India’s state-owned telecoms group Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) has commercially launched its first IP-based mobile next-generation network (NGN) in Mumbai in cooperation with French vendor Alcatel-Lucent. Alcatel-Lucent’s 3G- and IMS-ready NGN solution will enables MTNL, which provides telecom services in the Mumbai and Delhi service areas, to optimize and simplify its mobile network, while advancing the commercialization of 3G and IMS-based mobile services.

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) today announced the commercial launch of the operator’s first IP-based mobile next generation network (NGN) to offer enhanced services to residential and enterprise customers in Mumbai. The mobile NGN solution, provided by Alcatel-Lucent, is 3G and IMS ready and will provide MTNL with substantial operator benefits in network optimization, bandwidth savings and reduced space and power requirements.

The deployment of Alcatel-Lucent’s mobile NGN solution for MTNL supports the operator’s leadership in the competitive market of Mumbai. It leverages common network hardware and software assets to provide MTNL with the network scalability and agility to migrate from a 2G to a 3G network and to IMS as the market needs justify it. The mobile NGN solution will significantly decrease MTNL’s time-to-market for advanced mobile services.

R S P Sinha, chairman and managing director of MTNL said: “MTNL’s endeavours are focused on offering the latest technology and services to its customers. MTNL has been instrumental in providing the most competitive quality services to its customers and also keeping the market prices at affordable levels even for the common man. 3G services are going to revolutionalize the way we communicate and entertain ourselves.”

Alcatel-Lucent's mobile NGN solution is based on a secure, distributed architecture that enables MTNL to flexibly address traffic growth, reduce operation costs and simplify network maintenance.

“This win demonstrates the value of the long-term customer relationship and commitment of Alcatel-Lucent in India. Our undisputed technology leadership, innovation, and global knowledge and experience in telecommunications allows us to deliver a solution that positions our customers well to meet the challenge of increasing competition both today and tomorrow,” said Vivek Mohan, managing director of Alcatel-Lucent’s activities in India.

The mobile NGN solution deployment is a part of a multi-year agreement under which Alcatel-Lucent is providing an end-to-end GSM/EDGE solution to MTNL. Services offered under the agreement include project management, consulting and design, installation and deployment, network operations, maintenance and integration and testing. Alcatel-Lucent has supplied more than 50 percent of MTNL’s TDM switches and more than 2 million GSM lines to MTNL previously.
Alcatel-Lucent is a leading NGN solution provider for telecom operators, government organizations and enterprises worldwide, having deployed NGN solutions globally in more than 300 fixed and mobile networks to date.

About MTNL
Since launch of MTNL’s GSM mobile services in the year 2002, the number of GSM connections has reached 3.44 million as on 30.6.2008. The present GSM Network is EDGE enabled and hence can provide high data rate to mobile customers. We have already planned for 3G Network capacity of 0.25 million lines each in Delhi & Mumbai in 2008-09. MTNL has launched ‘Internet Protocol Television’ (IPTV). IPTV technology has now matured and nearly 5000 customers each in Delhi & Mumbai have subscribed to this service. IPTV gives quality TV viewing at affordable rates. IPTV also provides other services like Video on Demand, Time-Shift TV, Audio on Demand etc.

About Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) is the trusted partner of service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide, providing solutions to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. A leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications and services, Alcatel-Lucent leverages the unrivalled technical and scientific expertise of Bell Labs, one of the largest innovation powerhouses in the communications industry. With operations in more than 130 countries and the most experienced global services organization in the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with a global reach. Alcatel-Lucent achieved revenues of Euro 16.98 billion in 2008 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.