Contracts, Convergence, Brazil, CLA: Lucent has been selected by Telemar to supply and deploy solutions for the operator's network evolution.

"This deployment will help us implement the network changes required for our current billing system, meeting Anatel's requirements with a modest investment on our part," said Paulo Altmayer Goncalves, technology superintendent director of Telemar Group.

Other localities in the states of Minas Gerais and Maranhao will have access to the enhanced services from the 7IP NGN platform via Lucent BZ5000 switches connected to Lucent 5ESS switches.

"Through this partnership with Lucent, Telemar can expand its convergent services portfolio of Oi Cartao Total and Oi Controle, as well as its Intelligent Services on Telemar's phones to more than 2,000 localities in its region. This finally standardises its marketing actions, delivering much more productivity to Telemar's sales team," said Wagner Ferreira, president of Lucent Technologies in Brazil.

* Telemar Group is a company in the field of integrated solutions, offering local and long distance voice, mobility, data communication, CRM and Internet services. The company has the concession of local wireline telephony, beyond mobile services authorization with Oi for Region I, which includes 16 states at North, Northeast and Southeast areas in Brazil. Additionally the company delivers long-distance communication data services to all Brazilian territories.