3G Network Expansion

Europe : Lucent Technologies has successfully completed an expansion of the SKYLINK network for Delta Telecom (Delta), the first Russian mobile operator to implement a third-generation (3G) mobile network in the 450 MHz frequency band based on CDMA2000™ 1X technology. The expansion, completed by Lucent in late June, will enable Delta to significantly increase its voice and high-speed data services coverage.

For the SKYLINK network expansion, Lucent has provided its Flexent® CDMA2000 1X base stations and increased the capacity of the Lucent-supplied mobile switching center. As a result, the SKYLINK mobile voice and data services are available throughout the Karelian Isthmus and in a number of additional cities in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. Lucent Worldwide Services implemented the network expansion to enable Delta to go to market faster and remain focused on its core business.

"By increasing the capacity and coverage of our network we are able to provide to our customers greater flexibility and anytime, anywhere access to advanced mobile services and information resources. This offers us a substantial competitive advantage in the market," said Victor Ustyuzhanin, general director of Delta Telecom.

"Lucent's solutions allow operators to optimise the development of their networks in support of their business objectives," said Dmitry Kamensky, general director of Lucent Technologies in Russia and CIS. "We are pleased to see that the SKYLINK network is growing and expanding its coverage, offering its subscribers high-quality mobile voice services, as well as a variety of innovative high-speed data services not previously available in the market."

The SKYLINK network was launched in St. Petersburg in December 2002 and initially covered the city and its suburbs. Its subscribers get high-quality voice services and data services at speeds of up to 153 kilobits per second (kbps). With CDMA2000 1X cell phones connected to laptop PCs or personal digital assistants (PDAs) SKYLINK subscribers are able to download and forward e-mails with data-heavy attachments, browse the Internet and securely access corporate Intranet resources.

The CDMA2000 1X standard, operating in the 450 MHz frequency band, is an approved mobile technology for deployment in Russia where this spectrum is currently used by older analog NMT-450 cellular networks. CDMA2000 1X, a 3G standard approved by the International Telecommunications Union, is considered to be a highly efficient and cost-effective path for NMT-450 network operators to deliver more advanced digital services.

The equipment for the project implementation was delivered by Lucent Technologies business-partner, Verysell Telecom of Verysell group.