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Company Press Release
SOURCE: Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies Wins $500 Million Exclusive Contract With PrimeCo Personal Communications
MURRAY HILL, N.J., March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Lucent Technologies today announced it has been awarded an exclusive contract with PrimeCo Personal Communications, L.P., to supply equipment and services for the next phase of its network development. The agreement is valued at more than $500 million over three years.
''We selected Lucent because of its strong track record in bringing CDMA PCS to the marketplace, the proven reliability of its PCS systems and the innovative wireless offerings coming from its Bell Laboratories,'' said Rick Conrad, PrimeCo's executive vice president and chief operating officer. ''Lucent has an outstanding platform for innovation, particularly for providing intelligent network capabilities and packet data services that allow interactivity with the Internet.''
Lucent said the digital wireless equipment to be installed in PrimeCo's markets include Lucent's CDMA mini-cell equipment, the 5ESS(R)-2000 switch, one of the world's most reliable and widely deployed switching systems, Lucent's GlobeView-2000 ATM switches, transmission equipment, operation systems and power systems.
''This agreement, the second multi-million dollar contract between the two companies, marks a significant milestone in the maturation of the PCS industry,'' according to Carly Fiorina, president of Lucent's Global Service Provider operation.
''In 1997, Lucent worked with carriers to launch PCS networks. Now industry leaders like PrimeCo are beginning to focus on harnessing the full potential of Lucent's digital wireless technology to differentiate themselves in the marketplace,'' she said.
Lucent said its switching platform will be used by PrimeCo to help the company run a more reliable and cost efficient operation. For example, the functionality of Lucent's intelligent network will help PrimeCo deliver switch-based capabilities such as enhanced routing services, personal numbers and wireless centrex-like features such as four-digit dialing.
Additionally, the company said its switching platform also will enable PrimeCo to bring to market quickly enhanced features and services such as remote access to the intranet and Internet databases.
''Lucent's robust platform, coupled with CDMA's advanced air interface, will allow PrimeCo to logically progress from short messaging services to interactive transactions and the transfer of larger volumes of data,'' said Limond Grindstaff, PrimeCo's chief technical officer. ''The provider that does the best job of translating PCS/wireless technology into innovative products and services will have a distinct competitive advantage. PrimeCo intends to be that company.''
To date, Lucent Technologies has been awarded more than half of the PCS awards for CDMA infrastructure in North America, with some 100 networks either in commercial service or under deployment worldwide.
PrimeCo Personal Communications provides digital wireless service in 28 cities, including: Norfolk and Richmond, Va.; Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Kissimmee, Sarasota/Bradenton, Lakeland/Plant City/Winter Haven, Melbourne and Titusville/Cocoa, Fla; Chicago, Springfield, Champaign/Urbana and Bloomington/Normal, Ill.; Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay, Wis; New Orleans, La.; Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, Texas; Mobile, Ala.; Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii. The company, which is owned by AirTouch Communications, Bell Atlantic and U S WEST Media Group, also known as MediaOne Group, has PCS licenses covering 19 states and 61 million potential customers in 11 MTAs and has more than 2,800 employees. At the end of the fourth quarter 1997, PrimeCo had more than 387,000 subscribers.
PrimeCo phones and service are sold through the company's 69 stores and kiosks, more than 2,500 indirect retailers and its toll-free telephone sales line 800-PRIMECO. The address for PrimeCo's interactive Website is www.primeco.com .
Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J., designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems and software, data networking systems, business telephone systems and microelectronic components. Bell Labs is the research and development arm for the company. For more information on Lucent Technologies, visit our web site at lucent.com .
SOURCE: Lucent Technologies |
