Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that it has been selected by SFR for a major expansion and upgrade of its 2G/3G wireless network.  As part of this project Alcatel-Lucent' also has been selected by SFR for a trial of Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband technology.

These contracts strengthen the long term partnership between Alcatel-Lucent and SFR and will enable the operator to leverage and build on its existing investments to support the smooth evolution from 2G to 3G HSPA+ to address the growing demand for mobile broadband services.

Under the agreement, Alcatel-Lucent will provide its Converged RAN (radio access network) solution to SFR, enabling them to reach a greater number of subscribers and further improve their already high quality of service. The Alcatel-Lucent solution is based on the newly announced MC-TRX radio module, which is capable of delivering 2G and 3G, and which will evolve smoothly towards LTE.

This project is also a major step in the transformation of SFR’s network toward an all-IP infrastructure that will support the delivery of a wide array of services at the lowest possible cost per bit -- an architecture that Alcatel-Lucent labels the High Leverage Network™ and which supports the company’s application enablement vision. 

As part of this agreement, Alcatel-Lucent will provide an end-to-end LTE solution including base stations (eNodeBs), Evolved Packet Core (EPC) and associated management systems enabling SFR to evaluate the performance of LTE services and opportunities to introduce new multimedia applications.

Alcatel-Lucent will provide critical professional services such as the installation and commissioning for all of the equipment involved in the deployment and will provide the resources  to operate the various network elements, including configuration, performance monitoring and fault management.

“SFR’s decision to expand its relationship with Alcatel-Lucent highlights the strength of the company’s extended portfolio of converged fixed and mobile network solutions, which offer real advantages including cost savings, technological  innovation and operational excellence”, said Pierre Barnabé, Head of Alcatel-Lucent in France. “Through these agreements, Alcatel-Lucent also becomes SFR’s main broadband access supplier, across 2G, 3G and GPON for mobile backhaul. It is another example of the strong relationships we have formed with many of the world’s most advanced service providers.”

source:C114