Supercomm, Chicago, June 7, 2005 — Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) today announced that it is offering a powerful solution for Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), which provides access to GSM and GPRS mobile services over Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi (802.11) unlicensed spectrum technologies. By deploying UMA technology, service providers can enable their subscribers to roam and handover between cellular networks and public and private unlicensed wireless networks using dual-mode GSM/GPRS and UMA-enabled handsets or PDAs.
Taking full advantage of Alcatel's converged mobile and fixed communications leadership, mobile operators using Alcatel's UMA solution will be able to capture a share of fixed line revenues while lowering their subscribers churn and to accelerating the early introduction of new mobile data services.
With UMA, residential and public hot spots users will enjoy a high-quality and low-cost indoor service using one single device and one single phone book, thus guaranteeing a consistent user experience for their mobile voice and data services as they transparently transit between networks.
Alcatel's UMA solution offers all the flexibility to cost-effectively integrate into legacy circuit-switched core network as well as into Mobile NGN (Next Generation Networks). When coupled with Alcatel's industry-leading Mobile NGN solution based on the Alcatel 5020 Spatial Atrium multi-standard mobile call server/softswitch, Alcatel's combined Mobile NGN-UMA solution provides mobile operators with an optimized solution, which fully reuses the existing transcoding capability of the core network.
"Alcatel's UMA solution epitomizes our leadership position in converged mobile and fixed communications solutions for both traditional and renovated networks," stated Marc Rouanne, Chief operating officer of Alcatel's mobile communications activities. "This solution provides an attractive new business opportunities for GSM/GPRS operators ready to leverage the new 'one user = one device' paradigm."
In low-density rural areas, an additional benefit derived from Alcatel's UMA solution is the possibility for a mobile operator to economically extend the geographical coverage of its GSM network. Furthermore, in densely populated business areas, Alcatel's UMA solution allows GSM/GPRS operators to provide their clients with an alternative low-cost high-quality indoor coverage solution.
About UMA
UMA technology provides access to GSM and GPRS services over unlicensed spectrum technologies including Bluetooth and 802.11 (WiFi). By deploying UMA technology, service providers can enable subscribers to roam and handover between cellular networks and public and private unlicensed cellular networks using dual-mode mobile handsets.
For more information: www.umatechnology.org
About Alcatel
Alcatel provides communications solutions to telecommunication carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises for delivery of voice, data and video applications to their customers or employees. Alcatel brings its leading position in fixed and mobile broadband networks, applications and services, to help its partners and customers build a user-centric broadband world. With sales of EURO 12.3 billion in 2004, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. | |
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