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SureWest Broadband Selects Lucent Technologies Next Generation Solution for Residential VoIP Services

Posted on: Monday, 19 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

Lucent Technologies (NYSE:LU) today announced an agreement with SureWest Broadband, a subsidiary of leading independent telecommunications holding company SureWest Communications (NASDAQ: SURW), to deploy technology from Lucent's Accelerate(TM) Next Generation Communications Solutions that will enable the provider to offer Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services to its customers. SureWest Communications provides local telephone, long distance, Internet, wireless, digital TV and commercial high-speed data services in the Sacramento, California region.

Using Lucent's VoIP Solution for Consumers, SureWest Broadband will offer VoIP services to customers in the Roseville and Sacramento areas. The VoIP solution will provide end-users with a web-based interface to customize their calling services such as simultaneous ringing and next-generation features including find me/follow me, and web-based end-user provisioning for feature activation, access and setup. Lucent Worldwide Services will provide installation, maintenance services and integration services.

Under the agreement, SureWest Broadband will deploy the Lucent Compact Switch, the new Lucent Feature Server and the Lucent Communication Manager to migrate its network from a traditional Class 5 switch-based infrastructure to a softswitch-based IP network for advanced services.

"Lucent's solution enables us to expand on our VoIP offerings, which we currently utilize in our Fiber-To-The-Home distribution network. We will now be able to provide VoIP across all of our platforms," said Bill DeMuth, vice president and chief technology officer, SureWest Communications. "Lucent is helping to expand the variety of next generation service offerings we can offer, while accommodating today's need for growing in a cost-effective way. Using Lucent's Compact Switch and Feature Server, we will be able to offer our end-users Consumer VoIP features over a web-based interface that will reduce operational complexity and increase convenience."

"By understanding the needs of a CLEC like SureWest Broadband, we can offer them the most cost-effective solution that enables the smoothest evolution to advanced services so they can stay ahead of the competition, " said Gerry Cafaro, vice president of sales for Lucent Technologies. "SureWest selected our VoIP solution because of its flexibility, supporting not only the next generation VoIP services available today, but also a wide range of services that will become available in the future."

Lucent Technologies VoIP Solution for Consumers can consist of any combination of the following infrastructure and applications -- Lucent Compact Switch, Lucent Feature Server, Lucent Network Controller, Lucent Network Gateway, Lucent AnyPath(R) Messaging System, Lucent Communication Manager, Lucent Session Manager and Lucent Unified Subscriber Data Server.

The new Lucent Feature Server (FS) enables service providers to offer a variety of existing services over IP, such as call block, call waiting, caller ID and 911 calling, and advanced IP calling services such as selective call accept, reject and forward, video calling and simultaneous ringing. When deployed in tandem with the Lucent Communication Manager portal, the Lucent FS also can enable screen-based point-and-click services such as click to answer, dial and conference.

The Lucent Compact Switch can serve as a building block for carriers that choose to migrate to an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based network to offer blended lifestyle services. The switch can support from as few as 1,000 subscribers to more than 100,000 subscribers on a single integrated platform. Service providers can deploy the switch for end-office (Class 5) and tandem (Class 4) applications to replace an existing switch or as an addition to the network. In addition to providing VoIP, Internet off-load and gateway mobile switching center features, the Lucent Compact Switch also offers CALEA and E911 capabilities.

About SureWest Communications

With 90 years in Northern California, SureWest and its family of companies together provide a wide variety of highly reliable advanced communications products and services. SureWest provides digital TV, fiber optics, PCS wireless, DSL, high-speed Internet access, data transport, local and long distance telephone service, and directories with the highest standards of customer care. For more information, visit the SureWest web site at www.surewest.com.

About Lucent Technologies

Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services and software that drive next-generation communications networks. Backed by Bell Labs research and development, Lucent uses its strengths in mobility, optical, software, data and voice networking technologies, as well as services, to create new revenue-generating opportunities for its customers, while enabling them to quickly deploy and better manage their networks. Lucent's customer base includes communications service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide. For more information on Lucent Technologies, which has headquarters in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, visit www.lucent.com.

Source: Business Wire

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