Tunisia Turns to Alcatel

PARIS -- Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) and Tunisie Telecom today announced that they have signed a contract to expand the capacity of Tunisie Telecom's existing national GSM 900/1800 MHz network. The contract foresees the installation and integration of BSC's (Base Station Controller) and a MSC (Mobile Switching Center).Alcatel will supply its Evolium™ solution, including the radio access network (Base Stations and Base Station Controllers) and integrate the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology. Alcatel's GPRS network and services are a natural part of the migration path to 3G/UMTS technology. To carry the traffic, the network will utilize Alcatel's advanced low-medium capacity microwave radio systems based on Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy (PDH) technology.Tunisie Telecom is the main provider of telecommunication networks and services in Tunisia, and offers the entire range of fixed, wireless and satellite telephone services. Furthermore, Tunisie Telecom holds the majority of the shares of Mauritania's GSM leader MATTEL.“We are very happy to continue our collaboration with Alcatel. A good partner is for us the guarantee to have a high-quality network that meets the demands of our ever-growing mobile subscriber-base.” Said, Ahmed Mahjoub, managing director of Tunisie TelecomAlcatel SA