Alcatel selected for Ameritech's UltimateLink SONET service offering and network upgrades

Business Wire, May 3, 1995

RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 1995--Ameritech has selected Alcatel Network Systems as the primary SONET (synchronous optical network) transport vendor for the carrier's UltimateLink SONET loop serving the Chicago metropolitan area. In addition, Alcatel is one of only two vendors to supply Ameritech with SONET transport equipment for planned network upgrades and overlays through the end of 1997.

The agreement, with an estimated value of over $100 million, covers the provision of Alcatel's 1603/12 SM and 1648 SM (OC-3, -12, and -48 standards, respectively) SONET multiplexer traffic transport and management equipment in Ameritech's five-state service area of Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Ameritech already has ordered over 500 Alcatel 1603/12 SM and 1648 SM units.

UltimateLink provides increased data transport speeds with the world's most advanced SONET protection to Ameritech customers. Its architecture consists of meshed SONET rings to provide instantaneous service restoration in the event of a fiber cut or the loss of an entire node, continuous performance monitoring and other quality-assurance features. Accelerated deployment of the company's SONET architecture in the Chicago area is targeted for completion in September.

"UltimateLink provides guaranteed service and performance levels and rewards long-distance carriers and other customers that choose Ameritech as their local access services supplier," said Scott Finney an Ameritech product manager for high-speed transport services. "This initiative gives customers the maximum benefits of Ameritech's competitive prices."

"We were impressed with Alcatel's package and technical capabilities, especially in-shelf upgrades from OC-3 to OC-12 for the 1603 SM and the potential to upgrade to OC-192 using the 1648 SM platform," Finney added.

"Alcatel's SONET family provides intelligent flexible network solutions which are particularly critical for High Performance Networks such as Ameritech's UltimateLink," said Bob Reed, Vice President, Product Line Management for Alcatel Network Systems.

"Those advanced features, coupled with graceful in-service upgrades, give operators a cost-effective way to provide high-reliability SONET service."

"We need a partner with network level experience in transport, cross connects, and network management," said Tom Zinkus, Manager of Reliability and Planning for Ameritech Long Distance Industry Services. "Alcatel's commitment to network survivability and open architecture in network management is mandatory for our SONET platforms."

Alcatel Network Systems designs, manufactures and services a full line of voice, data, video and multimedia transmission products -- such as ATM switching systems, digital cross connects, fiber optic transmission systems, optical amplifiers, microwave radios, video codecs, and network management systems. These products are used in high performance networks throughout the telecommunications, broadcast and utility industries. The parent company, Alcatel, is one of the world's leading communications equipment manufactures, with plants in 32 countries and markets in over 125 countries.

Ameritech, one of the world's largest communications companies, helps more than 13 million customers keep in touch. The company provides a wide array of local phone, data and video services in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Ameritech is creating dozens of new information, entertainment and interactive services for homes, businesses and governments around the world.

Also one of the world's leading wireless companies, Ameritech serves more than 1.3 million cellular and 635,000 paging customers, and holds cellular interests in Norway and Poland. Ameritech owns interests in telephone companies in New Zealand and Hungary and in business directories in Germany and other countries. Nearly 1 million investors hold Ameritech (NYSE:AIT) shares.

CONTACT: Alcatel Network Systems

Michael Newsom, 214/996-7896

Internet: michael_newsom@aud.alcatel.com

or

Ameritech

Bennie Currie, 708/248-6155