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Alcatel today announced that it has been awarded by French Polynesia mobile operator, Tikiphone, a contract to implement 3G/UMTS pilot in French Polynesia. Under this multimillion contract, Alcatel will deploy by the end of 2004 UMTS/WCDMA technology through a turnkey field trial in Papeete for 6 months duration. Alcatel's Evolium UMTS/WCDMA infrastructure and applications solutions will enable Tikiphone to offer its subscribers new, innovative and multimedia high speed UMTS services, such as video telephony between multimedia terminals (voice, pictures and video), videoconferencing, high speed data, video streaming, music downloading, web browsing, chat, on-line gaming, etc.

Alcatel will supply and deploy the UMTS Radio Access Network (UTRAN) of the UMTS/WCDMA pilot network, including UMTS Multi-Standard Evolium Base Stations (Node Bs), the Evolium Radio Network Controller (RNC) and the UMTS Operation and Maintenance Centre (UMTS OMC-UR). It will also comprise core network system (packet and circuit) and associated multimedia equipments. Alcatel will also provide full technical support throughout the duration of the tests, thanks to on site experts.

Alcatel has already supplied Tikiphone with its Evolium mobile infrastructure solution for the radio portion of its GSM and GPRS commercial service. Introducing the UMTS/WCDMA capability in Tikiphone network will be carried out as an extension of selected coverage areas of the operator's existing GSM/GPRS network. Thanks to Alcatel's user-centric solution, Tikiphone coverage will allow for smooth interworking between GSM/GPRS cells and UMTS/WCDMA cells.

Rmi Galasso, Alcatel Pacific Islands Country Senior Officer, declared "This is Alcatel's first 3G/UMTS contract in the Pacific Islands' region. Tikiphone proves once again its innovation strategy in terms of multimedia services. Tikiphone was already the first operator in the region to implement GPRS technology in 2003"