Alcatel Pumps Up DSL Test

PARIS -- Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) today announced that its DSL management system successfully passed the mark of managing 4 million DSL lines on a single element platform. In a set of duration/stress tests, the management system succeeded flawlessly in treating alarms in both normal conditions as well as in stress conditions with avalanches of alarms caused by simulated network outages. At the same time, configuration of new lines and performance management continued unabated, in a configuration with 200 screen operators working on the network.

The Alcatel 5523 ADSL Work Station (AWS) has proven, both in this exhaustive test environment with 4 million lines, and in the field with several customers managing over 1 million lines, that it offers an effective and secure solution for scaling broadband access networks. With approximately 100 million DSL subscribers worldwide today, and an expected total of 325 million in 2008*, it is vital to provide network management applications to cope with this level of growth.

This ADSL Work Station is key to managing Alcatel’s portfolio of broadband access products in ETSI markets. It has unique fault isolation capabilities able to streamline troubleshooting activities, together with hierarchical network supervision and alarm consolidation. Network configuration by means of configuration templates increases the manageability in large networks.

Jean-Paul de Weck, Head of Production of Swisscom Fixnet Wholesale said, “With our network growing to over 1 million DSL lines in 2004, it is vital to rely on a partner like Alcatel to help us sustain our growth. Alcatel’s 5523 AWS has been a vital building block for our broadband access OSS and our operational excellence program.”

Alcatel SA