Alcatel-Lucent has been selected by JSC Mostelecom, the largest Russian cable television operator with more than three million subscribers and 90 percent of the market, to deploy a new IP-based network that will enable the operator to introduce triple play and business services across the city of Moscow and extend its subscriber reach. The project will be implemented in several stages with the first phase scheduled for launch in the first quarter 2007.

Mostelecom will migrate to an IP/MPLS solution from Alcatel-Lucent that will transform its existing cable TV network. The Alcatel-Lucent solution provides higher bandwidth capacity per end-user and differentiated quality of service, both of which are critical for the services Mostelecom intends to introduce, including high-speed Internet and virtual private networks (VPNs) immediately, and video on demand, personal TV and online gaming in the future. In addition, this project will allow Mostelecom to increase the quality of existing cable TV channels and broaden its accessibility for subscribers enabling the operator to provide a uniform package of TV channels across its full customer base.

"We see a clear trend toward innovative triple play and IPTV services in Russia, particularly in Moscow," said Anton Osipchuk, general director JSC Mostelecom. "We will leverage Alcatel-Lucent's innovative IP portfolio and experience in triple play deployments to provide our existing customers with a wider variety of new and higher quality multimedia services, and to address new markets to strengthen our competitive position in Russia."

Alcatel-Lucent will deploy its turnkey, end-to-end IP solution including the Alcatel-Lucent 7750 Service Router (SR), Alcatel-Lucent 7450 Ethernet Service Switch (ESS) and Alcatel-Lucent 5620 Service Aware Manager (SAM). Alcatel-Lucent will also deliver the Alcatel-Lucent 5750 Subscriber Services Controller (SSC), a comprehensive policy management solution that will enable Mostelecom to centrally manage its subscribers and services.