PARIS and SOMERSET, N.J. -- Alcatel Optronics (Paris: CGO and NASDAQ: ALAO), a world leader in opto-electronic components for telecommunications systems and Multilink Technology Corporation (NASDAQ: MLTC), a leading provider of advanced semiconductor-based solutions, have formed a partnership to jointly develop next generation transceivers. This collaboration will result in a product, which integrates Alcatel Optronics’ high performance optical components with Multilink’s high-speed electronic devices to deliver a cost-effective, compact DWDM transceiver solution for the core telecommunications network.Alcatel Optronics’ and Multilink’s transceiver solution will be among the first in the industry to address the long haul, ultra long haul, and submarine networks. In addition to being among the first solution of its kind for the core network, because of the high level of integration of electronics and optics within one module, it will be more compact, have a lower power consumption, and therefore be less expensive to operate than currently existing solutions."We are proud to join in this collaboration, bringing together Multilink’s electrical component expertise with Alcatel Optronics’ optical components and systems knowledge, which will shorten our customers’ time-to-market and reduce their cost of operations,” said Dr. Jens N. Albers, Executive Vice-President and Co-Chairman of Multilink. "Alcatel Optronics is a leader in the industry. By partnering with them, we feel confident that together we can develop the best solution suitable for the highest performance applications.”Alcatel SAMultilink Technology Corp.