In a Separate Release, Alcatel and Lucent Update Progress of the Proposed Merger PARIS, July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alcatel (NYSE: ALA; Paris: CGEP.PA) today provided preliminary information (unaudited results) on the second quarter 2006, confirming that the results are in line with expectations. Highlights for the quarter include the following: * Revenues are expected to be approximately Euro 3.38 billion, an increase of 7.5% over the same period last year. * Operating margin is expected to be around 8%, and includes a 0.3 percent impact from a capital gain resulting from disposal of fixed assets. The proposed contribution of Alcatel assets to Thales will be accounted for as discontinued operations once definitive agreements have been completed, which is expected to occur by year-end 2006. Second quarter 2006 results will be published on July 27, 2006. Further details will be provided at that time. Update on Proposed Merger In a separate release, Alcatel and Lucent today provided an update on the integration process related to their proposed merger transaction and unveiled additional details of the combined company's organization and business structure, leadership team and expected synergies. The two companies believe that they are on track to complete the merger by the end of calendar year 2006, which is within the six- to 12-month period following the April 2 announcement date. SAFE HARBOR FOR FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION This document contains statements regarding the proposed transaction between Lucent and Alcatel, the expected timetable for completing the transaction, future financial and operating results, benefits and synergies of the proposed transaction and other statements about Lucent and Alcatel's managements' future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects that are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about Lucent and Alcatel and the combined company, as well as Lucent's and Alcatel's and the combined company's future performance and the industries in which Lucent and Alcatel operate and the combined company will operate, in addition to managements' assumptions. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "targets," "goals," "projects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements which are not statements of historical facts. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to assess. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are based upon a number of important factors including, among others: the ability to consummate the proposed transaction; difficulties and delays in obtaining regulatory approvals for the proposed transaction; difficulties and delays in achieving synergies and cost savings; potential difficulties in meeting conditions set forth in the definitive merger agreement entered into by Lucent and Alcatel; fluctuations in the telecommunications market; the pricing, cost and other risks inherent in long-term sales agreements; exposure to the credit risk of customers; reliance on a limited number of contract manufacturers to supply products we sell; the social, political and economic risks of our respective global operations; the costs and risks associated with pension and postretirement benefit obligations; the complexity of products sold; changes to existing regulations or technical standards; existing and future litigation; difficulties and costs in protecting intellectual property rights and exposure to infringement claims by others; and compliance with environmental, health and safety laws. For a more complete list and description of such risks and uncertainties, refer to Lucent's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2005 and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended December 31, 2005 and March 31, 2006 and Alcatel's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2005 as well as other filings by Lucent and Alcatel with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Except as required under the U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the SEC, Lucent and Alcatel disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the distribution of this document, whether as a result of new information, future events, developments, changes in assumptions or otherwise. IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FILED WITH THE SEC In connection with the proposed transaction between Lucent and Alcatel, Alcatel has filed a registration statement on Form F-4 (File no. 33-133919) (the "Form F-4") to register the Alcatel ordinary shares underlying the Alcatel American Depositary Shares ("ADS") to be issued in the proposed transaction. Alcatel and Lucent have also filed, and intend to continue to file, additional relevant materials with the SEC, including a registration statement on Form F-6 (the "Form F-6" and together with the Form F-4, the "Registration Statements") to register the Alcatel ADSs to be issued in the proposed transaction. The Registration Statements and the related proxy statement/prospectus contain and will contain important information about Lucent, Alcatel, the proposed transaction and related matters. Investors and security holders are urged to read the Registration Statements and the related proxy statement/prospectus carefully, and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, including all amendments, because they contain important information. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Lucent and Alcatel (including the Form F-4 and, when filed, the Form F-6) through the web site maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov/ . In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of materials filed with the SEC by Lucent and Alcatel (including the Form F-4 and, when filed, the Form F-6) by contacting Investor Relations at http://www.lucent.com/ , by mail to 600 Mountain Avenue, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974 or by telephone at 908-582-8500 and from Alcatel by contacting Investor Relations at http://www.alcatel.com/ , by mail to 54, rue La Boetie, 75008 Paris, France or by telephone at 33-1-40-76-10-10. Lucent and its directors and executive officers also may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Lucent in connection with the transaction described herein. Information regarding the special interests of these directors and executive officers in the transaction described herein is included in the Form F-4 (and will be included in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed transaction). Additional information regarding these directors and executive officers is also included in Lucent's proxy statement for its 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on or about January 3, 2006. This document is available free of charge at the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov/ and from Lucent by contacting Investor Relations at http://www.lucent.com/ , by mail to 600 Mountain Avenue, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974 or by telephone at 908-582-8500. Alcatel and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Lucent in connection with the transaction described herein. Information regarding the special interests of these directors and executive officers in the transaction described herein is included in the Form F-4 (and will be included in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed transaction). Additional information regarding these directors and executive officers is also included in Alcatel's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 31, 2006. This document is available free of charge at the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov/ and from Alcatel by contacting Investor Relations at http://www.alcatel.com/ , by mail to 54, rue La Boetie, 75008 Paris, France or by telephone at 33-1-40-76-10-10. 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, Regine Coqueran, +33-0-1-40-76-49-24, or , or investor relations, Pascal Bantegnie, +33-0-1-40-76-52-20, or , or Nicolas Leyssieux, +33-0-1-40-76-37-32, or , or Maria Alcon, +33-0-1-40-76-15-17, or , or Charlotte Laurent- Ottomane, +1-703-668-7016, or , all of Alcatel Web site: http://www.alcatel.com/ http://www.lucent.com/

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