Belgacom Selects Alcatel

PARIS -- Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) today announced they have been selected as first supplier by Belgacom, the Belgian incumbent operator, for the rollout of VDSL service infrastructure. The project will enable Belgacom to offer new, premium broadband services to residential and business customers. Utilizing Alcatel's standards compliant VDSL technology, Belgacom can offer bandwidth intensive services such as interactive broadcast TV as well as video on demand.

"Where today, broadband is still mainly targeting PC users, applications in the near future will enable all family members to do their favorite broadband activity simultaneously on a variety of terminals," said Michel Rahier, Chief Operating Officer of Alcatel's Fixed Communication activities. Broadband expansion is a worldwide trend, and the increase in bandwidth demand is a natural evolution. "

Very high-speed digital subscriber line (VDSL) transmits data over existing telephone lines at fast speeds over relatively short distances. For example, several TV channels can be simultaneously transmitted over VDSL.

Alcatel SA

Belgacom