Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) and Surfline Communications today announced the first commercial deployment of a 4G LTE network in Ghana, and more generally, in Western and Central Africa.
Alcatel-Lucent will provide hardware and software, along with installation, optimisation, maintenance and managed services, helping Surfline roll-out out next-generation mobile communications in response to rapidly increasing data demand driven by the proliferation of lower cost smartphones.
The new IP architecture-based network will give Surfline the ability to quickly and economically expand mobile broadband capacity as customer demand grows. The 4G LTE network will provide Surfline customers access to social networking sites, Internet browsing, e-mail, online gaming, streamed videos and video calling with dramatically increased performance.
Surfline believes the Ghanaian market has matured beyond the products and services currently available in the market. This is especially true in the data sector. As a data-centric communications provider, Surfline will address national requirements for broadband connectivity that will greatly contribute to Ghana's social and economic growth.
Key facts:
* Initial coverage by the network to include the capital, Accra, followed by all major cities and a nationwide roll-out.
* Affordable country-wide broadband connectivity will act as a catalyst for the development of a digital-based economy by increasing ICT literacy.
* In Ghana, and elsewhere in Africa, 4G LTE is expected to transform the use of technology with regards to mobile consumers, healthcare, transportation, energy, security, agriculture, sales and payments industries and infrastructure.
* Alcatel-Lucent is deploying its industry-leading 4G LTE ultra high-speed mobile broadband product capabilities, which include:
* LTE Radio Access Network
* Evolved Packet Core
* Professional services to install, optimize, maintain and manage the LTE network
Quotes:
John Taylor, Executive Chairman of Surfline, said: "We chose Alcatel-Lucent to build and operate our LTE network because of the strong trust and relationship we developed - and the experience that Alcatel-Lucent has on LTE as a technology, as well as its strong presence in Africa, including Ghana. Alcatel-Lucent's ultra-fast broadband solution, market positioning and 4G LTE leadership were essential for our decision."
Daniel Jaeger, Vice-President of Alcatel-Lucent in Africa, said: "The recent announcement of Alcatel-Lucent's 'Shift Plan' underlined the importance of our technological edge in next-generation access technologies. Africa represents a major opportunity for growth in ultra-Broadband, and it is a significant part of our strategy to form strategic partnerships with operators like Surfline, who are committed to making a positive contribution to people's lives. Surfline, its customers and Alcatel-Lucent will all benefit from the deployment of our market leading 4G LTE solution in Ghana."
Share
Surfline
Surfline Communications is Ghana's first 4G LTE service-provider launching in Q1 of 2014. The company was established to provide wireless broadband and related services to the Ghanaian market. It's Surfline vision is to establish a high-speed network that can be used for multiple data-centric services and applications for the betterment of the country's overall infrastructure. Surfline is owned by Skybridge Investments, a wholly-owned Ghanaian company and headquartered in Accra, Ghana. More information will be loaded soon at: http://surflinegh.com.
Surfline press contacts
Justice Taylor
jtaylor@surflinegh.com
Kimberly Morgan
kmorgan@mozaicmediagroup.com
Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU)
Alcatel-Lucent is at the forefront of global communications, providing products and innovations in IP and cloud networking, as well as ultra-broadband fixed and wireless access to service providers and their customers, enterprises and institutions throughout the world.
Underpinning Alcatel-Lucent in driving the industrial transformation from voice telephony to high-speed digital delivery of data, video and information is Bell Labs, an integral part of Alcatel-Lucent and one of the world's foremost technology research institutes, responsible for countless breakthroughs that have shaped the networking and communications industry. Alcatel-Lucent innovations have resulted in the company being recognised by Thomson Reuters as a Top 100 Global Innovator, as well as being named by MIT Technology Review as among 2012's Top 50 "World's Most Innovative Companies". Alcatel-Lucent has also been recognised for innovation in sustainability, being ranked Technology Supersector Leader by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index in 2012 for making global communications more sustainable, affordable and accessible, all in pursuit of the company's mission to realise the potential of a connected world.
With revenue of Euro 14.4 billion in 2012, Alcatel-Lucent is listed on the Paris and New York stock exchanges (Euronext and NYSE: ALU). The company is incorporated in France and headquartered in Paris.
For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow the company on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.
Alcatel-Lucent press contacts
Simon Poulter
simon.poulter@alcatel-lucent.com
T : +33 (0)1 40 76 50 84
Alcatel-Lucent Investor Relations
Frank Maccary
frank.maccary@alcatel-lucent.com
T : + 33 (0)1 40 76 12 11
Tom Bevilacqua
thomas.bevilacqua@alcatel-lucent.com
T : + 1 908-582-7998
Coralie Spaeter
coralie.spaeter@alcatel-lucent.com
T : +33 (0)1 40 76 49 08
Editorial contacts