Lucent supplies 3G CDMA equipment to Pakistan

May 27, 2004

Lucent Technologies today announced it has been selected by TeleCard -- a wireless local loop (WLL) operator in Pakistan -- to expand and upgrade the operator's existing CDMA wireless network. Under an agreement with TeleCard, Lucent will supply 3G CDMA2000 1X equipment and services for up to a million lines to increase the coverage and capacity of the operator's existing network, and enable the introduction of next-generation mobile services such as high-speed Internet access using 3G CDMA2000 1xEV-DO solutions.

This is the first customer agreement in Pakistan for Lucent's wireless business. Under the agreement Lucent will deliver and install its Flexent CDMA2000 base stations, as well as its 5ESS-based Mobile Switching Center (MSC). Lucent Worldwide Services will provide installation and engineering services for the deployment.

"We selected Lucent because we were impressed by the quality of its solutions, and its wealth of experience deploying CDMA networks," said Sultan Ul Arfeen, chairman of Telecard and the Arfeen Group, which is extensively involved in Pakistan's telecom sector with operations such as TeleCard and Instaphone (a nationwide cellular operator). "This expansion will enable us to offer our wireless services -- including high-quality voice calls, as well as email and high-speed Internet access -- to a greater number of customers.