Ntelos Picks AlcaLu

WAYNESBORO, Va. and MURRAY HILL, N.J. -- NTELOS Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ:NTLS) , a Virginia-based integrated telecommunications provider serving customers in the mid-Atlantic region, and Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that NTELOS Inc. has selected Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade the nTelos wireless network. The three- year agreement with nTelos is worth up to $88.2 million in equipment, services and software.

The network upgrade includes the deployment of third-generation (3G) CDMA2000(R) 1xEV-DO Revision A (Rev. A) technology in nTelos markets in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and North Carolina.

The CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev. A platform will enable nTelos to provide an enhanced mobile data customer experience. nTelos customers will experience faster uploads and downloads when connecting to the internet, and new mobile high-speed data services including mobile video telephony, high-quality music and other multimedia applications. Alcatel-Lucent will become the exclusive provider of new CDMA technology throughout the nTelos service area.

"We have decided to upgrade our networks using Alcatel-Lucent CDMA technology based on their proven ability to deliver a 3G solution that will transform our network to a next-generation system, bringing the benefits of new, advanced services to our customers and improving our operations," said Bobby McAvoy, vice president of Wireless Engineering and Operations at nTelos.

Ntelos Inc. (Nasdaq: NTLO)