Chuan Wei Selects Alcatel-Lucent for Nationwide Deployment of Cambodia's First WiMAX Rev-e Network

Mobile World Congress, BARCELONA, Feb 17, 2009 (PR Newswire Europe via COMTEX) ----- Frame Agreement Underlines Alcatel-Lucent's Refocused Strategy in WiMAX and Commitment to the Enhanced Wireless DSL Segment

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that it has been chosen by Chuan Wei (Cambodia) Co Ltd, to deploy a nation-wide WiMAX Rev-e (802.16e-2005 standard) wireless broadband network, Cambodia's first. Commercial services are set for launch in mid 2009.

Chuan Wei, part of the Thai Boon Roong Ltd conglomerate, is counting on the Alcatel-Lucent solution to meet its target of serving one million subscribers, roughly 80% of the country's business and enterprise population,, within two years of launch. Alcatel-Lucent is providing a complete turnkey solution for WiMAX, including integration, design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance services.

"As the first provider to deploy a nation-wide WiMAX Rev-e network in Cambodia, Chuan Wei is helping shape the future of communications in the region. The network will provide significant infrastructural support to Cambodia's economic growth, improving communications for local businesses and multinationals," said Chuan Wei's president, Alan Khov. "It will support high-quality voice telephony in addition to broadband access, thanks to the end-to-end quality of service features built into the Alcatel-Lucent solution."

"This large-scale contract win with Chuan Wei highlights Alcatel-Lucent's refocused strategy to WiMAX as the wireless-broadband solution for fixed, nomadic and data-centric mobility needs," said Mike Iandolo, President of Alcatel-Lucent's Wireless networks activities. "Driven to a large degree by demand in high-growth economies like Cambodia, we see the 'enhanced wireless DSL' market growing strongly over the next five-plus years worldwide with close to 90% of WiMAX Rev-e subscribers by 2013, and we are focused on building on our leadership in this space."

In December, Alcatel-Lucent announced that it was refocusing its WiMAX R&D efforts on the technology's dominant market opportunity, enhanced wireless DSL - which includes data-centric mobility usage on netbooks and mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) as well as residential and nomadic PC use.

Alcatel-Lucent is the commercial leader in WiMAX Rev-e, with 10 networks in service out of its 35 commercial references worldwide. The vendor has shipped to date more than 10,000 Rev-e base stations, supporting tens of thousands of paying subscribers. It is also a world leader in the provision of sophisticated project management, consulting and design services, applications and software integration and the design, deployment and maintenance of next-generation networks.

About Chuan Wei

Established in June 2008, Chuan Wei was awarded the sole license to operate the only nationwide WiMAX mobility network in Cambodia. The company is focused on delivering state-of-the-art WiMAX wireless broadband infrastructure for Cambodian society, allowing the Kingdom to realize its potential via improved access to digital communications infrastructure.

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