Italy's Wind launches IPTV service with Alcatel-Lucent

PARIS – Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that Wind, a leading Italian telecommunications company, has launched a nationwide commercial IPTV offering based on Alcatel-Lucent’s market leading solutions and the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia platform. Wind’s IPTV service is available to more than 2 million households in its first phase and offers an enhanced triple play user experience by enabling user-friendly features like instant channel change, multiple picture-in-picture, personal video recorder (PVR) functionality and video on demand (VoD).

The launch represents an important milestone in the multi-year frame agreement under which Alcatel-Lucent has been deploying its Triple Play Service Delivery Architecture (TPSDA) and is the end-to-end network integrator. Alcatel-Lucent’s IPTV solution includes an IP/MPLS network infrastructure based on its 7750 Service Router (SR), combined with integration and implementation expertise. Alcatel-Lucent’s solution integrates the Microsoft Mediaroom platform for TV service delivery. The solution leverages Alcatel-Lucent’s IP Transformation Centers (IPTCs) resources encompassing network, service platforms and OSS/BSS systems.

“As our long term partner for triple play deployment and IP network transformation, Alcatel-Lucent is helping us to enhance our service offering and pioneer advanced and innovative IPTV features to our customers,” said Khaled Bichara, chief operating officer, Wind. “This effort will create sustained value for Wind through increased revenues and customer loyalty, strengthening our competitive position in the Italian marketplace.”

“Through its partnership with Wind, Alcatel-Lucent has gone far beyond the traditional equipment supplier role by implementing a business transformation project which converts a traditional fixed network into a full IP-based triple play deployment to meet changing customer demand,” said Frédéric Rose, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s business in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. “The successful delivery of advanced entertainment service by a leading European carrier such as Wind is a milestone for Alcatel-Lucent, enhancing our real-world experience in bringing IPTV and entertainment services to the market.”

Alcatel-Lucent has been deeply involved in Wind’ IPTV launch since 2006 by enabling the delivery of a turnkey integrated triple play solution, for which it provides the design, testing, integration, deployment and maintenance. Alcatel-Lucent’s complete services network integration brings together the network infrastructure, software platform and integrations skill sets required to deliver a superior use experience to Wind customers.

Alcatel-Lucent’s end-to-end solution for IPTV includes:

• VoIP services: an overlay IP network, based on the Alcatel-Lucent 7750 SR, was deployed to enable the seamless transition of Wind’s TDM (time division multiplexing) network to IP;
• High speed Internet Services (HSI): Alcatel-Lucent has provided turnkey rollout of HIS, leveraging the simplified operation and architecture of ADSL;
• IPTV services: Alcatel-Lucent has been responsible for introducing the network’s triple play IPTV services using the Microsoft Mediaroom platform;
• Full OSS/BSS (Operations and Business Support System) integration with existing Wind systems; and
• Global network of IPTCs: Field-proven expertise in end-to-end IP-based network, services and OSS/BSS re-engineering and integration using best-of-breed products from Alcatel-Lucent and a variety of strategic partners.

Alcatel-Lucent is a world leader in both IPTV and Mobile TV, having already enabled TV, video and music services for more than 120 fixed and mobile service providers around the world. Alcatel-Lucent has also deployed close to 50 IPTV network integration projects around the world based on its Triple Play Service Delivery Architecture (TPSDA).