Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) announced today the signing of a global partnership agreement enabling Alcatel to offer Syndesis’ carrier-grade suite as part of its Operation Support Systems (OSS) portfolio. Combined with Alcatel integration services, service providers will be able to rapidly launch revenue generating next-generation services such as Triple/Quad Play, IPTV and VoIP. The integrated offering focuses on the end-to-end service delivery across access, aggregation and core, including subscriber-centric activation and discovery, in multi-vendor networks.

“This partnership with Alcatel is based on a shared strategy, joint vision and proven customer success,” added John Lochow, President and CEO of Syndesis. “Thanks to our complementary competencies, service providers are leveraging a rapidly growing subscriber base and profiting like never before from their network investments. Subscriber-centric activation and first-time-right service delivery, built on product-based software solutions, are paramount to delivering a truly differentiated and unified communications experience. We are thrilled that our partnership with Alcatel enables service providers globally to benefit from these solutions and acknowledge their vote of confidence in our proven, industry-leading service delivery suite.”

Alcatel has embedded Syndesis’ award-winning IP Triple Play service delivery management solutions into its industry-leading suite of next generation network offerings. The solution is proven to dramatically reduce the time and costs associated with the installation of IP networks and the delivery of feature-rich IP-based video, voice and data services.

By offering these solutions, Alcatel ensures seamless connectivity and interoperability between platforms, enabling a low-risk network evolution, rapid service introduction and end-to-end network visibility essential for effective IP service management worldwide.

“Syndesis brings production-proven solutions and market leadership for the delivery of next-generation services which, when added to Alcatel’s expertise in systems integration and unique operational broadband experience, are producing customer success time after time,” said Stephane Terranova, President of Alcatel’s integration and services activities. “Together, we are in a strong position to respond to increasing customer demand for provisioning and reconciliation of next-generation services and we envision that this best-in-breed offering will quickly become the industry’s solution of choice.”

Demonstrations of Alcatel’s Triple Play OSS/BSS solution, including Syndesis software suite, are permanently housed at Alcatel’s premises in Plano, Texas, in the Operational Support Systems Integration Laboratory, the world’s largest lab dedicated to Triple Play and IPTV.

About Syndesis
Syndesis is the leader in Convergent Service Delivery Management, essential for the seamless, painless migration to advanced service offerings, such as Triple/Quad Play, VoIP and IPTV, and advanced architectures, such as IMS. Syndesis empowers the world’s leading Communications Service Providers to deliver new network and application experiences for their customers. Renowned for customer success, in-depth network expertise and off-the-shelf support for more technologies and equipment than any other communications software developer, Syndesis is the vendor of choice in deployments at more than 20 major service providers worldwide including AT&T (SBC), Bell Canada, Cingular, MCI, Qwest, Sprint, Swisscom, Telecom Italia, Telefonica Empresas, TELUS and Verizon Wireless. Billions of dollars in service provider revenues from millions of new data services are processed through Syndesis platforms annually. A privately held company, Syndesis is profitable and is the recipient of numerous awards and widespread industry recognition for innovative technology, highly responsive customer service and groundbreaking solutions.

About Alcatel
Alcatel provides communications solutions to telecommunication carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises for delivery of voice, data and video applications to their customers or employees. Alcatel brings its leading position in fixed and mobile broadband networks, applications and services, to help its partners and customers build a user-centric broadband world. With sales of EURO 13.1 billion and 58,000 employees in 2005, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on the Internet: http://www.alcatel.com