Essent Kabelcom Selects Lucent Technologies and Telindus for Next-Generation Optical Infrastructure and Ethernet Services; First Dutch Deployment of Navis Optical Management System

Business Wire, June 28, 2005

HILVERSUM, The Netherlands -- Lucent Technologies (NYSE:LU) and Telindus, a Lucent Business Partner, have been selected by Essent Kabelcom, one of the leading cable companies in the Netherlands, to deliver next-generation optical systems and software needed to support Essent's Ethernet-over-optical deployment for selected enterprise customers. Telindus will deliver, commission, test and perform ongoing technical support and maintenance services for the next generation optical systems, backed by the expertise of Lucent Worldwide Services.

The deployment will enable Essent Kabelcom to provide additional revenue-generating services such as transparent Ethernet Private Lines and Ethernet Private LAN services as well as managed IP services using Lucent's proven Ethernet over optical solution. Under the terms of the contract, Telindus will supply the Lucent Metropolis(R) ADM Multiservice Mux, the Metropolis(R) AMS compact access multiplexer, the Metropolis(R) AMU and the Navis(R) Optical Management System (OMS), as well as technical support backed by Lucent Worldwide Services.

"We selected Lucent as a market leader in the development and understanding of Ethernet over SDH," said Bertil Kruize, Purchasing Manager of Essent Kabelcom. "Working with Lucent and Telindus for this project will ensure that we are able to offer secure, reliable, flexible and cost-competitive services to our customers."

The Lucent solution is designed to create a service converged platform by working with existing optical networking infrastructure to offer cost-effective multiservice support without the expense of creating and maintaining a separate overlay data network. Essent Kabelcom will be able to seamlessly connect Local Area Networks (LANs) at customer locations throughout The Netherlands using a standardized Ethernet "socket" installed on the customer premises.

"Lucent is pleased to help Essent launch and effectively manage these state-of-the-art services providing Essent's business customers the quality and reliability their business communications demand," said Gerry de Graaf, Channel Sales Director North Europe, Lucent Technologies.

"For Telindus, ICT is no longer ICT but B.I.T. which means Business IT," said Gaby Lips, Managing Director Telindus Netherlands. "Our goal is to help customers by using IT to focus their business drivers. This project proves the value of the relationship with Lucent and our combined knowledge, experience and customer focus that is helping Essent roll out this next-generation service."

About the Solution

Essent Kabelcom is one of the first customers in Europe to deploy the Navis Optical Management System platform in support of operations for optical networks. With Lucent's Navis(R) OMS, Essent's customers will experience single-user, automated provisioning, routing and proactive service assurance of optical networks and services allowing rapid turn-up of customer services.

Lucent is also providing Essent Kablecom with its high-speed platform that combines the speed and reliability of optical backbones with proven and ubiquitous Ethernet technology that is the standard in local area networks. The Metropolis(R) AMU and Metropolis(R) AMS multiplexers equipped with TransLAN(R) optional cards for Ethernet transport capability between customers' businesses in multiple locations, form the basis of Lucent's access SDH solution. The Metropolis(R) AMS and Metropolis(R) AMU are a compact systems that can cost-effectively link enterprises to Service Provider's access networks, and add Ethernet transport service by using carriers' existing SDH infrastructure. The Metropolis(R) ADM Multiservice Mux will be used an aggregation device in Essent's optical network. Furthermore, the recent development of the 10G LAN-PHY OTU on Lucent's WaveStar(R) OLS 1.6T platform presents Essent with the opportunity to offer 10GbE LAN PHY services on a Nationwide scale. Additionally Essent is able to support with this OTU also the current STM-64 leased line service.

For more information: http://www.lucent.com/solutions/metro_optical.html

About Essent Kabelcom

Essent Kabelcom is a major player in the Dutch cable sector. It is active in the areas of telecommunications, data communications, radio, TV, and internet, both for the consumer market and for the business sector. On a daily basis it reaches approximately five million people in the North, East, and South of the Netherlands through 1.7 million cable connections.

Essent Kabelcom is the second largest cable company in the Netherlands. The company employs more than 1,000 people. In 2002 its sales were more than 343 million euro.

Business. In addition to these consumer services, Essent Kabelcom also provides an extensive service package for business customers, including VoiceConnect (telephony services), WebConnect (business internet services), HomeConnect (Tele-work solutions) and OfficeConnect (data services). Essent Kabelcom also provides carrier services to other cable and telecommunications operators.