Zain KSA selects Alcatel-Lucent for major IP backhaul upgrade in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Paris, August 23, 2011 – Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that Zain Saudi Arabia (Zain KSA), a leading mobile operator in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has selected Alcatel-Lucent’s IP/MPLS-based mobile backhaul solution to respond to the sharp increase in bandwidth requirements, and to keep pace with subscribers’ demands.
The Alcatel-Lucent solution offers a converged, scalable, multi-access and all-IP network allowing dynamic service creation and delivery at the lowest cost per bit while enabling broadband accessibility to all Zain KSA subscribers, delivering service innovation, streamlining network operations and generating new revenues for the operator. As part of the Alcatel-Lucent’s High Leverage Network architecture, the solution will offer to Zain an increased capacity at lower cost while providing the necessary service reliability and quality of experience that subscribers expect, while it will strengthen the ability of Zain KSA to offer its customers the best possible quality of experience and also prepare its network infrastructure to immediately launch next generation communication and data services.
“Zain KSA looks forward to working with Alcatel-Lucent on this important network evolution project designed not only to improve the customer experience with a reliable and stable network, but also to take our customers to the next level of mobility and beyond,” said Dr. Saad Al Barrak Zain KSA CEO & Managing Director. “Through our competitive vendor selection process, Alcatel-Lucent demonstrated that they are ready to deliver innovative, cost-effective, state-of-the art technology and deliver financial value to Zain KSA.”
Amr El Leithy, Head of Alcatel-Lucent’s activities in the Middle East and Africa said: “Through Alcatel-Lucent IP/MPLS mobile backhaul solution, Zain KSA will dramatically simplify operations, reduce operating expenditures, as well as offer its customers the highest quality and most advanced wireless IP services. Our industry-leading mobile backhaul solution, which has helped service providers worldwide transform their networks to all-IP, will enable Zain KSA to economically and efficiently upgrade its infrastructure”.
As part of this project, Alcatel-Lucent is deploying its 7750 Service Router (SR) and 7705 Service Aggregation Router (SAR) along with the Alcatel-Lucent 5620 Service Aware Manager (SAM) and the Alcatel-Lucent 5650 Control Plane Assurance Manager (CPAM). The Alcatel-Lucent IP portfolio will make it possible for Zain KSA to deliver scalable, evolvable, cost-efficient and fully managed IP-based transport able to adapt to the expected increase in core traffic for years to come and to the advances brought about by the introduction of fourth-generation mobile technology.
Furthermore, Zain KSA has selected Alcatel-Lucent to provide comprehensive turnkey network-related services, including consulting, design, software integration, installation and commissioning, within the frame of this contract.
About Zain
Zain is a leading telecommunications operator across the Middle East providing mobile voice and data services to over 37.6 million active customers as of 31 March 2011. With a commercial presence in 7 countries, Zain operates in the following countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. In Lebanon, the company manages ‘mtc-touch’ on behalf of the government. In Morocco, Zain has a 15.5% stake in Wana Telecom, now branded ‘INWI’, through a joint venture. Zain is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (stock ticker: ZAIN). For more info, please visit http://www.zain.com/
About Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU)
The long-trusted partner of service providers, enterprises, strategic industries and governments around the world, Alcatel-Lucent is a leader in mobile, fixed, IP and Optics technologies, and a pioneer in applications and services. Alcatel-Lucent includes Bell Labs, one of the world’s foremost centres of research and innovation in communications technology.
With operations in more than 130 countries and one of the most experienced global services organizations in the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with global reach.
The Company achieved revenues of Euro 16 billion in 2010 and is incorporated in France and headquartered in Paris.
For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow the Company on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.
Contact the Alcatel-Lucent Press Office: press@alcatel-lucent.com
