Alcatel today announced the signing of a USD14 million GSM expansion contract with Gansu Mobile Communication Company Limited (Gansu MCC), a subsidiary of China Mobile. The contract was won through Alcatel Shanghai Bell, Alcatel's flagship Chinese company.

Alcatel will deploy its industry-leading Evolium GSM/GPRS/EDGE solutions including major new software for both radio and mobile core. Thanks to this project's plan to be completed in June 2004, Gansu MCC will be able to significantly improve network performance reliability and to serve up to 2.5 million subscribers. In addition, Alcatel will provide 20,000 sets of GSM wireless business phones which will help Gansu MCC to develop public phone business in rural areas where fixed lines are not available.