Alcatel-Lucent and Bouygues Telecom strengthen their partnership in IP networks and fixed and mobile high-speed networks

Alcatel-Lucent and Bouygues Telecom have strengthened their long-standing relationship by signing multiple cooperation agreements for both mobile and fixed ultra-broadband access activities.

The agreements follow Bouygues Telecom’s choice, at the end of 2013, of Alcatel-Lucent to update one of the main transport arteries of its high-speed optical network using 100Gbps technologies, and to manage the French optical backbone network supporting all of its fixed and mobile traffic. Various contracts for renovating systems and configuring networks have also been agreed with Alcatel-Lucent.

In 2014, three major Bouygues Telecom projects will boost cooperation between the two companies further:

• Deployment of a 4G LTE-based mobile network core (CSCF) for voice and video services (VoLTE), along with the reuse of several functions from its fixed IMS network core.
• Deployment of new SBC equipment ensuring the security of mobile and fixed IP interconnections with other operators.
• Provision of IP equipment Core and Edge routers for the renovation of the IP MPLS backbone used to transport all 2G/3G/4G mobile traffic.

Alcatel-Lucent and Bouygues Telecom will join forces to play a key role in developing and leveraging the fiber-optic-transport, IMS, IP and 4G technologies of the future. Both companies are convinced that these technologies will open up new opportunities for digital users and provide benefits for both fixed and mobile customers.

Alcatel-Lucent and Bouygues Telecom are keen to support the emergence of a French digital ecosystem.  “Alcatel-Lucent is a historical supplier of Bouygues Telecom, and is a trusted partner we work with on a day-to-day basis in strategic areas of our business,” said Mr Olivier Roussat, Chief Executive Officer of Bouygues Telecom.

“It is essential for Alcatel-Lucent to accompany our customers in preparing for the future of their networks by being involved in the earliest stage of their development. Our cooperation in such strategic activities with Bouygues Telecom clearly demonstrate their trust in us,” added Michel Combes, Chief Executive Officer of Alcatel-Lucent.

About Bouygues Telecom

As a full-service electronic communications operator (mobile, fixed, TV, Internet and cloud computing), Bouygues Telecom stands out for its innovative products and services and award-winning customer relations serving its 11.1 million mobile and 2 million fixed broadband customers, which include more than 1.5 million professional and corporate clients and more than 1.7 million B&YOU clients.

After inventing the mobile talk-plan concept in France in 1996, Bouygues Telecom has always been a pioneer in innovation: it introduced the first unlimited call plans with Millennium (1999) and Neo (2006); in 2007, it launched the first fixed-mobile convergence offer for corporate customers; in 2009, it invented the “all-in-one” solution with ideo, the first quadruple play offer in the market; and, as early as July 2011, it invented mobile telephony 2.0 with B&YOU, the first SIM-only Web-Only offer. In June 2012, Bouygues Telecom launched Bbox Sensation, its new range of routers packed with the most innovative technologies on the market that will transform the digital home experience and in November 2013, the Box Internet by B&YOU, a double-play which democratizes the access to Internet. In January 2014, Bouygues Telecom and SFR conclude a strategic agreement to share a part of their mobile access networks : it will enable both operators to provide their respective customers better coverage, better quality of service, and to generate significant savings.

Its mobile network covers 99% of the French population with 2G, 96% with 3G+ and 60% with H+. Bouygues Telecom is also deploying a nationwide 4G network covering already 63% of the French population, bringing access to 4G to 40 million people in France from October 2013.