Sky Link and Lucent Technologies Enhance CDMA450 Network in Moscow with CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Technology and Lay Foundation for IMS-Based Multimedia Services

Sky Link Moscow and Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) today announcedthat the two companies have initiated a project to enhance Sky Link'sCDMA450 network in Moscow and its surrounding areas to supporthigher-speed mobile data services and blended "lifestyle" applicationsthat combine voice, video, multimedia and other data capabilities. Theupgrade will incorporate Lucent's CDMA2000(R) 1xEV-DO (Evolution-DataOptimized) technology to support mobile data services at speeds of upto 2.4 Megabits per second (Mbps) as well as key elements of Lucent'sIP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) solution.

As part of the project, Lucent will provide additional Flexent(R)CDMA450 base stations and upgrade a second Mobile Switching Center(MSC). Lucent also will provide its Flexent(R) Packet Gateway (FPG)and Super-Distributed Home Location Register (S-DHLR) -- part ofLucent's IMS solution. Lucent Worldwide Services will ensure a smoothnetwork deployment by providing installation, integration, andtraining and support services.

"By upgrading our network and implementing new solutions, we arebuilding a strong foundation for our continued network development andmaking important and practical steps towards next-generation,personalized lifestyle services that keep pace with the modernmultimedia world," said Valery Guzeev, first deputy director, Sky LinkMoscow.

"Our EV-DO and IMS solutions will help Sky Link preserve existingnetwork investments and help speed time-to-market for newapplications, increasing customer satisfaction and aiding in theattraction of new subscribers," said Dmitry Kamensky, generaldirector, Lucent Technologies in Russia and CIS. "For subscribers, IMSmeans quick and easy access to communication services anytime andanywhere with the device of their choice and EV-DO means super-fastmobile data services."

The Lucent S-DHLR is an advanced customer information data serverthat enables the creation of a single subscriber profile for eachcustomer and all of the services they use, in contrast to thetraditional method of maintaining individual subscriber databases foreach service. It also provides support for a wide variety of voice anddata services on mobile, wireline and converged networks. Sky Link'smigration from a traditional Home Location Register (HLR) to the newLucent S-DHLR will reduce the complexity of managing subscriber data,make it easier to offer their subscribers customized service bundlesand provide a consistent look and feel for subscribers' services evenwhen roaming across multiple network types such as GSM, W-CDMA/UMTS,WiFi and wireline networks or onto another operator's network.

The Flexent(R) Packet Gateway solution consists of LucentPacketstar(R) (PSAX) media gateways, which support packet voicetransfer on transport networks and the interaction with POTS (PlainOld Telephone Service) nodes, and the Lucent Network Controller, whichprovides SS7 signal processing and media gateway and media resourcemanagement. The FPG solution will provide Sky Link withnext-generation switching capabilities and will interoperateseamlessly with the S-DHLR and prepaid platforms. It also iscompatible with multiple network types, such as GSM and W-CDMA/UMTS,and supports interaction with IP-based networks and various legacynetworks such as POTS. This single platform provides Sky Link with anefficient way to migrate to an IMS-based next-generation network, asit supports other Lucent solutions such as the IMS Session Manager.

About the companies

Sky Link Moscow was established in the Moscow region by thecombined entities of OAO Moscow Cellular Communications and OAOPersonal Communications. The Sky Link Moscow network was launched inNovember 2003 and is part of the IMT-MC 450 standard-based nationalnetwork. The Lucent-supplied Sky Link Moscow network covers all ofMoscow and Moscow region territory.

JSC Sky Link, the leading CDMA carrier in Russia, was establishedin June 2003 to consolidate regional NMT-450 operators and toimplement a federal cellular communications network based on CDMA2000technology for the 450MHz frequency band. CDMA450 networks under theSky Link trademark are now deployed in 19 regions of the RussianFederation. The project licensing territory covers 65 regions with apopulation of 104 million that represents 72 percent of the totalRussian population. JSC Sky Link is a member of International 450Association (IA-450) since 2003. For further information on thecompany, please visit: www.skylink.ru.

Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services andsoftware that drive next-generation communications networks. Backed byBell Labs research and development, Lucent uses its strengths inmobility, optical, software, data and voice networking technologies,as well as services, to create new revenue-generating opportunitiesfor its customers, while enabling them to quickly deploy and bettermanage their networks. Lucent's customer base includes communicationsservice providers, governments and enterprises worldwide. For moreinformation on Lucent Technologies, which has headquarters in MurrayHill, N.J., USA, visit www.lucent.com.

In Russia and CIS, Lucent Technologies offers its solutions tocarriers, ISPs, and business customers. For more information on LucentTechnologies in Russia and CIS, visit its Russian Web site athttp://www.lucent.ru.

CDMA2000 is a registered trademark of the TelecommunicationsIndustry Association.