Codetel teams with Alcatel-Lucent to launch IPTV in the Dominican Republic

High-quality TV programming and video on demand to be combined with voice and broadband Internet in one of the Caribbean’s first “triple play” service offerings

PARIS — Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) announced that Compañía Dominicana de Teléfonos (Codetel), the leading telecommunications operator in the Dominican Republic, today launched a nationwide IPTV offering, providing subscribers across the country with high-quality TV programming, video on demand and other multimedia content services. Enhanced features include picture in picture, karaoke entertainment and digital video recording.

The new IPTV service – supported by Alcatel-Lucent’s end-to-end IPTV solution, including the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV and multimedia software platform – offers Codetel’s customers an enhanced video experience. It positions Codetel as the first operator to provide advanced new features in the Dominican market, such as video on demand and pause-live TV. The service complements Codetel’s existing voice and broadband Internet access service, enabling the operator to offer one of the first complete “triple play” packages in the Caribbean.

“This launch represents a major expansion of our service offerings, which now include high-quality video entertainment and content services,” said Oscar Peña, President of Codetel. “For this project, Alcatel-Lucent proved they had the end-to-end expertise and integration experience to help us transform our network and business to enable us to provide more and better services to our customers.”

Alcatel-Lucent’s solution also is helping Codetel transform its business by simplifying network operations, improving service quality and expanding its revenue base.

“This launch sets the stage for the convergence of the telecommunications and entertainment industries in the Dominican Republic and gives Codetel an important new tool to expand its relationship with its subscribers by supporting a range of compelling new services,” said Victor Agnellini, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s activities in the Caribbean and Latin America region. “Codetel can ensure that its customers have access to a top-quality video experience through Alcatel-Lucent’s unique Video Operation Center, which provides video session monitoring and management to safeguard the quality and reliability of the service.”

Alcatel-Lucent’s end-to end integrated IPTV solution is based on its market-leading, triple-play service delivery architecture (TPSDA) and on Microsoft Mediaroom. To complete the solution, Alcatel-Lucent is providing professional services such as network integration, project management, network design and optimization and maintenance.