Du inks partnership deal with Alcatel-Lucent

UAE’s telecom company du said it has entered into a partnership agreement with Alcatel-Lucent to deploy the latest in IP-routing technology to achieve convergence in its telecom services. Demand for high-speed broadband access, IPTV services, mobile video and more is expanding dramatically in the UAE. By deploying state-of-the-art IP routing technology from Alcatel-Lucent, du will eliminate the need to manage multiple networks, simplifying network operations, said a senior official. Under the terms of the agreement, Alcatel-Lucent started deploying an industry-leading solution (IP/MPLS), as well as providing du with a set of comprehensive professional services that include project management, network design, installation and commissioning, software integration and operations.   “Convergence of fixed and mobile networks is a logical evolutionary step in our growth story. This stems from the increasing propensity of our customers to access everything from a single device,” remarked Osman Sultan, the CEO of du. “We believe Alcatel-Lucent is well positioned to share our vision in bringing the most cutting-edge services available in the UAE, with industry-leading intelligent solutions which will delight and surprise our customers, and further enhance our network efficiency,” he added. Alcatel-Lucent’s solutions will help customers customers to access du TV on their smartphone, tablet or PC, using Wi-Fi or 3G.   It will also ensure du’s coverage from a 4G LTE perspective, using IP-based technology and also provide transmission services solutions for projects from small-medium enterprise size up.   Besides, it will dramatically boost the speed, performance and availability of du’s home services, business and mobile broadband services.   Alcatel-Lucent’s CEO Ben Verwaayen said: “The UAE is a very dynamic market, and we are thrilled to expand our position as the leading IP vendor in the country.  The new IP network we have deployed for du gives them an important and simplified tool for addressing the explosion in broadband data, and the embedded intelligence allows them to offer differentiating services to their customer base.” Alcatel-Lucent will also provide du with a set of comprehensive professional services including project management, network design, installation and commissioning, software integration and operations. Last month, the duo had successfully deployed the first phase of the network with several sites across the three main regions (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain) now carrying mobile traffic.-TradeArabia News Service