Alcatel, and Intel announced today the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly promote advanced mobile Internet applications using a Linux operating environment in China. The MOU was signed through Alcatel Shanghai Bell, Alcatel`s flagship Chinese company.
Under the terms of the MOU, Alcatel and Intel will together help mobile service providers to identify and design mobile Internet applications, leveraging Alcatel`s existing 3G Reality Centre (3GRC) in Shanghai.
Alcatel`s mobile Internet applications will run on the Intel Xeon processor using a Linux operating environment. In addition, these applications will benefit from an innovative software architecture (the Alcatel Proxy Platform software) that guarantees superior performance.
The industry record-setting performance of Alcatel`s MMS solution was demonstrated in May this year during an intensive testing campaign commissioned by Intel and implemented in the US by the Tolly Group, an independent US laboratory. This optimised hardware and software configuration allows Alcatel`s mobile Internet applications to be cost-effective and evolutionary.
Intel will be providing technology expertise and modular building blocks based on the Intel technologies such as the Intel Xeon processor family that adhere to strict industry reliability requirements at an affordable price.
The Alcatel Nx Proxy Platform software brings unmatched ease of implementation and maximum scalability. Furthermore, it benefits from Intel`s standard-based modular telecommunications platforms and from the well-established roadmap of the leading-edge Intel technologies such as the Xeon processor family. As a result, Alcatel`s mobile Internet application solutions allow the mobile service providers to significantly reduce their CAPEX and OPEX, and offer a highly cost-effective and flexible solution.
"The cooperation with Intel will strengthen Alcatel`s capability to provide cost-effective and highly reliable mobile Internet applications to wireless service providers," said Andrew Young, President of Alcatel Shanghai Bell. "Besides purely voice calls and entry-level mobile data services such as SMS, end-users expect more interesting mobile services. Thanks to this strategic agreement with Intel, we will help mobile service providers to further develop new value-added applications in order to meet advanced end-users` needs, specifically in China one of the strongest booming mobile market in the world. "
"Telecommunications equipment manufacturers (TEMs) and carriers are increasingly realising the value of moving to modular systems based on open, interoperable hardware and software building blocks that bring significant flexibility and cost efficiency," said Ian Yang, country manager for Intel in China. "We are excited that Alcatel shares this vision and is helping to drive standards-based systems for the telecommunications industry. This acknowledges the value of Intel servers and communications building blocks and demonstrates the convergence of computing and communications technologies. Intel will continue to work with leading companies like Alcatel to enable solutions, silicon, software and platform modular building blocks for TEMs and carriers in China, helping them to reduce costs, improve performance, accelerate time-to-market and time-in-market of products and services."
Initial projects on which the two companies will focus include WAP gateway, charging proxy, multimedia messaging (MMS) and other mobile Internet application solutions.
These solutions will be tested in Alcatel`s 3G Reality Centre (3GRC) in Shanghai before being introduced to mobile service providers in the Asia Pacific region and then in the rest of the world.
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Intel first started operation in China from 1985 and currently has 13 offices in the country. It also operates several research and development facilities, including Intel China Labs in Beijing and the APAC Application Design-in Centre (ADC) in Shenzhen. Intel, the world`s largest chipmaker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
Alcatel
Alcatel provides end-to-end communications solutions, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver contents to any type of user, anywhere in the world. Leveraging its long-term leadership in telecommunications networks equipment as well as its expertise in innovative applications and network services, Alcatel enables its customers to focus on optimising their service offerings and revenue streams. With sales of 16.5 billion euro in 2002, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries.
Alcatel Shanghai Bell is the first foreign-invested company limited by shares in the telecommunications sector in China, with Alcatel holding 50%+1 shares and Chinese shareholders holding the remainder. The multibillion-dollar telecom technology leader delivers end-to-end telecommunications solutions and high-quality services, covering the fixed, mobile networking, broadband access, intelligent optical networking, multimedia solutions and network applications. It also has a key international R&D centre with full access to Alcatel`s global technology pool, developing original technology for use in China and export to Alcatel`s customers worldwide. With an advanced manufacturing centre, and the most extensive sales and support network in China, it is the only company capable of meeting the global needs of Chinese customers.
Alcatel`s 3G Reality Centre in Shanghai
Alcatel`s 3G Reality Centre in Shanghai was launched in 2002. It is a part of Alcatel`s worldwide initiative with special emphasis on 3G/UMTS in Europe and Asia. The 3GRC offers Alcatel Shanghai Bell and its partners, including local content and applications providers as well as handset suppliers, a live and comprehensive end-to-end environment for the development, validation and testing of advanced mobile applications and data services, in the field of 2.5G/GPRS, EDGE and 3G/UMTS. Ten centres are already operational in Europe and in Asia.
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