PLANO, Texas, May 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alcatel (NYSE: ALA; Paris: CGEP.PA) today announced it has been selected by Grand River Dam Authority to deliver and assist with installation of a new microwave and optical communications network powered by state-of-the-art MPLS technology. The new network will improve security and redundancy to their critical communications infrastructure, enhance their disaster recovery system, and create greater efficiencies within the Grand River Dam Authority workplace. Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) transmits and delivers wholesale electricity to municipalities, electric cooperatives and industries across a 24-county area within Northeast Oklahoma. The new digital network will feature key components from Alcatel's mission critical solutions portfolio, including unified communications, Voice over IP, Wireless LAN, digital microwave and LAN switching. GRDA's network will include advanced capabilities for voice, video and data applications, as well as providing scalable network architecture based on the Alcatel service routing portfolio, to accommodate future applications. "The greatest challenge we faced in upgrading our network was how to bring multiple legacy and future technologies onto a single platform and being able to manage it," said Jim Fraley, director of Information Technologies for GRDA. "Alcatel helped us work through this by presenting a complete, end-to-end solution that is highly reliable, highly scaleable, easy to manage, and is built on an open architecture." "Alcatel recognizes that mission critical networks require a highly reliable and secure architecture that delivers greater efficiencies to the people it serves," said Hubert de Pesquidoux, president of Alcatel's North American activities. "The comprehensive range of microwave, optical, voice and internetworking technologies in Alcatel's portfolio provides complete advanced network solutions on a scale that has previously not been offered in the industry." About Alcatel's utility solutions Alcatel is a leading provider of critical communications infrastructure solutions for utility, energy, oil & gas, pipeline and railroad industries worldwide. With more than 50 years of experience in the utility sector, Alcatel's mission critical solutions portfolio provides a wide range of applications including unified communications, Voice over IP, Wireless LAN, digital microwave, MPLS networking and LAN switching. Alcatel's utility solutions improves security and redundancy to customers critical communications infrastructures, enhances disaster recovery systems, and creates greater operational efficiencies all while delivering highly reliable, scalable network architecture to accommodate future applications. Learn more about Alcatel's mission critical communications solutions for utility and energy industries at http://www.usa.alcatel.com/industries/utilities/. About Alcatel Alcatel provides communications solutions to telecommunication carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises for delivery of voice, data and video applications to their customers or employees. Alcatel brings its leading position in fixed and mobile broadband networks, applications and services, to help its partners and customers build a user-centric broadband world. With sales of EURO 13.1 billion and 58,000 employees in 2005, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com/ DATASOURCE: Alcatel CONTACT: Press: Tracy Dupree / NA, +1-818-878-4408, , or Investor Relations: Pascal Bantegnie, +33-1-40-76-52-20, , or Nicolas Leyssieux, +33-1-40-76-37-32, , or Maria Alcon, +33-1-40-76-15-17, , or Charlotte Laurent-Ottomane, +1-703-668-7016, , all of Alcatel Web site: http://www.alcatel.com/ http://www.usa.alcatel.com/industries/utilities

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