PARIS -- Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) announced today that it sold 7 073 966 Avanex shares through a block trade on the Nasdaq market. The shares were sold under regulation 144. After this transaction Alcatel holds 28 295 868 shares in Avanex representing 19.65% of the capital of the company. Alcatel currently has no plans to sell additional Avanex shares. This transaction is compliant with the share purchase agreement signed in July 2003 when Alcatel sold its Optronics activities to Avanex. The two companies have since developed a continuing and constructive relationship resulting in Alcatel purchasing a majority of its optical components from Avanex.

Alcatel SA