CAIRO: Telecom Egypt (TE) awarded Alcatel-Lucent a contract for the assessment, reengineering, and modernization of its operations and maintenance processes - the deal is the first of its kind in the Middle East. Alcatel-Lucent will help TE enhance the overall efficiency of its operations and maintenance organization. The companies will work together to improve TE customer satisfaction by implementing customized processes that will enable it to implement changes and add new services to its network more effectively. TE will also utilize Alcatel-Lucent's expertise in open source design and integration applications. TE's CEO Akil Bashisr said, "New telecommunications technologies today support the launch of a wide range of added value services designed to meet our customers' expectations. To take full advantage of this potential, we have decided to focus more on the development of customer-specific services. "[We will] partner with Alcatel-Lucent as a strategic network partner to help us in operating and managing those services efficiently. Alcatel-Lucent has proven its network operations experience in this domain as well as its understanding of our business and the importance of our staff in our success. The project will start by assessing the existing tools and processes, then the definition of new processes and relating them to tangible key performance indicators. Alcatel-Lucent will also provide training to TE staff on the new processes and working methods. "This contract demonstrates how Alcatel-Lucent can help service providers more efficiently manage the operations and maintenance of their networks, said John Meyer, president of Alcatel-Lucent's services activities. "The role of Alcatel-Lucent in such contracts has changed from being a technology supplier to a strategic partner who is responsible for helping the operator to meet the market challenges. Vincenzo Nesci, president of Alcatel-Lucent's business in the Middle East, said, "This agreement is the first of its kind in the Middle East. The new structure will give Telecom Egypt management and employees the benefit of Alcatel-Lucent outsourced operations and maintenance experience with other similar operators worldwide as well as the global training opportunities and increased possibilities for career development. "This is a significant milestone for the telecommunications industry in the Middle East. Alcatel-Lucent manages more than 60 customer networks with more than 90 million subscribers.
