MURRAY HILL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 20, 1999--Embratel, Brazil's largest
long-distance service provider, has selected an integrated billing and customer
care software platform developed by Kenan Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU), the companies announced today. Embratel plans
to use Kenan Systems' award-winning software to create innovative promotional
and pricing plans critical for attracting and retaining subscribers in a market
where the telecommunications industry was recently privatized.
The two-year, multi-million dollar contract is the first major billing
agreement Lucent has signed since acquiring Kenan Systems in February 1999. The
agreement calls for Lucent Technologies Network Systems do Brasil, LTDA to
supply Kenan's Arbor(R)/BP software for Embratel's network and to provide Lucent
Technologies NetCare(R) services to support the roll-out of the system later
this year.
"Services in Brazil are rapidly becoming more demanding, adding to the
complexity of managing our network," said Dilio S. Penedo, president of
Embratel. "After a careful selection process, we found the combination of Kenan
Systems and Lucent Technologies provided the best software solution to meet our
needs."
Under the agreement, Embratel will use Kenan System's Arbor/BP, a scalable
software product designed to support customers who need to handle large call
volumes and to manage a growing customer base. Arbor/BP can deliver a unified
bill containing charges for any combination of services, including local and
long distance telephony, mobile, broadband, Internet and other enhanced
services.
"Embratel is poised for tremendous growth in the most recently privatized and
most dynamic market in Latin America," said Kenan Sahin, president of Kenan
Systems. "Arbor/BP's flexibility and scalability will help Embratel respond
quickly to increased market demands for new services."
MCI WorldCom bought the controlling ownership of Embratel in July 1998 during
the privatization auction of Telebras, the telecommunications provider in
Brazil. Embratel was previously the sole provider for long distance services in
the country.
"This agreement represents the expanding global relationship between our
companies," said Lance Boxer, group president of Lucent's Communications
Software Group. "The ability to deliver a world-class billing system ready to
handle Embratel's dynamic growth and to provide critical systems integration
demonstrates the tremendous benefits of the Lucent and Kenan Systems
combination."
About Embratel
Embratel has the largest long distance telecommunications network in Latin
America and owns the unique Brazilian national and international
telecommunications network, directly connected to thousands of companies.
Embratel renders long distance and international telecommunications services, in
addition to 40 other communication services. It is also the main high-speed data
and Internet provider in Brazil, with the largest wide band optical fiber
network, covering more than 18,000 kilometers. Starting in July, the Embratel
area code for international and long distance calls is 21. Visit our site at
embratel.net.br
About Kenan Systems
Kenan Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lucent Technologies, is an
award-winning provider of software products and services that answer the
specific billing, customer care, order management and decision-support
requirements of leading single- and multi-service carriers in the communications
industry world-wide, including mobile and wireline voice and data services,
broadband and Internet services. Kenan Systems is headquartered in Cambridge,
Mass. with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Worldwide
customers include @Home Network, AT&T, BellSouth International, British Telecom,
France Telecom, GTE, Level 3, MCI WorldCom, Optus, PageNet, Qualcomm, Time
Telekom and Videotron. Additional information on Kenan Systems' partnerships,
products and services may be obtained by visiting kenan.com, via
e-mail at info@kenan.com
About Lucent Technologies
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
microelectronics components. Bell Labs is the research and development arm for
the company. Additional information about Lucent Technologies is available on
the company's Web site at lucent.com
CONTACT: Dan Coulter
Lucent Technologies
908-580-4111
dlcoulter@lucent.com
OR
Manuel Wernicky
MCI WorldCom
770-280-7120
manuel.wernicky@wcom
07:31 EDT APRIL 20, 1999 |
