KPN selects Alcatel to upgrade 1.3 million DSL lines as they prepare to offer triple play services

July 19, 2005 - Alcatel has announced that it will undertake a major upgrade of KPN's broadband infrastructure to prepare for the delivery of triple play services in the Netherlands.

This contract involves the upgrade of 1.3 million DSL lines, allowing higher bandwidth and the delivery of triple play services. The network upgrade will be finalized in Q4.

Once the upgrade is completed, KPN's broadband network will be supported by Alcatel's ADSL2plus technology, offering significantly increased bandwidth compared with the traditional ADSL. Subscribers will experience a smooth transition and get access to a rich blend of broadband services such as very high-speed Internet access, video-on-demand and broadcast TV. As customer satisfaction and speed of execution are critical in such massive upgrades, KPN will further rely on Alcatel to provide essential support services such as project management, installation and commissioning.

"As the leading provider of broadband services in the Netherlands, we want to offer the new value-added services that will keep us ahead of the competition. We are getting ready for the future of user centric broadband services and Alcatel is our partner of choice for such network transformation. They have proven all along the way their expertise to provide such end-to-end broadband solution and services," says Eelco Blok, KPN director Corporate Strategy.

Michel Rahier, in charge of Alcatel's fixed communications activities, adds: "This upgrade of KPN's broadband access network is an essential step towards massive deployment of triple play services. With this agreement, Alcatel and KPN confirm their long-term partnership, which has already proven to be successful in developing the Dutch market for broadband access. Our challenge will be to finalize the upgrade of the network in a very tight timeframe, so that it be ready for the next wave of bandwidth-demanding applications."

Alcatel is the world leader in broadband access with a cumulative DSL market share of 37.8% end of 2004, according to industry analyst Dell'Oro Group. To date more than 62 million DSL lines have been shipped and its broadband access solutions are prominent in networks of over 120 service providers worldwide.