Alcatel Inks DSL Supplier Deal
By Susan Rush
from BroadbandWeek Direct - January 7, 2002
Alcatel secures a three-year supplier contract with France Telecom Group. The deal is designed to strengthen Alcatel's global position in the DSL equipment market for both ADSL and SDSL products.
France Telecom has tabbed Alcatel and Lucent Technologies Inc. to supply ADSL and SDSL access for the group's subsidiaries worldwide. "(These master purchase agreements) reflect a fundamental choice for the entire group and will unlock significant synergies at both the technical and financial levels," France Telecom's Networks Division Executive Vice President Jean-Yves Gouiffes said in a statement.
Under the terms of the Alcatel deal, Alcatel will supply the latest version of its 7300 Advanced Services Access Manager, an ultra-density version of the company's broadband access platform. The company is committed to delivering voice over DSL and multicast video services, says Michel Rahier, president of Alcatel's Broadband Networks Division. "We are delighted to partner with France Telecom in bringing additional high-value broadband services to end-users across the world," he says. Entertainment is the name of the game now, Rahier says.
The deal with France Telecom positions Alcatel to deliver its ADSL and SDSL equipment to several countries outside of France, including Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Poland to France Telecom's subsidiaries. "We anticipate around 3 million lines to be delivered to France Telecom Group in the next 3 years," says Rahier. Alcatel has a 32 percent share of the worldwide DSL equipment market.
The agreement with Alcatel is an extension of an existing relationship between the two companies. Alcatel secured France Telecom as a
broadband customer in 1999.
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