www.alcatel.com

Alcatel today announced the implementation of "Indoor" mobile broadband coverage in their Paris headquarters using Orange's 3G commercial network. Alcatel is the first company in France to be equipped with this new technology that ensures exceptional quality of service in closed environments.

This service allows all users, whether in a building or an underground car park, to access all of Orange's services through their 3G mobile: the Orange World Video portal with 22 TV channels, video clips, film trailers, the latest news updated every 4 hours... (with excellent viewing quality thanks to a rate of 35 frames per second), LiveCams, video calls from mobile-to-mobile and mobile-to-fixed lines, not to mention broadband wireless Internet access.

Marc Rouanne, chief operating officer of Alcatel's mobile activities declared: "With the launch of "mobile broadband" in our company's nerve-centre, Alcatel is proud to be not only the first French company to have Orange's 3G Indoor coverage, but also the first customer of "Orange Intense Entreprise" since it's commercial launch in France".

Alcatel worked in close collaboration with Orange in the various project phases to ensure its success: interior radio design, techno-economic analysis of solutions according to the site constraints and configuration, production and optimization. Leaving nothing to chance, even the location of the antennas was examined in detail to maintain the architectural aesthetics of the building.

Orange France has deployed a multi-standard GSM/EDGE/UMTS Alcatel Evolium radio access solution for UTMS network coverage in Paris, the West of France and Lille in the North of France, alongside Alcatel's audio and video service platforms (audio and video streaming, converged fixed-mobile video solutions and a video messaging service).

In February 2003, Alcatel signed a framework cooperation agreement with DoCoMo Engineering Inc. relating to the improvement, design and operation of "Indoor" coverage on the 3G/UTMS network. Leveraging previous experience of the IMCS (In-building Mobile Communication System) service used by the world leader in 3G, Alcatel has enriched its portfolio to help 3G operators optimize the radio coverage of 3G networks, which is vital to guarantee the quality and the continuity of service required with increased traffic.

* Radio coverage inside buildings, enclosed premises and underground.