PARIS -- Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) today announced that it hassigned a global supply agreement with Nestlé to deploy its voice IP communications equipment inNestlé’s companies all over the world. Standardization of voice IP communication solutions willprovide Nestlé with reliable interoperability, reduced costs, simplified network management andimproved information processes.

Nestlé SA is the world’s largest food company and operates 508 factories, in 85 countries, acrossthe five continents. Nestlé employs over 254,000 people world-wide. Nestlé will install Alcatel IPcommunication solutions at many of its 1,500+ locations, replacing some of its 200,000 voice linesover five years.

The Swiss company's purchase decision was based on Alcatel's product vision, features, as well as adesire to simplify management of its worldwide voice communications network. At the heart of thefive-year agreement is the Alcatel OmniPCX Enterprise, a leading IP communication solution. Thedecision to standardize communication solutions is part of Nestlé's technology standardizationinitiatives, a business excellence effort to optimize its global operations and leverage the companyROI.

With the Alcatel OmniPCX Enterprise, Nestlé will continue using existing TDM voice services whilemigrating to the feature-rich efficiency of IP-based calls. Leveraging Nestlé’s global IP network,Alcatel OmniPCX Enterprise delivers cost savings while providing a single network managementsystem and the ability to move to IP at their own pace.

“This new agreement expands upon the long relationship that Alcatel has enjoyed with Nestlé inEurope and demonstrates our ability to articulate the value for them to extend the relationship totheir global operations,” said Jean-Christophe Giroux, President for Alcatel’s Enterprise Solutionsactivities.

Alcatel SA