Alcatel Signs BellSouth to Three-Year DSL Equipment
Contract
Extended Strategic Purchase Agreement Enables BellSouth to Nearly Triple
DSL Subscriber Base
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 27, 2001--Alcatel (CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA), the
worldwide leader in Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) solutions, today announced a three-year
agreement to provide BellSouth (NYSE: BLS - news) with a wide array of DSL network
equipment.
The agreement will be an integral part of BellSouth's aggressive deployment plan that will make
DSL available to 70 percent of the households in the Southeastern U.S. and grow its DSL
subscriber base to 600,000 by the end of this year. This agreement also includes provisions for the
purchase of customer premises equipment.
Alcatel will provide a wide range of capabilities including central office and remote terminal
equipment to meet BellSouth's increasing demand for DSL services throughout its vast
broadband and Internet services network. This agreement further strengthens the relationship
enjoyed by BellSouth and Alcatel, and it will help BellSouth reach its deployment goals. This
critical agreement demonstrates BellSouth's continued commitment to providing high speed
Internet access solutions to its customers and Alcatel's exceptional capability to meet BellSouth's
requirements in building its next generation data network.
``Alcatel is a company we have come to count on as a key supplier of DSL solutions,'' said Ralph
de la Vega, president of BellSouth broadband and Internet services. ``This agreement will help
ensure that we meet our goal of nearly tripling our subscriber base to 600,000 and reaching 70
percent of the households in our region by the end of 2001.''
``Our relationship with BellSouth is outstanding,'' said Mike Dobbs, group vice president of
Alcatel's broadband networking activities. ``There is tremendous competition in the broadband
marketplace, and BellSouth is a great leader in expanding DSL service areas at a rapid pace. This
agreement further underscores the commitment of both companies to success in the DSL market.''
About BellSouth Corporation
BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications services company headquartered in
Atlanta, Ga., serving more than 45 million customers in the United States and 16 other countries.
Consistently recognized for customer satisfaction, BellSouth provides a full array of broadband
data and e-commerce solutions to business customers, including Web hosting and other Internet
services. In the residential market, BellSouth offers DSL high-speed Internet access, advanced
voice features and other services. BellSouth also provides online and directory advertising
services, including BellSouth® Real PagesSM.com. BellSouth owns 40 percent of Cingular
Wireless, the nation's second largest wireless company, which provides innovative wireless data
and voice services.
For more information on BellSouth, visit bellsouth.com
About Alcatel DSL
For more information on Alcatel's DSL solutions, visit alcatel.com
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 110,000 employees and sales of EURO 31 billion in 2000, Alcatel
operates in more than 130 countries. For more information: alcatel.com
Contact:
Alcatel
Press:
Tami Christie, 707/665-8237
Tami.christie@usa.alcatel.com
Industry Analyst Relations:
Tracie Furr, 707/665-8255
Tracie.furr@usa.alcatel.com
Investor Relations:
Peter Campbell, 972/519-4347
Peter.campbell@usa.alcatel.com |
