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Canada's Futureway Delivers Advanced Broadband Services with Alcatel Fiber-to-the-User Solution

Posted on: Monday, 9 June 2003, 06:00 CDT

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 9, 2003--

Fiber Access Gains Traction as Cost-Effective Alternative to Offer

Trilogy of Voice, Video and Data Services from a Single Provider

Alcatel (NYSE:ALA), the worldwide leader in broadband solutions, today announced that FCI Broadband, a division of Futureway Communications Inc., a Canadian competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC), will deploy the Alcatel 7340 Fiber-to-the-User (FTTU) solution to deliver a complete range of broadband services over its high-speed optical network.

The Alcatel fiber solution enables FCI Broadband to deliver a "triple play" of services over a single strand of fiber that is virtually unlimited in capacity. Services include four active phone lines; Internet access at speeds hundreds of times greater than traditional dial-up modems; hundreds of television channels without the requirement for a set-top box; and, as they continue to emerge, the bandwidth- and speed-sensitive services such as: high definition TV, online gaming, music downloads and video-on-demand. Multiple lines of toll-quality voice are delivered over a single connection via leading technology from General Bandwidth Inc.

"Alcatel's success in the U.S. with its next-generation fiber access solution is further buoyed by this initial contract in Canada," said Michel Rahier, president of Alcatel's fixed network activities. "The Alcatel FTTU solution enables our customers to enhance their revenue potential with optical broadband -- a cost-effective alternative for green-field networks and new home builds. Alcatel's fiber and DSL-based broadband solutions remain the favored access choices to deliver next generation broadband services today."

"As a competitor in the telecommunications business, FCI Broadband has succeeded because it has been able to build a network optimized for customer satisfaction," said Nick Melatti, chief operating officer, FCI Broadband, a division of Futureway Communications Inc. "The decision to expand this network by delivering fiber directly to our customer base, using the leading Alcatel solution, means we can confidently evolve our offerings based on the right service mix, guaranteed reliability, and low maintenance costs -- assuring continued customer loyalty."

For more information about the Alcatel 7340 FTTU solution, www.alcatel.com/fttu

About FCI Broadband, a division of Futureway Communications Inc.

FCI Broadband of Markham, Ontario, maintains the highest speed data connection available on a 100 percent fiber network. Using the latest in fiber-optic technology, Futureway provides businesses and residences with crystal clear telephone service, and the fastest Internet access available. For more information about FCI Broadband, www.fcibroadband.com or 416/987-4700.

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. For more information, http://www.alcatel.com

About General Bandwidth Inc.

General Bandwidth Inc. is a leading developer of telecommunications equipment that is central to the build-out of the new voice infrastructure. The company's flagship G6(R) platform enables service providers to deploy voice over broadband technology to cost-effectively deliver voice services over their existing broadband infrastructure and provide a migration path to end-to-end packet networks. www.genband.com

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