Alcatel-Lucent to Enhance Iusacell's Network in Mexico

Alcatel-Lucent and Iusacell, the largest CDMA mobile telecommunications operator in Mexico, announced a one-year contract to expand and enhance Iusacell's existing mobile network to support third-generation CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Revision A technology. The new EV-DO Rev. A network will enable Iusacell to continue the deployment of unique services such as IusaTV, BAM-Banda Ancha Móvil (mobile broadband services) and other multimedia services such as video telephony to its growing consumer base. The announcement was made in conjunction with a contract signing ceremony that took place at the CTIA Wireless 2007 trade show.

As part of this project, which will begin in June 2007, Iusacell's existing Alcatel-Lucent-supplied base stations and core network will be upgraded to support EV-DO Rev. A technology. Alcatel-Lucent also will provide its 9400 AWY Digital Microwave Radio links to transport network traffic and transmission lines and antennas from Radio Frequency Systems. In addition, Alcatel-Lucent will provide integration, deployment, maintenance and project management services.

"Our expanded portfolio resulting from the Alcatel-Lucent merger, global leadership in CDMA and our multi-vendor integration capabilities were extremely valuable to Iusacell and allowed us to deliver a winning proposition for this complex and multi-technology project," said Olivier Picard, President of Alcatel-Lucent's Europe and South activities. "This is our first EV-DO Rev. A contract in the region as a new company."

EV-DO Rev. A is an enhanced version of CDMA2000 1xEV-DO that increases the efficiency, data speeds and capacity of existing CDMA2000 1X and 1xEV-DO networks. EV-DO Rev. A enables users to receive data (forward link) at speeds up to 3.1 Mbps and send data (reverse link) at speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps. These increased forward and reverse link data speeds reduce data latency and will enable Iusacell to deliver multimedia services.