－ A cable network spanning almost half the length of the equator
－
Kuala Lumpur, April 27, 2007 - NEC Corporation (NEC) (NASDAQ:
NIPNY)and Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) will
jointly deploy the Asia America Gateway (AAG), the first direct
Terabit submarine cable network between Southeast Asia and the
United States. Spanning over 20,000 km, AAG will link Malaysia to
the U.S. via Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the
Philippines, Guam, Hawaii and the West coast of the U.S. Worth
approximately USD 500 million, the contract will deliver a cable
network spanning almost half the length of the equator.
The turnkey contract was signed today with a consortium formed
by 10 parties including the Government of Brunei, AT&T
(USA), Bharti (India), CAT (Thailand), PLDT (Philippines), PT
Telkom (Indonesia), Telekom Malaysia (Malaysia), Telstra
(Australia), StarHub (Singapore) and VNPT (Vietnam). Alcatel-Lucent
and NEC will design, manufacture, install, integrate and commission
the full network on a turnkey basis. The Project is scheduled
to be completed by late 2008.
The new cable network is expected to meet the forecasted
explosive growth in bandwidth requirements for new and
revolutionary broadband applications such as IP, video, data, and
other multimedia services. In addition to providing full network
diversity from the conventional cable routes, which are normally
connected via North Asia, the AAG will provide a seamless direct
link between the U.S. and other Asian countries via one single
cable. Furthermore, it will provide connectivity and the ability to
be expanded in the future to Australia, India, Africa, and
Europe. International communications between the countries involved
has been growing rapidly, and is expected to benefit greatly from
the enhanced connectivity offered by the new cable network.
"This award further increases the significant track-record we
have developed since the beginning of the year and confirms our
leadership in the submarine cable industry. AAG will help operators
leverage a state-of-the art submarine infrastructure for the
end-users benefit," stated Jean Godeluck, President of
Alcatel-Lucent's submarine network activity. "We are confident that
this new project, rolled out in association with NEC, will further
enable voice and data communications, which are vital to support
social and economic development."
"NEC's award of the contract for the Asia America Gateway Cable
Network confirms our leadership in submarine cable construction and
our dedication to building an unmatched network in the Asia Pacific
region. NEC is confident that our partnership with Alcatel-Lucent
brings leading technology and field-proven expertise, empowering
our customers to provide the most advanced and reliable services to
the end users," said Masamichi Imai, Executive General Manager of
the Broadband Networks Operations Unit at NEC Corporation.
About Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) provides solutions
that enable service providers, enterprises and governments
worldwide, to deliver voice, data and video communication services
to end-users. As a leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband
networking, IP technologies, applications, and services,
Alcatel-Lucent offers the end-to-end solutions that enable
compelling communications services for people at home, at work and
on the move. With operations in more than 130 countries,
Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with global reach. The company
has the most experienced global services team in the industry, and
one of the largest research, technology and innovation
organizations in the telecommunications industry. Alcatel-Lucent
achieved adjusted proforma revenues of Euro 18.3 billion in 2006
and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in
Paris. [All figures exclude impact of activities transferred to
Thales]. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the
Internet: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com
Alcatel-Lucent
Regine Coqueran Tel :+ 33 (0)1 40 76 49 24
regine.coqueran@alcatel-lucent.com
Mark Burnworth Tel :+ 33 (0)1 40 76 50 84
mark.burnworth@alcatel-lucent.com
Alcatel-Lucent Investor Relations
Pascal Bantegnie Tel: +33 (0)1 40 76 52 20
pascal.bantegnie@alcatel-lucent.com
Maria Alcon Tel: +33 (0)1 40 76 15 17
maria.alcon@alcatel-lucent.com
John DeBono Tel: + 1908-582-7793
debono@alcatel-lucent.com
About NEC's Submarine Network Systems
NEC Corporation is a leading supplier of the world's most advanced
submarine network systems - platforms vital to the realization of
next generation networks. With over 30 years of
experience in supplying total submarine cable solutions to
customers in Japan and abroad, NEC brings a wealth of technologies,
know-how and resources to each new project. In particular, NEC has
managed the construction of nearly all of the cable systems
available today in Asia and the Asia Pacific region.
About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation (NASDAQ: NIPNY) is one of the world's leading
providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business
solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse
and global base of customers. NEC delivers tailored solutions in
the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by
integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by
providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics
Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 150,000 people
worldwide. For additional information, please visit the NEC
homepage at: http://www.nec.com
NEC
Takehiko Kato Tel :+ 81 (0)3 37 98 65 11
t-kato@cj.jp.nec.com
Yasuhito Jochi Tel :+ 81 (0)3 37 98 65 11
y-jochi@bp.jp.nec.com
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