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DCEL news - Alcatel Receives Order From Dobson Communications for Mobile Broadband Communications Solution
6/29/2004 11:18:00 AM

DALLAS, Jun 29, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Alcatel (ALA) has received an order from Dobson Communications Corporation (DCEL), the largest U.S. independent rural wireless communications provider, for the provision and the deployment of a broadband software-defined base station solution in Michigan.

Alcatel's solution for Dobson Communications is based on Airnet AdaptaCell(R) 4000 base stations and Airsite(R) 3000 Backhaul-Free(TM) base stations. It also includes Alcatel 1630 and 1631 digital cross connect products, and the integration of the complete solution by Alcatel.

This solution should significantly reduce Dobson's operating expense by enabling the use of GSM frequencies to link several base stations together. Dobson's real estate expenditures can be further reduced because the rapidly deployable base stations can be mounted on poles.

This new order confirms the momentum of the OEM agreement signed in March this year between Alcatel and Airnet Communications Corporation and illustrates Alcatel's ability to smoothly integrate Airnet's products into Alcatel's portfolio of mobile communications solutions for the U.S. market.

"Our objective is to provide all our rural and metropolitan subscribers with a reliable and economical mobile broadband access solution," said Tim, Duffy, senior vice president and chief technical officer, Dobson Communications. "With the Alcatel solution, we expect to benefit from a reliable and cost-effective solution that can be deployed quickly in our rural and highway areas, for the direct benefit of our customers."

"Many rural and highway areas are under served by mobile operators in North America because there has never been a cost-effective, reliable solution for them until now," said David Owen, senior vice president of Alcatel's North American mobile communications activities. "Our agreement with Dobson Communications helps to further develop the business momentum and interest that is building in North American markets for Alcatel's extensive portfolio of mobile solutions and services suitable for this region of the world."

The Alcatel Evolium(TM) solution comprises a wireless media gateway, a radio access network (base stations and base station controllers), mobile switching centers, home location registers, an intelligent network platform for value-added services, as well as a GPRS core network infrastructure. Alcatel Evolium end-to-end solutions support GSM and GPRS, as well as high- speed data access technology including EDGE and 3G/UMTS.

About Dobson Communications

With 1.6 million subscribers in 60 rural and metropolitan service areas in 16 states, Dobson Communications is now the ninth-largest wireless communications provider and the largest independent rural wireless provider in the U.S. http://www.dobson.net

About Alcatel

Alcatel provides communications solutions to telecommunication carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises for delivery of voice, data and video applications to their customers or to their employees. Alcatel leverages its leading position in fixed and mobile broadband networks, applications and services to bring value to its customers in the framework of a broadband world. With sales of Euro 12.5 billion in 2003, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. http://www.alcatel.com

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