SSE Telecoms selects Alcatel-Lucent to double IP network coverage for communications services and mission-critical operations in the UK

Paris/London – October 23, 2013 – SSE Telecoms, a communications specialist and owner of one of the United Kingdom’s largest telecommunications and data centre networks, has selected IP networking technology from Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) to extend network coverage across the country as part of its ‘Project Edge’ program.

Alcatel-Lucent will provide enhanced Ethernet and bandwidth capabilities to meet the scaling, resilience and security demands of SSE Telecoms’ customers, whilst enabling faster service delivery and reduced costs. This will almost double network coverage across the UK during the first phase of Project Edge, an SSE Telecoms initiative designed to achieve greater network coverage and service differentiation while lowering costs through network redesign and rationalisation.

The network will support the deployment of new mission-critical, high-bandwidth IP/MPLS (Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Layer Switching) services that enable enhanced security features, which allows the support of legacy Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) services across the enhanced network.

Alcatel-Lucent’s IP Service Routers will also pave the way for high-speed, lower cost data centre connectivity for the delivery of dynamic cloud services to meet the specific needs of SSE Telecoms’ customers. The project is expected to be complete by December 2013.

Key Facts

With the deployment of 54 new nodes during the first phase of Project Edge, SSE Telecoms will almost double its UK network coverage, while lowering costs and speeding delivery of innovative new services to meet increased data demand from customers.

A robust network backbone using Alcatel-Lucent’s 7750 Service Router (SR) portfolio will enable the delivery of Ethernet and high bandwidth services with enhanced security and cloud data centre connectivity.

Alcatel-Lucent’s 5620 Service Aware Manager (SAM) will allow SSE Telecoms to provide a better experience for customers in terms of service delivery.

The Alcatel-Lucent solution includes an option for 10Gb optical cards for the management of wavelength and dark fibre connectivity.

As part of the project, Alcatel-Lucent will provide its leading professional services capabilities, managing delivery, storage, installation and first level commissioning. Alcatel-Lucent will also provide annual maintenance and software support for all existing and new nodes in the network.

Quotes:

Chris Jagusz, Managing Director, SSE Telecoms said: “We were first to market in the UK with national Ethernet services more than 10 years ago, and since then we have continued to innovate our customer offering. We wanted to expand our network presence with a solution that gave us the flexibility to meet all of our customers’ diverse needs, while also delivering the bandwidth, speed and quality that they expect – and with Alcatel-Lucent’s portfolio we can do just that”.

Henri Tallon, Head of sales for Alcatel-Lucent Strategic Industries in Europe, Middle East and Africa region said: “Alcatel-Lucent’s relationship with SSE Telecoms has afforded us a real understanding of the challenges that the company faces. Alcatel-Lucent is a specialist in IP networking. Our IP/MPLS solution is being used to meet the mission critical needs of over 65 power utilities. Our service router portfolio has also been deployed with 500 service providers including 37 of the top 40 carriers across the globe. As such we are able to deploy a robust solution designed to meet the diverse and growing needs of SSE Telecoms’ customers.”

Additional information and resources7750 SR: Energize the IP Edge5620 Service Aware ManagerUtility Telco ServicesGridTalk eZine: U-Telco issue

About SSE Telecoms

SSE Telecoms are communications specialists with over 15 years of experience they can give you the integrated solutions you need to achieve more from your IT investments.

They operate a 12,000km private telecoms network and 17 data centres that span the UK. With their extensive telecoms and mechanical & electrical engineering experience they can offer commercial security with unrivalled in-house engineering resource.

With a passionate and conscientious team, as well as the backing of the SSE Group, they continue to invest in the future of their people, services, technologies and infrastructure. This means they can provide you with class-leading connectivity and data centre services that deliver cost efficiency and a competitive edge. Visit www.ssetelecoms.com

SSE Telecoms Media Contact:

Charlotte Martin or Richard Scarlett

Johnson King

+44 (0)20 7401 7968

SSETelecoms@johnsonking.co.uk

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.

For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow the Company on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.