Alcatel to Equip Sprint with DWDM Metropolitan Optical Networking Solutions; Alcatel 1696 Metro Span Powers One of the Largest Metro Networks in the U.S.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 11, 2003

Alcatel (NYSE:ALA), the world leader in optical networking, today announced that Sprint (NYSE:FON) (NYSE:PCS) has selected Alcatel 1696 Metro Span DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) equipment for implementation in Sprint's communication transport network. Sprint already has deployed Alcatel's solution in its metropolitan network in Las Vegas to meet Sprint's demands for high bandwidth in the area. Initial DWDM service began in Las Vegas in December 2002. Sprint's selection of the 1696 Metro Span continues Alcatel's position as one of Sprint's major suppliers.

Alcatel's 1696 Metro Span DWDM solution increases the amount of traffic that can be transported on existing optical fiber by up to 64 times, providing for growth in network transport and to accommodate the delivery of high-bandwidth data services. As a result, Sprint can better utilize the existing optical fiber in its Las Vegas network. Sprint chose the 1696 Metro Span because of its industry-leading density, small footprint, low power consumption, and advanced feature capabilities including the "4xAny," a unique service concentrator that enables the grooming of many different services into one standard Synchronous Digital Hierarchy/Synchronous Optical Network (SDH/SONET) signal.

"Alcatel's metro DWDM solution provides additional capability to the robust high-speed network we have in place in Las Vegas," said Bill Vest, vice president, network engineering for Sprint. "Our customers are adopting higher bandwidth services in earnest, and we have built the network that can support their current and future needs."

"The Alcatel 1696 Metro Span enables Sprint to optimize their network resources by transporting a wide variety of services at the regional level, including traditional time division multiplexing services and asynchronous transfer mode, which is in high demand in Las Vegas," said Jean-Marie Vansteenkiste, president of Alcatel's optical networks activities. "By expanding our relationship with Sprint into the metro DWDM network space, we help them enhance the high reliability and value of their metropolitan and regional networks."

Alcatel has collaborated with Sprint on optical networking projects since 1999, including the recent deployment of Alcatel's 1630 GSX in Sprint's international network.

About the Alcatel 1696 Metro Span

The Alcatel 1696 Metro Span, the heart of Alcatel's Metro network solution, targets the transmission needs of metropolitan and enterprise DWDM applications, encompassing maximum flexibility for deployment in a variety of environments. The system delivers flexible features that can adjust and grow to meet the continuing demand for greater network capacity from customers. Because of the modular concept of adding and dropping optical signals, its capacity can be increased in service up to 32 wavelengths and can handle large amounts of traffic at transmission speeds up to 10 Gbit/s in amplified or un-amplified systems. The Alcatel 1696 Metro Span accommodates multiple kinds of protocols and services (SDH, SONET, IP, ATM, FC, Gigabit Ethernet, ESCON) and supports operators' service needs with class of service differentiation and optical path quality assurance. The system has the ability to concentrate different kinds of data signals into one standard optical pathway using its unique "any-rate" data concentrator, providing efficient delivery of low bit-rate bandwidth services, such as digital video, by maximizing optical capacity, without any traffic interruption. With the Alcatel 1696 Metro Span, operators can begin deploying the first module of the Metro solution to offer new kinds of services and reduce cost of network infrastructure today.

About Sprint

Sprint is a global communications company serving more than 26 million business and residential customers in over 70 countries. With approximately 72,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local voice and data services in 18 states and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States.

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.