Alcatel-Lucent builds IP-based mobile backhaul network supporting SK Telecom's LTE-Advanced service

PARIS, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that it will deploy an IP-based mobile backhaul network to support LTE-Advanced services for SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM, KSE: 017670), Korea's largest mobile operator.  

The Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching-based (IP/MPLS) mobile backhaul solution, to be deployed in October, will link SK Telecom cell sites. With this new solution SK Telecom will support LTE-Advanced, LTE, WiBro (WiMAX), and Wi-Fi mobile data traffic as well as improve the quality of its mobile IPTV service named 'B tv mobile', and improve customer satisfaction by offering new mobile services.

Key Facts:

• SK Telecom was the first service provider in the world to commercialize LTE-Advanced when it launched service in June 2013, and expanded its LTE-Advanced service to the main areas of 84 cities nationwide in late July. LTE-Advanced offers ultra broadband network speeds of up to 150 Mbps, which is two times faster than that of LTE, and up to 10 times faster than 3G networks.  LTE-Advanced users can download an 800MB movie in just 43 seconds.
• Over its LTE-Advanced network, SK Telecom is providing premium broadband multimedia services to customers including group video calling with 12 times better video quality than previously available, T Baseball Multiview allowing viewers to watch two different games at the same time and T Shopping, a mobile home shopping app/service that provides major home shopping channels.
• Alcatel-Lucent will deploy its 7750 Service Router (SR) and 5650 Control Plane Assurance Manager along with the Alcatel-Lucent 5620 Service Aware Manager (SAM).
• Alcatel-Lucent is rapidly accelerating investments in IP routing to help customers evolve as quickly as possible to all-IP networks. This will help them to rollout services more quickly and efficiently and meet their customers' data demands today and into the future.
• Alcatel-Lucent has shipped 300,000 service router platforms (7750 SR) to more than 500 service providers, including KT, LG U+, SK Broadband Korea, as well as globally to customers including AT&T, Verizon, BT and NTT Docomo.
• This project aligns with Alcatel-Lucent's focus on IP platforms as outlined in The Shift Plan announced on June 19, 2013.

Quotes:

Chi Il Yoo, Head of Alcatel-Lucent Korea, said: "With this deployment by SK Telecom we are once again demonstrating Alcatel-Lucent's significant momentum in the IP business which we have targeted in our recently announced 'Shift Plan' as the market area with significant future growth opportunities for our company. Alcatel-Lucent has been deploying all-IP networks throughout Korea. Based on the successful deployment of those IP projects, we are committed to supplying our core router solution to the major service providers. And with this award, we are strengthening and expanding our position in IP-related areas such as Data Center, Cloud, Network Function Virtualization, and Software Defined Networking in local markets."

Additional information:

• 7750 Service Routers (SR): http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/products/7750-service-router/details

About SK Telecom
SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM, KSE: 017670), established in 1984, is Korea's largest telecommunications company with more than 27 million mobile subscribers, accounting for over 50% of the market. The company reached KRW 16.301 trillion in revenue in 2012. As the world's first company to commercialize CDMA, CDMA 2000 1x, CDMA EV-DO and HSDPA networks, SK Telecom launched the nation's first LTE service in July 2011. Backed by rapid nationwide deployment, a rich device lineup and diverse mobile value added services, the company secured over 11 million LTE subscribers as of June 2013. SK Telecom also became the world's first mobile carrier to launch LTE-Advanced on June 26, 2013 by applying core LTE-Advanced technologies including Carrier Aggregation. Also, based on its strength in network operations business, SK Telecom is seeking new growth engines by building ICT convergence business models in areas of healthcare, enterprise solutions, media and education. For more information, please visit www.sktelecom.com or email to press@sktelecom.com.

ABOUT 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 recognized by Thomson Reuters as a Top 100 Global Innovator, as well as being named by MIT Technology Review as amongst 2012's Top 50 "World's Most Innovative Companies". Alcatel-Lucent has also been recognized for innovation in sustainability, being named Industry Group Leader for Technology Hardware & Equipment sector in the 2013 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices review for making global communications more sustainable, affordable and accessible, all in pursuit of the company's mission to realize the potential of a connected world.

With revenues 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.

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SOURCE Alcatel-Lucent