La FFII France

CEOs call on EU to promote innovation

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 2005-07-03T22:00:00Z

In a joint letter to European political leaders, the CEOs of Alcatel, Ericsson, Nokia, Philips and Siemens , together with EICTA, the European industry body, have called on politicians to promote innovation, employment and investment ahead of the European Parliament's vote this week on the proposed Directive on the Patentability of Computer Implemented Inventions. Rudy Provoost, President and Chairman of EICTA and CEO of Philips Consumer Electronics, Serge Tchuruk, Chairman and CEO of Alcatel, Carl-Henric Svanberg, President and CEO of Ericsson, Jorma Ollila, Chairman and CEO of Nokia, Gerard Kleisterlee, President and CEO of Philips and Klaus Kleinfeld, President and CEO of Siemens warned that amendments to the Directive proposed by the European Parliament risk negatively impacting on Europe's digital technology industry, employment in Europe and investment in research and development (R&D) for the technologies of the future.

In the letter, the CEOs state their support for a balanced legal framework to ensure that Europe remains a competitive region for high value R&D. They also highlight the importance they attach to the ability to patent computer implemented inventions.

Rudy Provoost, President of EICTA and CEO, Philips Consumer Electronics commented : « It is a myth to think that this Directive favours large companies over small. EICTA represents 10,000 small, medium and large companies in Europe, with over 2 million employees. These companies , working together, form an ecosystem of innovation that is indispensable to the EU's main objective of creating jobs and growth. »

Serge Tchuruk, Chairman and CEO of Alcatel, commented : « Europe has a long tradition of innovation. European inventors need to be able to protect their innovation in order to maintain worldwide leadership in high technology sectors such as telecommunications. »

Carl-Henric Svanberg, President and CEO of Ericsson, commented : « It is incredibly important that we get a favourable legal framework because this will direct our work going forward in R&D. If we are not able to patent our computer implemented inventions, the digital technology industry, and also Europe as a region, will have difficulty sta ying competitive. »

Jorma Ollila, Chairman and CEO of Nokia, commented : « We need to be able to protect the huge investments that we make in Europe, in order to be globally in a strong position vis-à-vis our major competitors. This Directive goes to the heart of our competitiveness. »

Gerard Kleisterlee, President and CEO of Philips, commented : « Europe has been at the forefront of advances in digital technology. We need to continue to innovate or we will lose customers and market share. This is only possible if we can reward innovation and secure our investment in R&D. »

Klaus Kleinfeld, President and CEO of Siemens, commented : « Digital technology is at the heart of our society and computer implemented inventions play a vital role in many applications. There is no justification for denying the inventors of computer implemented inventions the same rights to patent their creations as are enjoyed by inventors in other, more traditional, fields. »

For further information :
Mark MacGann, EICTA : +32-473-496-388
Richard Jacques, Brunswick : +44-7974-98-2557

Notes for editors

CII Directive

In our digital era, computer-implemented inventions (CII) are at the heart of all digital technology and are a very significant force behind innovation in Europe in many industry sectors spanning healthcare, telecommunications, mobile phones, motor vehicles, aviation and consumer electronics. These computer-implemented
inventions will continue to boost Research and Development (R&D) and secure employment in Europe, as long as patents can adequately protect them. Patent protection currently exists and would be maintained by the political agreement achieved by the Council in May 2004 on the CII Directive, and adopted as a Common Position by the Council on 7th March 2005. A number of amendments have been proposed to the Directive that would act to exclude important fields of high tech innovation from patent protection. EICTA's members, together with other key industry sectors, would be unable to sustain current levels of R&D investment in the face of increased copying from overseas. This would prevent European industry from competing internationally, damaging future economic growth and leading to significant job losses.

Alcatel

Alcatel provides communications solutions to telecommunic ation carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises for delivery of voice, data and video applications to their customers or employees. It 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 €12.3bn in 2004, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries and employs 56,000 worldwide.

Ericsson

Ericsson is the largest supplier of mobile systems in the world and supports all major standards for wireless communication. The world's 10 largest mobile operators are among its customers, and some 40% of all mobile calls are made through its systems. Ericsson provides total solutions - from systems and applications to services and core technology for mobile handsets. With Sony Ericsson, it is also a top supplier of complete mobile multi-media products. Present in more than 140 countries, Ericsson achieved net sales of €14.3bn and a net profit of over €2bn in 2004.

Nokia

Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. It connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with 'easy-to -use' and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. It provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. With 50,534 employees worldwide, Nokia achieved net sales of €29.3bn and a net profit of €3.2bn in 2004.

Philips

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's biggest electronic companies as well as the largest in Europe, with 160,900 employees in over 60 countries and revenues of EUR 30.3 billion in 2004. Philips is currently number one in the global markets for lighting, electric shavers and DVD recorders ; and number two in medical diagnostic imaging worldwide.

Siemens

Siemens is a global powerhouse in electrical engineering and electronics. The company has 440,000 employees working to develop and manufacture products, design and install complex systems and projects, and tailor a wide range of services for individual requirements. It provides innovative technologies and comprehensive know-how to benefit customers in 190 countries. Founded more than 150 years ago, the company is active in the areas of Information and Communications, Automation and Control, Power, Transportation, Medical, and Lighting. In 2004, Siemens had sales of €75.2bn and a net income of €3.405bn.

EICTA

EICTA, founded in 1999, is the voice of the Information and Communications Technology and Consumer Electronics Industries in Europe. It comprises 53 major multinational companies and 34 national industry associations from 24 European countries. In all, EICTA represents more than 10,000 companies all over Europe with more than 2 million employees and EUR 1000 billion in revenues.

Patents4Innovation

For further information on the breadth of industry in favour of a Directive based on the EU Council's Common Position, please visit www.patents4innovation.org.

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Alcatel Denies Patent Infringement Allegations by Fitel USA

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 2003-11-02T23:00:00Z

DALLAS, Nov. 3, 2003 – Alcatel (Paris : CGEP.PA and NYSE : ALA) today announced that it has filed a response in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, denying the infringement of a patent alleged in a complaint brought by OFS/Fitel.

Alcatel's patented TeraLight optical fiber has been widely available since 1999 and is the first of a new generation of optical fiber designed for the networks of the future. TeraLight has established new levels of performance with numerous bandwidth and distance records for both 10- and 40-Gbit/s applications.

Prior to the filing of this litigation, Alcatel informed OFS/Fitel that the TeraLight products neither used the Fitel patent nor was the Fitel patent valid. OFS/Fitel was well aware of the invalidity of its patent but nonetheless chose to respond by bringing this litigation. Alcatel strongly believes the marketplace should not be misled by the claims in the Fitel lawsuit regarding Alcatel products that have been in the market for several years. Alcatel will vigorously defend TeraLight and its position in the marketplace by showing that the OFS/Fitel claim is baseless and that the Fitel patent is neither infringed, nor valid, nor enforceable.

About Alcatel

Alcatel provides end-to-end communications solutions, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver content to any type of user, anywhere in the world. Leveraging its long-term leadership in telecommunications network equipment as well as its expertise in applications and network services, Alcatel enables its customers to focus on optimizing their service offerings and revenue streams. With sales of Euro 16.5 billion in 2002, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries.

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Alcatel et Qualcomm concluent un accord sur l'utilisation du brevet CDMA

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 2002-07-15T22:00:00Z

Paris, le 16 juillet 2002 _- Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq : QCOM), pionnier et leader mondial de la technologie numérique mobile CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) et Alcatel (Paris : CGEP.PA et NYSE : ALA), l'un des principaux équipementiers mondiaux en télécommunication, annoncent la signature d'un accord portant sur l'utilisation du brevet des équipements CDMA. D'après les termes de l'accord, Qualcomm a concédé à Alcatel, contre le paiement de royalties, une licence mondiale lui permettant de développer, fabriquer et vendre des équipements de 3^e génération WCDMA (UMTS) et TD-SCDMA à partir du portefeuille de brevets CDMA de Qualcomm.

Dans le cadre de cet accord, Alcatel a accordé à Qualcomm l'utilisation gratuite au niveau mondial de son portefeuille de brevets pour développer, fabriquer et vendre des circuits incorporables dans les équipements CDMA mobiles et multimodes.

« QUALCOMM is pleased to license Alcatel, a premier worldwide equipment manufacturer to develop, manufacture and sell WCDMA and TD-SCDMA wireless infrastructure products using QUALCOMM's patents, » said Steve Altman, president of QUALCOMM Technology Licensing. « This agreement further validates the strength of QUALCOMM's patent portfolio and applicability to WCDMA, also known as UMTS, and TD-SCDMA. »

« This license strengthens Alcatel's leadership position as an enabler of mobile data and 3G CDMA wireless services, » said Marc Rouanne, president of Alcatel's Mobile Networks activities. « We are now, more than ever, well positioned to provide mobile operators with field-proven 3G solutions with everything in place, from UTRAN, Core network, ATM switches to Open service Platform and Software solutions. »

Alcatel's UMTS radio infrastructure (UTRAN) offering is developed and produced by Evolium SAS, the joint venture between Alcatel and Fujitsu. This joint venture leverages Alcatel's expertise in GSM, GPRS and EDGE as well as in ATM and IP technologies, and combines it with the advanced experience of Fujitsu as supplier of NTT DoCoMo, which has a commercial UMTS network in service since October 2001.

À propos de QUALCOMM

QUALCOMM Incorporated (www.qualcomm.com) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on the Company's CDMA digital technology. The Company's business areas include CDMA chipsets and system software ; technology licensing ; the Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless(TM) (BREW(TM)) applications platform ; QChat(TM) push-to-talk technology ; Eudora® e-mail software ; digital cinema systems ; and satellite-based systems including portions of the Globalstar(TM) system and wireless fleet management systems, OmniTRACS® and OmniExpress®. QUALCOMM owns patents that are essential to all of the CDMA wireless telecommunications standards that have been adopted or proposed for adoption by standards-setting bodies worldwide. QUALCOMM has licensed its essential CDMA patent portfolio to more than 100 telecommunications equipment manufacturers worldwide. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., QUALCOMM is included in the S&P 500 Index and traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market® under the ticker symbol QCOM.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the Company's ability to successfully design and have manufactured significant quantities of CDMA components on a timely and profitable basis, the extent and speed to which CDMA is deployed, change in economic conditions of the various markets the Company serves, as well as the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2001, and most recent Form 10-Q.

À propos d'Alcatel

Alcatel conçoit, développe et construit des réseaux de communications innovants et compétitifs permettant aux opérateurs, aux fournisseurs de services et aux entreprises d'offrir tous contenus (voix, données ou multimédia) à tous clients, partout dans le monde. A partir d'un portefeuille complet de solutions qui vont des infrastructures optiques aux réseaux fixes et mobiles et à l'accès large bande, les clients d'Alcatel peuvent se consacrer à l'optimisation de leurs offres de services et de leurs sources de revenus. Avec un chiffre d'affaires de 25 milliards d'euros en 2001 et fort de 99 000 salariés, Alcatel est présent dans plus de 130 pays.

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Alcatel remporte une victoire décisive concernant un brevet de terminaux mobiles multimode

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 2002-06-17T22:00:00Z

Cette décision confirme la valeur du portefeuille de brevets d'Alcatel dans la 3G

Paris, le 18 juin 2002 — Alcatel (Paris : CGEP.PA et NYSE : ALA)a remporté une victoire décisive devant la Chambre d'Appel de l'Office Européen des Brevets (Décision numéro T0054/01) concernant le brevet européen EP 297 616. Ce brevet concerne et s'applique, en particulier, à des terminaux mobiles multimode GSM et CDMA, c'est à dire des terminaux capables d'accéder à plusieurs types de réseau.

Le brevet, déposé en 1988, couvre la plupart des pays européens. Du fait de sa date de dépôt, il ne se limite pas à des types particuliers de réseaux mais s'applique néanmoins aux terminaux de prochaine génération 2,5 G et 3G compatibles avec les réseaux GSM.

Le brevet a été en opposition depuis sa délivrance en 1993 par Bosch qui a recherché la révocation complète et l'annulation du brevet invoquant l'évidence de l'invention à la date de dépôt du brevet.

Le brevet a survécu à une première décision de la Division d'Opposition de l'Office Européen des brevets en octobre 2000. Faisant appel de cette décision, Bosch a continué à demander la révocation du brevet. L'appel de Bosch a été rejeté dans son intégralité et le brevet a été maintenu. Il n'y a maintenant plus de recours possible.

Étant donné l'importance des brevets et des droits de propriété intellectuelle dans le domaine des terminaux 3G, et la portée de ce brevet, cette victoire revêt une importance particulière, confirmant la valeur du portefeuille brevet d'Alcatel dans la 3G.

Aujourd'hui, Alcatel détient un portefeuille comprenant plus de 23 000 brevets et demandes déposés mondialement. Alcatel a aussi mis en place un programme de licences il y a 4 ans, dans le but de maximiser la valeur de son actif dans le domaine de la propriété intellectuelle.

À propos d'Alcatel

Alcatel conçoit, développe et construit des réseaux de communications innovants et compétitifs permettant aux opérateurs, aux fournisseurs de services et aux entreprises d'offrir tous contenus (voix, données ou multimédia) à tous clients, partout dans le monde. A partir d'un portefeuille complet de solutions qui vont des infrastructures optiques aux réseaux fixes et mobiles et à l'accès large bande, les clients d'Alcatel peuvent se consacrer à l'optimisation de leurs offres de services et de leurs sources de revenus. Avec un chiffre d'affaires de 25 milliards d'euros en 2001 et fort de 99 000 salariés, Alcatel est présent dans plus de 130 pays. Pour plus d'information : http://www.alcatel.com.

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Avec l'acquisition de Telera, Alcatel mise sur la convergence voix-web pour se positionner sur le marché des self-services vocaux

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 2002-05-28T22:00:00Z

Alcatel et sa filiale Genesys se préparent à jouer un rôle majeur sur le marché des solutions de self-service vocal

Paris, le 29 mai 2002 — Alcatel (Paris : CGEP.PA et NYSE : ALA) annonce aujourd'hui la signature d'un accord portant sur l'acquisition de Telera Corp., une société californienne. Telera a développé la première plate-forme voix-web utilisant le langage VoiceXML (Voice Extensible Markup Language) pour rendre les contenus web accessibles par téléphone. Au sein d'Alcatel, Telera s'intègrera à l'activité Solutions de centre de contacts de Genesys et se concentrera en premier lieu sur le marché des solutions de self-services vocaux, qui devrait représenter 600 millions de dollars d'ici 2005.

L'acquisition se fera en contrepartie de 136 millions de dollars d'actions Alcatel. Les liquidités de Telera, d'un montant de 30 millions de dollars, lui permettront de financer son développement. Les autres modalités de l'accord n'ont pas été communiquées.

La plate-forme voix-web brevetée de Telera utilise VoiceXML et d'autres standards ouverts pour permettre aux fournisseurs de services et aux entreprises de développer des applications voix avancées faisant du téléphone un puissant outil d'accès aux informations web. Capitalisant sur les capacités éprouvées de Telera en matière de VoiceXML, Alcatel créera un centre de compétence VoiceXML ayant pour vocation d'aider ses filiales à renforcer leurs offres produits.

« L'accès vocal à Internet amorce une profonde transformation des services offerts par les entreprises et les fournisseurs de services comme de la manière d'utiliser le web », déclare Olivier Houssin, Président du groupe eBusiness d'Alcatel. « L'acquisition de Telera par Alcatel est une étape majeure de notre stratégie visant à créer les applications qui piloteront le passage aux réseaux de convergence voix-données. »

« Telera supporte des technologies IP, telles que VoiceXML et SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), et révolutionne le secteur des télécommunications traditionnel en associant le caractère novateur et la flexibilité d'Internet au confort et à la fiabilité du téléphone », observe Prem Uppaluru, CEO et co-fondateur de Telera. « Nous sommes impatients d'unir les ressources de nos deux sociétés pour mettre plus rapidement au point des solutions de convergence voix-web. »

En devenant partie intégrante de Genesys, Telera enrichit la ligne de produits Genesys d'une plate-forme de self-services vocaux. Genesys domine déjà le marché des logiciels de centre de contacts, grâce auxquels les entreprises sont en mesure de fournir à leurs clients des services d'assistance et de support assistés par des agents. La société peut désormais offrir une solution complète et intégrée de self-services vocaux et de service client assisté par des agents.

Plate-forme d'application voix-web

L'architecture de la plate-forme d'application voix-web de Telera est unique en ce qu'elle sépare l'application métier de l'infrastructure voix et recourt à des composants prêts à l'emploi et des standards ouverts, comme VoiceXML. Le logiciel, qui peut être déployé soit sur site soit en ligne, offre une redondance et une structure distribuée garantissant fiabilité et évolutivité. La combinaison de ces caractéristiques permet aux clients de réduire considérablement la complexité de leur réseau et le coût global de déploiement des applications voix avancées.

Des fournisseurs de services et de grandes entreprises, comme American Express et Travelers Insurance, ont déjà choisi de fonder sur la plate-forme d'application voix-web des services vocaux de dernière génération tels que :

Des self-services vocaux permettant d'accéder à des informations web au moyen d'un téléphone utilisant la voix naturelle ou des commandes à fréquence vocale, dans des domaines d'applications tels que la banque en ligne, la consultation de l'état des commandes, la réalisation de sondages etc. Ces solutions de self-service peuvent être assorties d'un service assisté via l'intégration des solutions Genesys Framework et Enterprise Routing, qui dirige les appels vers l'agent de service client le plus approprié.
Des notifications et alertes sortantes, pour contacter les clients en fonction d'évènements ou de conditions spécifiés, comme l'annulation d'un vol ou un changement de statut. L'intégration des logiciels de Genesys donne également aux clients la possibilité d'obtenir des informations supplémentaires auprès d'un self-service vocal ou d'un service assisté.
Des solutions d'optimisation de productivité des employés, permettant à ces derniers d'accéder à des applications d'optimisation de productivité des employés basées sur le web - comme les annuaires téléphoniques, la messagerie et les agendas électroniques - et à d'autres informations d'ordre opérationnel à partir de n'importe quel type de téléphone.
Un système de réponse vocale interactif dotant les principales fonctionnalités des systèmes RVI classiques de capacités accrues de programmation grâce à l'ouverture de VoiceXML et à l'environnement de développement.

La stratégie d'Alcatel concernant le marché Entreprise consiste à capitaliser sur la convergence des réseaux voix-données pour aider les entreprises à ouvrir de manière sécurisée et performante leurs réseaux internes au monde extérieur. Ces entreprises « sans frontière » sont plus compétitives parce que leurs réseaux sont capables de supporter des communications en temps réel avec les clients, les fournisseurs de services externalisés et autres partenaires majeurs. Genesys, et désormais Telera, jouent un rôle clé dans cette stratégie en développant les premières applications utilisant ce nouveau modèle.

L'acquisition devrait être finalisée en juillet 2002 sous réserve de l'approbation des actionnaires de Telera et autres conditions usuelles.

Informations destinées aux journalistes et aux analystes :

Nous vous invitons à participer à l'une des deux conférences téléphoniques* sur ce sujet :

Pour les analystes :
mercredi 29 mai, 2002
18h00 (Paris)
Tél : +1 630 395 0205

Pour les journalistes :
mercredi 29 mai, 2002
19h00 (Paris)
Tél : +1 630 395 0144

*Merci de noter que ces deux conférences téléphoniques auront lieu en anglais

À propos d'Alcatel

Alcatel conçoit, développe et construit des réseaux de communication innovants et compétitifs permettant aux opérateurs, aux fournisseurs de services et aux entreprises d'offrir tous types de contenus (voix, données et multimédia) à des clients du monde entier. A partir d'un portefeuille complet de solutions allant des infrastructures optiques aux réseaux fixes et mobiles et à l'accès haut débit, les clients d'Alcatel peuvent se consacrer à l'optimisation de leurs offres de services et de leurs sources de revenus. Forte de 99 000 salariés et présente dans plus de 130 pays, la société a enregistré un chiffre d'affaires de 25 milliards d'euros en 2001.

À propos de Genesys

Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories est une société indépendante, filiale à 100% d'Alcatel (NYSE : ALA, Paris : CGEP.PA), et l'un premiers fournisseurs mondiaux de solutions de centres de contacts fonctionnant de manière collaborative, ce qui en fait le composant essentiel de toute stratégie de gestion complète de la relation client. Sa suite intégrée d'applications ouvertes et indépendantes de l'infrastructure gère les interactions client sur tous les types de médias, de réseaux et d'applications, permettant un service client économique et personnalisé. Genesys fournit une fondation pour le déploiement à l'échelle de l'entreprise de processus engendrant des relations clients durables et profitables. Basée à San Francisco, Genesys possède des établissements partout dans le monde et s'appuie sur un réseau international de partenaires dont font partie, entre autres, Accenture, Alcatel, IBM et IBM Global Services, PeopleSoft, SAP et Siebel Systems. Pour plus d'informations sur les solutions Genesys et sur la société, visitez le site www.genesys.com..

À propos de Telera

Telera is a software company whose award-winning Voice Web Application Platform™ enables both wireline and wireless service providers to deliver advanced, business-centric voice applications, transforming the phone from a simple communications device into a powerful, anywhere-anytime information access tool. Telera-powered customer service, commerce transaction and self-service applications provide a more personalized and interactive caller experience, and ensure that mobile corporate users have access to critical business and customer information. Founded in 1998, Telera is privately held and based in Campbell, California and has secured more than $100 million to date from leading technology investment firms and corporations. Visit Telera at www.telera.com or call 408-626-6800.

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Major 3G-radio performance breakthrough

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 2002-02-17T23:00:00Z

Patented technology gives Alcatel price-performance leadership

Cannes, February 18, 2002 — Alcatel (Paris : CGEP.PA and NYSE : ALA) today disclosed results of its recent advanced research program on UMTS base stations (Node B) that will generate significant cost reductions and higher performance for UMTS operators. These technology innovations will offer operators a more compact, reliable and cost-optimized solution.

The Alcatel 9100 EvoliumTM MBS, demonstrated at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes (Hall 1, Stand A5), illustrates Alcatel's leadership in UMTS technology, specifically in the field of baseband processing, power amplifiers and smart antenna technology.

Baseband processing : The new EvoliumTM MBS is equipped with baseband boards four times more powerful in terms of channel capacity (64 Adaptive Multi Rate (AMR) channels) than previous generations, thanks to a unique load-balancing technology patented by Alcatel. This allows more compact configurations as well as optimized resource allocation in the UMTS Node B. Furthermore ; a highly programmable platform will allow smooth integration of 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) feature evolutions.
Power amplifier : new algorithms patented by Alcatel have been developed to increase the efficiency up to a factor three, in comparison with the first generation of Node B platforms. Such improvements will lower power consumption by approximately 20%. These major achievements allow for a more powerful amplifier within the same volume and at a lower cost.

These new algorithms will support the introduction of High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) in UMTS.

Smart antenna technology : major steps forward have been made by Alcatel's research teams to leverage the 9100 EvoliumTM MBS' open architecture that will allow integration of smart antennas applications.

It has been demonstrated that capacity and range for a 2 carrier Node B with smart antenna is much larger compared to a 3 carrier Node B without a smart antenna, bringing significant cost decrease per channel.

This Research and Innovation program has been conducted by teams located in the Alcatel Research Centers of Stuttgart, Germany, and Marcoussis, France, together with the development teams of Evolium SAS, the Alcatel/Fujitsu joint-venture.

« These major technology achievements clearly demonstrate Alcatel's commitment to actively contribute to the success of UMTS. They open up promising perspectives for operators by providing higher-performance and cost-effective UMTS platforms », said Marc Rouanne, president of Alcatel's Mobile Networks activities.

About Alcatel

Alcatel designs, develops and builds innovative and competitive communications networks, enabling carriers, service providers and enterprises to deliver any type of content, such as voice, data and multimedia, to any type of consumer, anywhere in the world. Relying on its leading and comprehensive products and solutions portfolio, stretching from end-to-end optical infrastructures, fixed and mobile networks to broadband access, Alcatel's customers can focus on optimizing their service offerings and revenue streams. With sales of EURO 25 billion in 2001 and 99,000 employees, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries.

About Evolium

Evolium SAS, an Alcatel-Fujitsu joint venture company established in 2000, combines Alcatel's expertise in GSM, GPRS, and EDGE as well as in ATM and IP technologies, with the advanced experience of Fujitsu as supplier of NTT DoCoMo, including both its highly successful i-mode service and world's first commercial 3G mobile communications service, introduced October 1, 2001.

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Japanese Competition Authority Approves the 3G Patent Platform

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 2000-12-19T23:00:00Z

Paris, 20 December 2000 — The Japanese Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) has issued a positive opinion concerning the commercial operation of the 3G Patent Platform, following an extensive review during the last ten months. The 3G Patent Platform was deemed to be pro-competitive and to serve the interests of the global telecommunication industry.

The other two major competition authorities, namely the European Commission (EC) and the US Department of Justice (DoJ), Anti-Trust Division, are in the final stage of their review and the outcome of their findings is anticipated soon. Pending the approval from the EC and DoJ, commercial service provision should commence in spring 2001 and will be open to all interested companies.

The 3G Patent Platform has been defined by the world's leading wireless companies for the provision of services for evaluating, certifying and licensing Essential Patents for third generation mobile communication systems. Commercial services will be provided online within a new service company, 3G Patents Ltd, currently being established under English law.

3G Patents Ltd is being set up with the aim of handling the complexity of acquiring patent licenses for 3G mobile communication systems under known terms and conditions, which will make 3G technology more affordable to all players (e.g. operators, suppliers, chip manufacturers, service providers, end-users). By making the technology more affordable, the 3G market will be catalysed and the business case will become more attractive. Unlike GSM, where owners of essential technology amounted to no more than about twenty companies, more than one hundred companies are likely to own patents essential for realising 3G mobile communication systems and the actual number of essential patents will increase considerably.

« The JFTC decision is a landmark event for such a co-operative industry initiative, bringing about an innovative approach for fast technology transfer. Every effort will be made to encourage all industry players to use the services of 3G Patents Ltd which has been set up to benefit the whole mobile industry, » said Brian Kearsey, Managing Director (Designate) of 3G Patents Ltd.

Background for journalists

The 3G Patent Platform specification has been defined by more than forty international wireless companies between February 1998 and June 1999 within the framework of the UMTS IPR Working Group and the UMTS Intellectual Property Association (UIPA). The preparatory work for the launch of 3G Patents Ltd has been undertaken fourteen months ago by some of the world's leading 3G operators and suppliers and trade organisations within the framework of an industry alliance called the 3G Patent Platform Partnership (3G3P). Nonetheless, the services provided by 3G Patents Ltd are available to all companies world-wide.

Alcatel, Bosch, Cegetel, ETRI, France Telecom, Fujitsu, Korea Telecom, KPN, LG, Matsushita, Mitsubishi Electric, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Samsung, SK Telecom, Siemens, Sonera, Sony, Telecom Italia Mobile. The GSM Association and ETNO (European Telecommunication Network Operators) are Associate Partners.

For more information, please contact :
D^r. Serge RAES,
Business Development Director
3G Patent Platform Partnership
Tel : +33 1 3459 0864 or 63
Mobile : +33 1 4076 1109
Fax : +33 1 3459 0864
E-Mail : serge.raes alcatel.fr
22, rue de Beynes
F-78450 Chavenay
France

A dedicated website should become operational soon at http://www.3Gpatents.com

Contact press www.alcatel.com

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New Alcatel software extends multi-media customer interaction and e-business capabilities to contact centers

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 2000-07-31T22:00:00Z

Chicago - Aug. 1, 2000 — Alcatel today announced the OmniTouch Contact Center, a suite of software application modules designed for the OmniPCX 4400 IP-based PBX that provides enterprises with a complete solution for managing voice and data customer interactions. Based on an open architecture with built-in CTI technology, the OmniTouch Contact Center suite dramatically increases customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities using multi-media communication channels and third party applications.

The OmniTouch suite can scale from 10 to more than 1,000 agents and is easily expanded as businesses grow. Basic services include complete automatic call distributor (ACD) and interactive voice response (IVR) applications, while more advanced features include options for handling telephone, fax, and email inquiries as well as real-time Web chat and Web-based VoIP calls. Integrated capabilities for intelligent multi-media routing ensure that customer interactions are distributed to the appropriate agent based on predefined business parameters regardless of the communication medium selected.

A key differentiator of the OmniTouch Contact Center suite is the Navigator. Navigator is a powerful, patented, graphical agent management system that makes managing distributed and Web-integrated call centers possible. Navigator is a major advancement in supervisor management because it gives supervisors instant access to statistics on the flow of contacts and can easily change customer calling and queuing parameters to speed service. It allows point-and-click control of multi-media pilots, queues, and agent groups.

« The convergence of voice and data is providing companies with new opportunities for increasing sales and managing customer relationships, » said Judy King, Alcatel's manager of call center applications. « In conjunction with the OmniPCX 4400, the OmniTouch Contact Center suite provides businesses with all the tools they need to leverage converged technologies in order to completely manage customer interactions and win in the e-business economy. »

The OmniPCX 4400 is the world's most advanced IP-based enterprise voice system. Unique features of the Alcatel OmniPCX 4400 include scalability from 50 to 50,000 users, innovative ReflexesTM telephone handsets, 99.999% reliability, one-number mobility, unified messaging, voice-over-IP networking with quality of service management, and integrated voice and data network management. These features all work together to reduce the cost of ownership of enterprise communication networks.

Graphical Management

Navigator's patented main display features a matrix that a supervisor can use to assign multi-media contacts to queues and manage and monitor distribution of the contacts to the appropriate agent groups. Easy-to-read icons present the flow of contacts, the number of contacts in queue, and agent contact handling statistics. Navigator replaces complicated text-based scripting management systems that require extensive, ongoing training and take time away from implementing call center programs.

Web Call Centers

Navigator also is a key element of the OmniTouch Contact Center's ability to manage Web-based customer contact methods, including calls, emails, text chat, and voice over IP inquiries. These functions give the OmniTouch Contact Center an edge with fast-changing organizations that need to integrate the Web with a call center. For e-commerce or Web-based customer service, OmniTouch Contact Center can put customers into true multimedia contact centers providing better service and resulting in increased sales. OmniTouch brings its call routing capabilities to e-commerce allowing Web customers the same opportunities for agent contact handling as telephony customers.

Multiple Location Support

The OmniTouch Contact Center also features networking capabilities that enable a contact center to be distributed over multiple locations. Multi-media contacts can inter-work amongst various locations, allowing multiple locations to back up others or for two or more locations to be combined into a « virtual call center. »
With Navigator, all sites can be managed centrally for real-time management of agents and queues from a single supervisor screen.

Third Party Applications

The OmniTouch Contact Center features ease of implementation with a plug and play CTI Link, support of Ethernet protocols, CTI readiness and seamless integration with existing information systems. Alcatel partnerships with third party application vendors provide additional building blocks to complement existing products and features.

Pricing and Availability

The OmniTouch software family will be available for beta tests in September and generally available in 4Q 2000. Pricing varies depending upon features and functionality needed, but can range from $30,000 for a small ACD application to several hundred thousand dollars for a large multi-media contact center.

About Alcatel

Alcatel builds next generation networks, delivering integrated end-to-end voice and data networking solutions to established and new carriers, as well as enterprises and consumers worldwide. With 120,000 employees and sales of EURO 23 billion in 1999, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries.

Contact press www.alcatel.com

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Alcatel poursuit Cisco en contrefaçon de brevets

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 2000-06-06T22:00:00Z

Paris, le 7 juin 2000 — Alcatel a annoncé aujourd'hui que des filiales de son groupe ont intenté trois actions en contrefaçon de brevets contre Cisco Systems Inc.. Alcatel qui est leader et innovateur de premier plan dans le domaine des technologies de routage, possède un portefeuille de brevets important dans les domaines-clef, tels que l'ATM et l'IP et joue un rôle proéminent dans le développement et la fourniture des composants essentiels Internet.

La politique d'Alcatel est de faire valoir ses droits de propriété intellectuelle.

Un premier procès a été intenté aux Etats-Unis devant la Cour du District Central de Californie. Dans ce procès, Alcatel poursuit Cisco pour contrefaçon des brevets américains 5,020,052, 6,041,057, 4,813,037 et 5,546,389, qui concernent une variété de technologies de routage et de commutation, à travers la fabrication, l'utilisation et la vente d'équipement relatifs à ces technologies.

Le second procès a été intenté aux Etats-Unis devant la Cour du District Est du Texas, Alcatel poursuit Cisco pour contrefaçon du brevet 5,455,959, pour violation de Copyright Alcatel et des droits du secret commercial.

Dans une action parallèle aux Pays-Bas, Alcatel N.V. vient d'assigner Cisco Systems Inc. et ses filiales néerlandaises qui distribuent les produits Cisco en Europe devant le Tribunal Régional de La Haye pour contrefaçon des brevets correspondants au brevet 5,020,052 aux Pays-Bas et dans plusieurs autres pays européens.

Contact press www.alcatel.com

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ALCATEL LAUNCHES LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ORCKIT COMMUNICATIONS LTD.

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet (gibus) — 1999-10-12T22:00:00Z

Geneva, 13 October 1999 — Alcatel today announced that its US company, Alcatel USA, Inc. filed a lawsuit against Orckit Communications Ltd. and Orckit Communications, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. In the complaint, Alcatel alleges that Orckit is infringing Alcatel's patent entitled « Method to Synchronize Data and a Transmitter and a Receiver Realizing Said Method, » one of Alcatel's numerous patents relating to ADSL technology. Alcatel, a leader and innovator in ADSL technology, has a significant patent portfolio in the field, including a number of patents to be issued.

NOTES TO EDITORS

International market research : Alcatel is Number One in ADSL : According to the project ESS update 39 : Broadband Access systems in Public Networks from market research firm Dittberner Associates, Alcatel dominates the ADSL-DSLAM (equipment at the operator's site) market worldwide, with 49% of the total number of ADSL lines installed. No other vendor commands more than 15% in this area.

From a Customer Premises Equipment perspective, Cahners In-Stat's August 1999 report (Q2 99 Analogue and Digital Modem Market Analysis) noted that Alcatel led the market in ADSL modem's shipped with 33% market share worldwide.

In a separate development, a new survey from the international market research company Dataquest has also ranked Alcatel as the world leader in the overall supply of ADSL equipment - both terminals and switch ports. In its Worldwide xDSL Market Share and Forecast 1999, Dataquest reports that Alcatel was the ADSL market leader and remained the largest company in the overall market for calendar 1998. Its research revealed that ADSL accounted for 57.5% of total xDSL revenues in 1998.

About Alcatel

Alcatel builds next generation networks, delivering integrated end-to-end voice and data solutions to established and new carriers, as well as enterprises and consumers worldwide. With 120,000 employees and sales of EURO 21.3 billion ($25.0 billion), Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries.

Contacts
press www.alcatel.com

Voir en ligne : Communiqué original sur le site d'Alcatel