Alcatel-Lucent Enhances Mobile Backhauling Solution to Help Mobile Operators Evolve Their Networks to all-IP

PARIS (Map) - PARIS, September 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE:ALU) today announced the launch of the 7705 SAR - Fixed Form Factor (7705 SAR-F) and enhanced operating system software. This new solution demonstrates Alcatel-Lucent's strong commitment to continuous innovation and technological leadership in the IP/MPLS market for mobile service providers.

The expansion of the 7705 SAR family brings significant feature enhancements that respond to operator demand for more bandwidth and scalability at lower operational costs - from core to the cell site. This innovative solution reinforces Alcatel-Lucent's Mobile Evolution Transport Architecture (META) as the industry's most comprehensive and cost-effective architecture for evolving mobile networks to all-IP. The 7705 SAR-F enhances a fully managed, complete end-to-end solution for carriers moving from TDM/PDH transport for mobile backhaul to Carrier Ethernet and IP/MPLS networks. New features and functionality of the single-rack unit 7705 SAR-F include: cost-effective scaling, resiliency/redundancy covering synchronization, uplinks and power feeds as well as extreme temperature hardened characteristics (-40degrees C to +65 degrees C).

In addition, the 7705 SAR-F leverages the proven reliability of Alcatel-Lucent's powerful SR OS software to support new advanced functionality, provide consistent end-to-end operations and network management. The 7705 SAR-F is available with class leading port density (16 x T1/E1 plus 6x 10/100 and 2 GE ports in 1 RU) and provides strong evolution capability for mobile and wireline operators to migrate to IP/MPLS to support 4G/LTE in the future.

"The one unit aggregation router product category is an important one for many 3G and 4G operators looking to migrate to IP backhaul," said

Alcatel-Lucent is today also announcing availability of Release 1.1 of the 7705 SAR family software. Release 1.1 includes an end-to-end synchronous Ethernet capability, which is important as operators make the transition to Ethernet for mobile backhaul in order to fully exploit its cost and bandwidth efficiencies. The synchronous Ethernet features augment a range of end-to-end synchronization techniques with independently validated industry-leading performance (http://www1.alcatel-lucent.com/bnd/mobile/). As well, the new release includes High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) offload enhancements which enable cost-effective and flexible offload using GRE (Generic Routing Encapsulation), to complement existing support for MPLS.

"The announcement reinforces the breadth and depth of the Alcatel-Lucent portfolio for mobile backhaul," said Stephane Teral, Principal Analyst, Service Provider VoIP, IMS, and Mobile Infrastructure, Infonetics. "Solving the synchronous Ethernet is critical for the successful evolution to Ethernet in mobile backhaul. As HSPA data volumes continue to ramp, the networking solutions for networking offload should prove attractive as well."

"As mobile operators look beyond 3G to long-term evolution (LTE) their networks will move to all-IP for its operational and cost efficiencies. To enable this Alcatel-Lucent is delivering the industry's most comprehensive and integrated mobile solution, from the IP backbone through to the cell tower," said Basil Alwan, president of Alcatel-Lucent IP activities. "The introduction of the new 7705 SAR-F and enhancements to our SAR family demonstrate our commitment to continuous innovation and technological leadership in the IP/MPLS market for mobile service providers."

More than 230 operators in 90+ countries have selected the Alcatel-Lucent IP/MPLS portfolio, and since its availability in Q2 2008, more than a dozen service providers have selected the Alcatel-Lucent 7705 SAR. According to Ovum RHK, Alcatel-Lucent holds the #2 position in the IP/MPLS Edge market segment.

For more information on the Alcatel-Lucent 7705 SAR F visit: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/7705SAR

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 revenues of Euro 17.8 billion in 2007 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