PARIS -- Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) has been selected by Telecom New Zealand (Telecom) to deploy its IP Multi- Protocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS)-based mobile backhaul solution. This will enable Telecom to accommodate its growing cellular W-CDMA and High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) traffic needs and to cost effectively scale its mobile services across a unified network infrastructure. Alcatel-Lucent's IP/MPLS solution is being rolled out across Telecom nationwide and supports its strategic transition to all-IP network.

Alcatel-Lucent's solution features pseudowire technology, which adapts various traffic and media types from the W-CDMA base stations into IP/MPLS. As Telecom moves to a W-CDMA and HSPA deployment, the backhaul network will have the flexibility and cost-effective scalability needed to support strong traffic growth. Telecom's mobile backhaul network will also leverage the existing IP/MPLS aggregation network already provided by Alcatel-Lucent for residential and business services. This supports Telecom's strategic decision to consolidate services onto a converged network infrastructure.

"Alcatel-Lucent's backhaul solution resolves the issue of cost-effectively transporting the exponential growth of data services we expect from the deployment of the W-CDMA mobile network," said Stuart Sutton, Chief Technology Officer - Technology and Shared Services, Telecom New Zealand. "It will allow us to scale efficiently and rapidly roll out exciting new mobile broadband services, while its high availability features will ensure a reliable mobile broadband service for our customers."

Alcatel-Lucent