Mexico
: Grupo Iusacell, S.A. de C.V. ( Iusacell ), a leading provider of
digital wireless telecommunications services in Mexico, and Lucent
Technologies announced an agreement to expand Iusacell's third-generation
(3G) CDMA2000® 1X network nationwide. By increasing the coverage
and capacity of its 3G network, Iusacell will be able to respond to
additional network traffic resulting from its growing customer base
and demand for high-speed mobile data services.
Under
the terms of the agreement, Lucent will supply equipment, software
and services for the network expansion, and will deploy new capabilities
for Iusacell's Intelligent Network platform, enabling the introduction
of prepaid voice and data services. In addition to these enhancements,
Iusacell will continue to offer advanced voice and high-speed data
services, such as mobile Internet access, at speeds of up to 153 kilobits
per second.
"With
the expansion of our CDMA2000 1X network, Iusacell will increase its
offerings of advanced mobile data services," said Gustavo Guzman,
CEO, Iusacell. "This improves our network, increases the existing
coverage and capacity, and enhances the availability of our high-speed
data network for our users across the country."
"It
also supports advanced applications such as ring tone and game downloads,
access to productivity tools such as email, cellular 'chat', and the
transmission of photos and short videos. This platform will also support
voice over IP applications, the basis of the system that emulates
'trunking' networks. With this project, Iusacell reinforces its leading
position and commitment to continuously improve network quality and
customer satisfaction," added Mr. Guzman.
The expansion
projects for Iusacell's network includes 3G services for all of Mexico,
growth and network upgrades, a network security platform and all the
services associated with this project. Lucent Worldwide Services will
provide network installation and maintenance.
"We
are pleased to work with Iusacell as they continue to expand their
3G network, after having successfully partnered to complete the initial
deployment of this advanced voice and high-speed data network,"
said Osvaldo di Campli, Lucent Technologies sales vice president for
Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. "This expansion will
feature our latest and most advanced mobile networking equipment and
protect Iusacell's investment, enabling the immediate implementation
of CDMA2000 1X services, and supporting the evolution to more advanced
CDMA2000 solutions such as 1xEV-DO and 1xEV-DV in the future."
Lucent
Technologies de Mexico, a subsidiary of Lucent Technologies, will
provide the products and services outlined in this agreement.
CDMA2000
is an advanced and efficient wireless technology being introduced
worldwide and an international 3G standard established by the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU). CDMA2000 cost-effectively evolves
a multitude of network technologies to support 3G services.
A global
leader in the development of commercial 3G spread-spectrum solutions,
Lucent's Mobility Solutions Group has deployed CDMA2000, CDMA450,
and W-CDMA/UMTS networks with more than 30 mobile operators on the
continents of North and South America, Asia, Europe and in the Australia/New
Zealand region. Lucent also is collaborating with major UMTS/W-CDMA
operators in Asia, Europe and North America on the development of
their 3G networks. Lucent has deployed more than 90,000 spread-spectrum
base stations for mobile operators worldwide, of which 50,000 are
already supporting 3G services.