Brazil : VIVO, the largest mobile operator in Brazil, and Lucent Technologies announced an agreement to expand VIVO's third-generation (3G) CDMA2000 1X network.

Inset is Jose Roberto Campos, president of Lucent Technologies in Brazil.

The Lucent supplied network, software and services will enable VIVO to provide subscribers in a variety of new locations with advanced voice and high-speed data services such as mobile Internet access at speeds of up to 144 kilobits per second.

Under terms of the agreement, the 3G network expansion will cover Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and other regions in both states including the cities of Praia Grande (SP), Teresopolis (RJ) and the Lakes region (regiao dos Lagos, also in the state of Rio de Janeiro).

"With the expansion of our 1X network, VIVO will increase its offerings of advanced services, such as voice and broadband data transmission, bringing more efficient and higher speed mobile services to our customers," said Javier Rodriguez Garcia, Technology and Networks vice president for VIVO. "This improves our network, increases the existing coverage and capacity, and enhances the availability of our high-speed data network for our corporate users' day to-day mobile activities. With this project, VIVO reinforces its leading position and commitment to continuously improve network quality and customer satisfaction."

The network expansion will be completed in early 2004. Lucent will provide more than 500 base stations, primarily Flexent(R) Modular Cell 4.0 base stations -- part of the Bell Labs-developed OneBTS(R) family of base stations, which support multiple spread-spectrum technologies including CDMA2000 1X, 1xEV-DO, 1xEV-DV and W-CDMA/UMTS -- and new mobile switching centers.

Lucent Worldwide Services (LWS) will provide network installation, deployment, maintenance, RF (radio frequency) optimization and consulting services. LWS will ensure the project's success and deliver exceptional network quality of service for VIVO's customers by leveraging its Professional Services experience as well as 3G network deployment methodologies, processes and tools from Bell Labs.

Lucent has a solid track record as an important partner for the service providers recently united under VIVO, a joint venture of Portugal Telecom and Telefonica Moviles. Telesp Celular and Telefonica Celular, two of these operators, deployed Lucent's CDMA2000 1X solutions in the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. These two mobile operators' subscribers were the first in Latin America to have access to superior 3G voice and high-speed data services, such as sound and image downloads, instant messaging and Internet access.

"We are excited about working with VIVO on this new 3G network expansion, having already deployed 3G networks for VIVO in the two largest Brazilian markets," said Jose Roberto Campos, president of Lucent Technologies in Brazil. "This expansion will feature our latest and most advanced mobile networking equipment and protect VIVO's investment, enabling the immediate implementation of CDMA2000 1X services, and supporting the evolution to more advanced CDMA2000 solutions such as 1xEV-DO and 1xEV-DV, or even W-CDMA/UMTS in the future."

According to the CDMA Development Group (CDG), the number of 3G CDMA2000 subscribers topped 70 million worldwide in September 2003, with more than four million new subscribers joining CDMA2000 networks every month. Today, there are 75 carriers operating CDMA2000 1X networks in 40 countries, and 45 major suppliers offering more than 415 different 1X mobile phones and devices around the world. CDMA technology already had an installed base of more than 174 million subscribers in September 2003, and is the fastest growing wireless technology with an annual growth rate of 29 percent.

CDMA2000 is an advanced and efficient wireless technology being introduced worldwide and an international 3G standard established by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). CDMA2000 cost-effectively evolves a multitude of network technologies.

Lucent's Mobility Solutions Group is a leading global provider of mobile networking technologies, having deployed more than 80,000 spread-spectrum base stations for mobile operators worldwide, of which 50,000 are already supporting 3G services.