Telecom Italia Selects Lucent Technologies for 'IP Centrex' Virtual Sw

HANNOVER, Germany, March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lucent Technologies today announced that Telecom Italia has selected an Internet Protocol (IP) gateway platform from Lucent to help to speed the introduction of IP Centrex and Voice over IP (VoIP) services for Telecom Italia's enterprise customers on the carrier's existing infrastructure.

The IP Centrex services will enable Telecom Italia's enterprise customers to unify their communications for multi-location businesses comprised of on-site (headquarters, branch offices) and remote workers (tele-workers, satellite locations). The IP Centrex solution uses IP technology to replace the traditional switchboard functions as well as deploy innovative IP-based features that may include interactive voice response and one-number calling that can enable the recipient to be reached whether on a traditional phone or IP device.

"We are very attentive to our enterprise customers' needs, and are always seeking new ways to introduce new services capable of improving efficiency and reducing costs. Among our strategic partners with whom we are developing our next generation network, we have chosen Lucent Technologies' platform to develop our IP Centrex service," said Stefano Pileri, Executive VP Wireline Network, Telecom Italia. "Thanks to the solution that Lucent has developed for us, we will be able to provide enterprises with an innovative and successful service, able to integrate new features and take a step in the evolution towards fixed-mobile convergence."

Telecom Italia's new IP services will offer the greatest benefit to enterprise customers with multiple offices across Italy. The IP Centrex solution will allow them to optimize their return on investment and deploy reliable IP services with value-added applications that help increase productivity and operational efficiency in their workforce. In particular, some companies in the banking industry in Italy have already evaluated and welcome the IP Centrex solution.

"We are delighted to partner with Telecom Italia for the design and development of an open platform that supports the convergence of voice and data services that can be delivered across a variety of networks," said Alberto Paglialunga, sales director of Lucent Technologies Italy. "IP Centrex services, which can be rapidly introduced via Lucent's innovative standards-based, MiLife Application Server (MAS) platform, represent the convergence between the next-generation IP network and the traditional network used for telephony applications."

IP Centrex allows users to combine their existing data solutions and their telephone service onto one network within the enterprise and for connection to the broader public network. Lucent's IP solution for Telecom Italia, based on Lucent's MAS platform, provides a way to manage access, control and use of a company's network. If a company has more than one location, the service includes the introduction of Virtual Private Networks and a private numbering plan (PNP) necessary for routing IP calls to the appropriate phone in different locations. With this IP functionality, end-users can have access to all the advanced features of a traditional switchboard and web access to the most innovative features such as control and configuration of a user profile.

About Lucent Technologies

Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services and software that drive next-generation communications networks. Supported 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 http://www.lucent.com/.