Alcatel powers Bulgarian networks

has announced that it has been selected by

(Natsionalna Elektricheska Kompania), the Bulgarian national electrical company, to deploy a turnkey, high-speed multiservice network connecting more than 60 sites across the country. Alcatel's end-to-end solution will provide NEK with the remote control of its processes from energy production through to distribution, service delivery and the ability to introduce new services based on its business requirements.

Scheduled for completion in March 2007, the project, for which Alcatel has overall management responsibility, will be rolled out in three phases. Alcatel's customer-tailored solution is based on its optical, IP and broadband access technologies. With this deployment, NEK will improve multimedia communications between its sites by using supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and Ethernet-based applications, Local Area Networks/Wide Area Networks and PABXs.

"Alcatel's solution is ideally suited to the requirements of utility companies. The solution greatly enhances their operational efficiency while reducing their overall costs, allowing them to focus on their core business," said Alexander Avramov, Alcatel's senior executive in Bulgaria.

The Alcatel solution comprises its data-aware Optical Multi-Service Node (OMSN) systems managed by the Alcatel 1350 management suite including the broadband manager application, and the Alcatel 7250 Service Access Switch (SAS). Alcatel will also deliver its access cross-connect family for vertical market applications and will be in charge of the entire project management.