BRUSSELS, Belgium -- B-Telecom, the telecommunications subsidiary of the Belgian Railways (NMBS), has selected Lucent Technologies (NYSE:LU) to expand transmission capacity in its optical ring network between Brussels, Arlon and Luxembourg.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lucent Technologies will deploy its new WaveStar(tm) OLS 400G systems in B-Telecom's optical network. The OLS 400G, developed by Lucent's Bell Labs, is a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) system with a maximum capacity of 400 gigabits per second (Gb/s). In DWDM systems, each fibre's capacity is increased by dividing light into multiple wavelengths - or colours - with each simultaneously carrying distinct streams of information. Currently, the capacity of the optical fibre in B-Telecom's ring is limited to a single data stream transmitted at a rate of 2.5 Gb/s (STM-16). With the new 400 Gb/s of capacity, B-Telecom will be able to transmit approximately 80 million one-page emails per second. The additional bandwidth also will make it possible to speed the sharing of data with contacts around the world. Entreprises des P&T, the largest service provider in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, also will use B-Telecom's enhanced capacity optical ring to serve its customers.

The delivery and installation of WaveStar OLS 400G terminals by Lucent Belgium will take place over the coming months. The project is expected to be completed this summer.

Lucent Technologies Inc.