Alcatel-Lucent Wins Italian WiMAX Contract

Alcatel-Lucent has been selected by Italian internet service provider, ARIA as the prime supplier for building and maintaining a nation-wide wireless broadband network based on WiMAX 802.16e-2005 (Rev-e) technology. The first 130 sites will be deployed by Alcatel-Lucent in Puglia and Veneto Regions.

"Our strategy is to bring broadband rapidly all over Italy, as we want to help develop economic activities, improve our citizenÃ's quality of life and reach underserved areas," said Mario Citelli, ARIAÃ's CEO. "We chose Alcatel-Lucent as our technical partner and we are launching our commercial offer at the same time. This agreement will enable us to offer high quality services, thanks to Alcatel-LucentÃ's large scale project management capabilities and its quick-to-deploy wireless WiMAX."

In a second phase of the project, ARIA plans to introduce voice over IP (VoIP) and virtual private network (VPN) services.

In the framework of the contract, Alcatel-Lucent will act as network integrator with a wide range of services such as network planning and engineering, site & technology implementation to provide a turnkey WiMAX Rev-e solution, including base stations, wireless access controllers, backhaul transport microwave equipment as well as an operations and maintenance center (OMC).

Posted to the site on 4th November 2008