$50 million frame agreement with MTS
Alcatel today announced the signature of a USD 50 million frame agreement with Mobile TeleSystems, the leading mobile operator in Eastern Europe, for the deployment of MTS’ networks in 11 regions in Russia and the extension of MTS’ network in Ukraine.
Delivery of the equipment will be in phases scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2005.
Deployment of these networks will considerably increase MTS’ presence in the Volga and Southern regions of Russia. Alcatel will also deliver its Open Services Platform (OSP) that will be installed in MTS’ networks in the North-West, Urals, Volga and Southern regions of Russia. Alcatel will supply MTS with its Evolium? GSM/GPRS end-to-end solutions, including Base Stations Sub-systems (BSS) and Mobile Switching Centers (NSS) that will be used to deploy new MTS networks in the Astrakhanskaya, Volgogradskaya and
Ulyanovskaya oblasts, the Mari El, Chuvashskaya, Mordovia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkarskaya, Karachaevo-Cherkesskaya and North Osetia-Alania
republics and Stavropolsky krai.
Vassily Sidorov, President and CEO of MTS commented: “Alcatel’s solutions were chosen after extensive evaluation of other vendors’ proposals. We have partnered with Alcatel on several projects already and are confident that their technologies, combined with their understanding of our local needs and realities, will enable us to successfully implement this project”.
Marc Rouanne, Chief Operating Officer of Alcatel’s mobile activities added, “Alcatel understands that the operator’s need for appropriate network capacity is a key factor for successful development, together with on-time introduction of new differentiating services. The embedded multi-standard
capability of the Alcatel Evolium? solution will allow for MTS’s potential network and services evolution. This new project confirms Alcatel’s commitment to the Russian market and will strengthen our partnership with MTS”.