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10th September 2004 - Alcatel announced today that
it has signed a major contract with General Post and
Telecommunication Company (GPTC) for the supply of a
complete solution including GSM/EDGE and 3G/UMTS infrastructure
and services in Libya. This contract, which is worth
within the scale of USD 100 million, increases Alcatel's
leadership in Libya and constitutes a major UMTS deployment
for Alcatel in Africa.
Under the terms of this contract, Alcatel will supply
GPTC with its industry-leading EvoliumTM mobile radio
access and core network solution to service 2.5 million
GSM/EDGE and 3G/UMTS users throughout 75% of the Libyan
territory. Furthermore, Alcatel will develop and integrate
for GPTC a complete portfolio of attractive mobile services
to be run throughout the operator's network over the
whole country.
This network deployment, which is due to be completed
by the end of 2005, builds upon the existing GSM/EDGE
infrastructure already deployed by Alcatel for GPTC
in 1996. With this new contract, Alcatel will enable
the operator to dramatically extend its current GSM/EDGE
footprint while deploying a brand new UMTS network in
a single stage. Thanks to the flexibility of Alcatel's
Evolium? solution, GPTC will also give to a larger part
of its GSM- network the capability to evolve to GPRS/EDGE
and 3G/UMTS according to market needs.
The services package developed and integrated by Alcatel
for GPTC will enable the operator to provide Libyan
citizens with a wealth of high-quality mobile services,
including mobile video telephony and conferencing, online
games, live TV over mobile, a 3G video portal, video
messaging, webcam access, live sporting events and instant
messaging services.
This state of the art network will also extend access
to telephony in the country, covering areas which were
so far underserved, with an additional number of over
one million mobile users covered by the network. Other
products in the scope of this contract feature Alcatel's
PDH microwave, optical ADM and VSAT satellite transmission
solutions.
"We are very pleased to conclude this contract with
Alcatel who has been our long-standing partner in Libya",
declared Eng. Mohamed Moammar Al Gathafi, Chairman of
GPTC. "Thanks to Alcatel's world-wide expertise in mobile
infrastructure and services, GPTC- will pioneer the
UMTS technology in Africa and position Libya as the
frontrunner in the development of Africa's telecommunication
landscape."
"This is a major UMTS deployment contract for Alcatel
in Africa", said Etienne Fouques, President of Alcatel's
mobile communications activities. "This contract reinforces
Alcatel's presence in Libya as well as the company's
overall commitment to the development of the region.
It also shows that Alcatel's Evolium? multi-standard
solutions are bound to success on the African continent,
as they offer a seamless and natural evolution from
2.5G towards 3G/UMTS and even beyond."
About GPTC
General Post & Telecommunication Company is the national
operator which provides fixed, mobile and internet related
services throughout Libya. Given the large size of the
country, GPTC performs its duties in a very geographically
diversified frame.
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