Alcatel-Lucent wins bln contract from Verizon

New Delhi, Mar 28: Alcatel-Lucent today said it has got a three-year agreement worth six billion dollars from Verizon Wireless to supply network equipment, software and services supporting Verizon Wireless' ongoing network expansion and continuous improvements.

In addition, the agreement calls for Alcatel-Lucent to enhance Verizon Wireless' existing CDMA2000 1X network.

''The six billion dollars investment we're announcing today is indicative of our willingness to further separate us from our competitors in the marketplace,'' Verizon Wireless Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President Dick Lynch said.

Alcatel-Lucent will provide infrastructure solutions spanning its entire portfolio to transition Verizon Wireless to an all-IP network. Verizon Wireless' CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev. A network will be expanded and enabled to support services such as VoIP with Quality of Service (QoS) through software upgrades.

Selected IMS services will be enabled through the addition of Alcatel-Lucent's IMS platforms with the A-IMS compliant Application Manager and Services Data Manager functions, a statement said.

Existing Alcatel-Lucent-supplied packet switches will be upgraded to support IP soft handoff and Transcoder Free Operation, and the Alcatel-Lucent 7750 Service Router will also provide IP routing and Ethernet aggregation.

Verizon Wireless will also use a wide range of products from Alcatel-Lucent's optical and wireless transmission products, including MDR 8000 digital microwave radios.

The Alcatel-Lucent optical networking products will include the optical cross-connects LambdaUnite and 1671 Service Connect (SC), and the Metropolis DMX product family, which will provide an end-to-end solution for bandwidth management and mobility traffic backhaul.

Alcatel-Lucent is also providing comprehensive end-to-end network support services, ranging from network integration to installation, repair and maintenance services.

UNI