European First TMN Launches First Commercial High Speed Mobile
Internet Network in Portugal: Alcatel Supplies End to End GPRS Solution
Paris, France, November 13, 2000 - TMN, the largest mobile operator in Portugal, has officially
launched on November 8, 2000, on the occasion of Expo Telecom Lisbon, the first high speed
mobile data services on its General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) commercial network, supplied by
Alcatel. This is the first GPRS network operating commercially in Europe.
Alcatel has supplied its complete GPRS end-to-end solution including Alcatel's EvoliumTM radio
and core network infrastructure. The solution also integrates a complete billing chain built on
Alcatel's Charging Gateway, and an Operation and Maintenance Center-GPRS (OMC-G).
TMN is one of the first worldwide mobile operators to commercialize high speed WAP added value
services as well as fast access to Internet/Intranet over GPRS. With GPRS, these services, especially
adapted to the needs of the mobile users, are accessible directly from a GPRS phone, available in
Portugal within the TMN pack.
With GPRS, TMN will greatly improve its position in the information society, taking a major step
forward in the evolution of its current GSM network to a 3rd generation UMTS (Universal Mobile
Telecommunications System) whose primary characteristics will compromise a panoply of services
in addition to access to multimedia services.
"We are very pleased to be the first operator to provide commercial WAP over GPRS in Portugal.
Thanks to our fruitful collaboration with Alcatel, the EVOLIUMTM GPRS solution was deployed in
a short time. Today, we are able to offer our customers high speed data services which are reliable,
always-on and cost-effective" declared Eduardo Cláudio, divisional Director of Internet Business of
TMN.
Michel Rahier, President of Alcatel's Mobile Communication activities said "By meeting this
milestone, TMN is positioned as a key player in the Mobile Internet market. This achievement
demonstrates Alcatel's commitment to bring its customers a commercially ready GPRS solution here
and now."
By creating Evolium SAS, an Alcatel-Fujitsu company, Alcatel clearly reinforces its position in both
mobile infrastructure and mobile Internet. Evolium SAS combines Alcatel's expertise in GSM,
GPRS, and EDGE as well as in ATM and IP technologies, with the advanced experience of Fujitsu as
supplier of NTT DoCoMo. By the end of 2000, NTT DoCoMo will have twenty millions I-Mode
subscribers in Japan and will start the commercial operation of its 3G mobile communication service
in the spring of 2001. Alcatel, which played a vital part in developing the mobile Internet market, in
particular through the successful roll out of GPRS commercial networks worldwide, has today a
UMTS offering ahead of the competition
About Alcatel
Alcatel builds next generation networks, delivering integrated end-to-end voice and data networking
solutions to established and new carriers, as well as enterprises and consumers worldwide. With
120,000 employees and sales of EURO 23 billion in 1999, Alcatel operates in more than 130
countries.
About TMN
TMN - Telecomunicações Móveis Nacionais, SA is the mobile operator of Portugal Telecom group
and is the market leader in Portugal, with over 45% market share and 2.595.324 subscribers (more
than a quarter of the Portuguese population), by the end of the 3rd quarter 2000. TMN was formed
in 1991 and in 1992 launched GSM 900 technology. In 1998 began to operate DCS 1800 Radio
Technology. In May 2000 launched WAP technology and is now applying to a UMTS license.
Having been the first mobile operator launching the pre-paid card concept in 1995 - Mimo - TMN
is now the first one in Portugal to announce the launching of commercial high-speed mobile
internet network: GPRS.
Contact press@www.alcatel.com |
