Slovak Telekom, a.s., a group member of Deutsche Telekom and Slovakia's leading telecommunication services provider (which provides its products and services under the T-Com brand), has selected AlcatelAlcatel as the supplier for its upcoming Internet protocol television (IPTV) deployment, based on the combination of Alcatel's services integration solution and the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform.

The project will include broadcast TV and video on demand (VoD). The first phase of the contract, a market trial, is scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2006. A full market deployment is expected by the end of 2006.

Alcatel is providing a complete services integration solution that brings together the network infrastructure, software platforms and integration skill sets required to deliver a superior user experience. Alcatel is the industry leader in providing purpose-built technology solutions and services integration that allow carriers to reduce the cost and complexity associated with large scale deployments.

Built upon the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform, T-Com's IPTV offering will offer an enhanced user experience by enabling user-friendly features like instant channel change, multiple picture in picture, personal video recorder (PVR) functionality (such as one-touch recording and pausing live TV) and video on demand (VoD).

"IPTV (under the T-Com brand) is a new and exciting service that fits into our ongoing commitment to deliver a diverse mix of telephony and multimedia services over IP," said Herbert Müller, Senior Executive Vice-President/COO of Slovak Telekom. "Slovak Telekom has a modern infrastructure capable of delivering high-speed Internet, voice over IP (VoIP), unified messaging and a range of integrated applications."

"In April 2004, we began working with Slovak Telekom on an extensive upgrade of their legacy analog infrastructure using Alcatel's IP-based Next Generation Network (NGN) solution," said Monika Maurer, President of Alcatel's fixed solutions activities. "The addition of IPTV builds upon this network transformation and allows Slovak Telekom to extend their core business with a strong video services offering."

Slovak Telekom's modern network and innovative service offering can be expanded to include new applications like the Alcatel 5900 My Own TV (allowing families or other groups to make their own TV channels for sharing home movies and photos), the Alcatel 5900 Amigo TV (allowing friends to share emotions and chat while watching the same TV program) and Alcatel 5900 Communications TV (allowing the TV to act as a "communications hub" where all fixed and mobile calls can be routed).