PARIS and DOHA, Qatar -- Vodafone Qatar today announced at a joint press conference that Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) has been selected as its sole supplier in its expansion into the fixed broadband market.

Already a major mobile operator, Vodafone Qatar plans to offer customers an integrated service, encompassing fixed and mobile.

To accomplish this ambitious project, Vodafone Qatar selected Alcatel-Lucent, together with partner companies, to deploy an entirely new fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network, based on gigabit passive optical network (GPON) and point-to-point Gigabit Ethernet technology. Alcatel-Lucent's IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) solution will then be used to link the new infrastructure with Vodafone Qatar's existing mobile network. This will allow services to be offered seamlessly through fixed and mobile connections without excessive cost or complexity. Users will receive uninterrupted service and synchronization of enabling applications such as virtual office and VOIP solutions, with unified billing and charging - a clear incentive to unify their communications requirements with a single provider.

Vodafone Qatar will benefit from Alcatel-Lucent's broad and comprehensive managed services, network integration and project management expertise for the converged fixed and mobile network. By leveraging Alcatel-Lucent's experience in communications infrastructure management, Vodafone Qatar will be free to concentrate on identifying and delivering services that add value for their customers.

"Vodafone Qatar continues to be committed to bring innovations to our customers and to become the most admired brand in the country. Partnering with Alcatel-Lucent, we will now look to extend our service offerings across Qatar to fixed broadband - a major area of growth for our company," said Jenny Howe, CTO, Vodafone Qatar. "Together with Alcatel-Lucent we will make a world of difference for all people in Qatar."

Vodafone Qatar QSC

Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU)