HI LINK TELECOM LTD selects Alcatel-Lucent to build new wireless broadband network in Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq, September 24, 2009 — Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that it has been awarded a new contract by HI LINK TELECOM LTD, the winner of Western Iraq’s CDMA fixed wireless license, for the deployment of its greenfield wireless broadband network in Al Anbar province in the West of Iraq.
Alcatel-Lucent’s cutting-edge wireless technology will enable HI LINK TELECOM LTD to deliver high-quality voice and broadband data services with superior reliability, network capacity and performance, enabling the new operator to respond efficiently and rapidly to customers’ requirements and contribute to improving communications in the country. CDMA/EV-DO wireless technology offers an attractive way to support last mile broadband access in communities where wireline access is difficult to deploy or prohibitively expensive.
“Being a new telecoms service provider in the country, it was critical for us to select a partner that can help us establish and maintain a high-quality wireless network that can offer a great experience for our customers,” said Sheikh Tarik Alabdullah, HI LINK TELECOM LTD CEO. “We are confident that Alcatel-Lucent’s first-class products and services will allow us to quickly deliver reliable and innovative communications services in this underserved area of Iraq”.
Alcatel-Lucent’s cost-efficient solutions will enable HI LINK TELECOM LTD to keep pace with the demands of a rapidly expanding wireless services market in Iraq and provide users with a range of new applications and useful services, while at the same time offering the flexibility to introduce next generation broadband wireless technologies, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), in the future with a smooth evolution path to meet the operator’s market needs.
“The agreement we are signing today with HI LINK TELECOM LTD is significant because of the scope of solutions it involves, meeting the operator’s demand for near-term expansion and providing a means to sustain growth in the future. The CDMA/EV-DO technology that we are providing offers an ideal means for wireless carriers to add new services quickly while optimizing the operating costs,” said Vincenzo Nesci, President of Alcatel-Lucent for Middle East and Africa. “This new contract confirms our commitment to partner with our customers to help them leverage state-of-the-art networks that support their business goals and strategy”.
About the Alcatel-Lucent solution
Under the terms of the agreement, Alcatel-Lucent will provide its end-to-end industry-leading CDMA wireless networking solutions in Al Anbar province in the west of Iraq, including CDMA radio access, core network elements and microwave backhaul solutions. Additionally, Alcatel-Lucent will be responsible for installation, commissioning, project management, maintenance, network optimization and end-to-end network integration for the project.
Alcatel-Lucent is the world’s leading CDMA/EV-DO vendor with global market share of more than 42 percent in 2008, far exceeding that of the company’s closest competitor. Alcatel-Lucent is also a leading player in the wireless infrastructure market having deployed 350 commercial wireless networks worldwide. Alcatel-Lucent’s pioneering multi-standard technology base station (with more than 665,000 units shipped since 1999) is designed to support IP transformation and is part of our unique converged radio access network (RAN) strategy that enables operators to smoothly evolve towards future mobile broadband technologies. The company also is a world leader in the design, deployment, management and integration of networks.
About HI LINK TELECOM LTD
HILINK TELECOM is a Limited Liability Telecommunication company registered in Iraq and Jordan. The company provides Telecommunication services to Al Anbar Province in Iraq through a specific service provision license granted by the Iraqi Ministry of Telecommunications. The equipment used in the network is WLL CDMA 2000 Wireless Telecom-equipment manufactured by Alcatel-Lucent. The network covers main cities and all populated centers in Al Anbar Province in Iraq. For more info, visit http://www.hilinktelecom.com/
About Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) is the trusted partner of service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide, providing solutions to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. A leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications and services, Alcatel-Lucent leverages the unrivalled technical and scientific expertise of Bell Labs, one of the largest innovation powerhouses in the communications industry. With operations in more than 130 countries and the most experienced global services organization in the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with a global reach. Alcatel-Lucent achieved revenues of Euro 16.98 billion in 2008 and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the Internet: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com
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