's existing relationship withAlcatel-Lucent's for over USD 1 billion, will deliver world-class, seamlessvoice and data communications services to RCOM customers. This is India's first fully integrated strategic agreement and one ofjust-a-few globally, to meet the fast evolving customer demand forcommunications applications and services in one of the world's most dynamictelecom markets. Alcatel-Lucent will enhance Reliance Communication's operations, andsynergize hitherto independent wireless and wireline teams to form a singlenetwork management organization. This optimized integration of resources willhelp Reliance Communications to strengthen its focus on growing its business,with top-of-the-line services to customers. Alcatel-Lucent also will drive astandardization of the tools, processes and best practices that are appliedacross RCOM's businesses. This strategic agreement will give Reliance Communications the uniquecapability to proactively assure a high quality and consistent experience forcustomers regardless of device or type of connection. To enable the new model,Alcatel-Lucent will set up and operate next-generation OSS (operations supportsystems) and introduce advanced real-time optimization tools to improve networkperformance across Reliance's wireless, wireline, long-distance, fiber andutilities' functions. RCOM and Alcatel-Lucent will work together to createthe pathway required by the emerging demands for data-driven and multipledevice-led usage of communication solutions and applications by Indian telecomcustomers. Commenting on the partnership, Gurdeep Singh, Chief Executive Officer,Wireless Business, Reliance Communications said: "We are happy toannounce our new partnership with Alcatel-Lucent, which is a transformativeleap from the limited scope and vision of traditional outsourcing of services.This will enable Reliance Communications to take the lead in offering nextgeneration telecom solutions that will meet and exceed the expectations of ourcustomers, and help them to transit from voice-led usage to a seamless dataexperience across multiple devices and platforms." Rajeev Singh-Molares, President, Asia-Pacific with Alcatel-Lucentsaid: "This business association is an extension of our long-standingrelationship with Reliance Communications, and our commitment to India. It alsodemonstrates our renewed focus on managed services as we apply greaterselectivity on more value-added contracts. The enormous scope of this agreementwill bring a wide variety of skills, expertise and hands-on know-how that wecan leverage for the benefit of others." Alcatel-Lucent will be responsible for improving network performance andultimately consistent service quality, with the goal of increasing customersatisfaction and retention across all geographies as per the contract. "This is first time that National Long Distance network and Accessnetwork (Enterprise) is being outsourced to deliver world-class servicedelivery and assurance performance. Our enterprise customers will be able todeploy state-of-the-art data services with high confidence underpinned by ourintegrated network and expertise of ALU" added Punit Garg, ChiefExecutive Officer, Global and Enterprise Business, RelianceCommunications. Munish Seth, President and Managing Director, Alcatel-Lucent Indiasaid: "Having partnered with Reliance Communications over the years, wefully understand what is required to manage and transform its network. Webelieve that our extensive experience with Reliance Communications has played amajor part in the expansion of our existing relationship, and the awarding ofwhat is one of the largest and most strategic contracts for us to date. This isa significant milestone for Alcatel-Lucent in India". About the 2013 Reliance Communications/Alcatel-Lucent contract As part of the agreement between the companies, Alcatel-Lucent will supportReliance Communications with a wide range of services including operationssupport system (OSS) integration, services such as benchmarking and radiofrequency coverage testing, and service delivery management. Alcatel-Lucent will also be responsible for network performance andultimately service quality, with the goal of increasing customer satisfactionand retention. Alcatel-Lucent will also work closely with RelianceCommunications to identify opportunities to introduce new services and expandexisting businesses to help realize the full potential of its network. The agreement between Alcatel-Lucent and Reliance Communications is thefirst for converged wireless/fixed-line contract in India, and one of only ahandful in the world. Alcatel-Lucent will streamline Reliance Communication'soperations, bringing together previously independent wireless and fixed-lineteams to form a single network management organization. Alcatel-Lucent alsowill drive a standardization of the tools, processes and best practices thatare applied across the business. Reliance Communications will benefit from with expertise gained byAlcatel-Lucent from more than 20 years' experience in network operations,outsourcing and a managed services presence throughout the world, supportingmore than 100 operators. About Reliance Communications Reliance Communications Limited founded by the late Shri Dhirubhai H Ambani(1932-2002) is the flagship company of the Reliance Group. The Reliance Groupcurrently has a net worth in excess of Rs. 90,000 crore (US$ 17.7 billion),cash flows of Rs. 8,000 crore (US$ 1.6 billion), net profit of Rs. 3,200 crore(US$ 0.6 billion). Reliance Communications is India's foremost and truly integratedtelecommunications service provider. The Company, with a customer base of about130 million including over 2.5 million individual overseas retail customers,ranks among the Top 6 Telecom companies in the world by number of customers ina single country. Reliance Communications corporate clientele includes over35,000 Indian and multinational corporations including small and mediumenterprises and over 800 global, regional and domestic carriers. Reliance Communications has established a pan-India, next generation,integrated (wireless and wireline), convergent (voice, data and video) digitalnetwork that is capable of supporting best-of-class services spanning theentire communications value chain, covering over 24,000 towns and 600,000villages. Reliance Communications owns and operates the world's largest nextgeneration IP enabled connectivity infrastructure, comprising over 277,000kilometers of fibre optic cable systems in India, USA, Europe, Middle East andthe Asia Pacific region. Reliance Communications Limited, Registered Office: H, Block, 1st Floor,Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City, Navi Mumbai -- 400 710 For further information please contact Rohit Khanna Reliance Communications Ltd. +91 9320499499 [email protected] About Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) The long-trusted partner of service providers, enterprises and governmentsaround the world, Alcatel-Lucent is a leading innovator in the field ofnetworking and communications technology, products and services. The company ishome to Bell Labs, one of the world's foremost research centers, responsiblefor breakthroughs that have shaped the networking and communications industry.Alcatel-Lucent was named one of MIT Technology Review's 2012 Top 50 list of the"World's Most Innovative Companies" for breakthroughs such as lightRadio(TM),which cuts power consumption and operating costs on wireless networks whiledelivering lightning fast Internet access. Through such innovations,Alcatel-Lucent is making communications more sustainable, more affordable andmore accessible as we pursue our mission - Realizing the Potential of aConnected World. With operations in more than 130 countries and one of the most experiencedglobal services organizations in the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is a localpartner with global reach. The Company achieved revenues of Euro 15.3 billionin 2011 and is incorporated in France and headquartered in Paris. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com , read the latest posts on theAlcatel-Lucent blog: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow the Companyon Twitter: http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent . Contact the Alcatel-Lucent Press Office: [email protected] ((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. 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