Alcatel-Lucent Wins Russian WiMAX Contract

Alcatel-Lucent and Synterra, a national telecommunications service provider, have announced a partnership to deploy Russia's first Universal WiMAX networks. This project will be conducted in cooperation with regional telecom operators to provide WiMAX access throughout the country.

Deployments will cover many towns and cities with an average population of 100,000 inhabitants. First regional WiMAX networks should be operational in Q4 2007. Synterra ? which holds a national license ? intends to partner with operators in order to cover more than 1,000 Russian cities and towns by end of 2008.

Alcatel?Lucent was the winner of the tender announced by Synterra in May, for the delivery of WiMAX infrastructure ? based on the latest IEEE 802.16e-2005 standards (also called Rev-e). The new networks will be deployed by regional operators in the 2.5 GHz spectrum band.

"This new project with innovative service provider Synterra is a tangible sign of the technological and economic benefits of Universal WiMAX in high-growth markets such as Russia, and represents a major step toward the deployment of high-capability wireless broadband solution in the market," said Johan Vanderplaetse, President of Alcatel-Lucent's activities in the CIS."

Posted to the site on 6th July 2007