Alcatel has announced the signing of a 41.5 million euro GSM expansion contract with Unitel, the leading mobile operator in Angola and the sole GSM operator in the country.
Following three consecutive years of close collaboration, this win strengthens Alcatel`s position with Unitel and confirms Alcatel`s broad strategy to target and serve the next billion voice and Internet subscribers, especially in emerging markets.
The project will enable Unitel to increase the capacity and coverage of its GSM network across the country, thus giving people in previously underserved areas access to mobile communications.
Under the expansion contract, Alcatel will deploy its field-proven Evolium multi-standard radio access solution over a large number of sites throughout Unitel`s network and will implement the most advanced radio features offering enhanced services. The project should be completed by the end of 2006.
"We believe that by expanding our GSM network, we are anticipating our customers` needs and contributing to the development of the country," commented Nicolau Netto, CEO of Unitel.
"We have chosen Alcatel because of our successful long-term partnership, the quick implementation schedule and the flexibility of the customised solution. Alcatel`s evolutionary multi-standard GSM solution will enable us to cost-efficiently face massive growth in traffic and demand in Angola and to make mobile telephony reach parts of the country it has not reached before."
"It is a considerable achievement for Alcatel to become Unitel`s strategic supplier in Angola," stated Olivier Picard, President of Alcatel`s activities in France, Africa, Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. "The operator`s increased GSM capacity will give a larger number of people in remote communities access to vital mobile communications services. This new project reaffirms our commitment to bridging the digital divide in emerging countries, while meeting Unitel`s needs for a reliable and cost-effective radio transmission solution."
Alcatel`s Evolium radio solutions are designed to adapt to the constantly changing realities of cellular networks, enabling seamless coexistence of GSM/EDGE and 3G capabilities in the same radio equipment. Today Alcatel is delivering a product portfolio optimised towards open, modular, scalable and cost-effective IT-based platforms. Alcatel has enhanced the entire range of its Evolium GSM/EDGE modules to meet the needs of operators in emerging markets for increased capacity and extended coverage together with compactness and minimum total cost of ownership.