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Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) and EADS Defence & Securitytoday announced they had signed an agreement in principle to jointly develop and offer a powerful mobile solution designed specifically to address the public safety market in the United States.

The EADS and Alcatel-Lucent solution, based on the emerging 4G standard called LTE (Long Term Evolution) and on the public safety Project 251 (P25) standards will provide mission-critical communications to state and local public safety organizations (fire, police and ambulance departments) through a fully integrated, end-to-end solution based on advanced, reliable mobile and IP technologies.

The joint solution will greatly enhance interoperable voice, video and data communications within and between public safety agencies and help streamline operations, while reducing costs associated with maintaining multiple non-interoperable networks.EADS Defence & Security will leverage Alcatel-Lucent’s industry-leading expertise in LTE end-to-end solutions to complement its digital Land Mobile Radio (LMR) offering based on Project 25 (P25) standards, in the dedicated spectrum for public safety communications in North America. Alcatel Lucent will leverage EADS Defence & Security's intimacy of first responders worldwide, particularly for critical applications and terminals.

The two companies initially will define, develop, integrate and qualify a joint end-to-end solution for the 700 MHz spectrum to meet the specialized needs of the public safety markets in the United States. The cooperation may eventually be expanded to worldwide markets and other frequencies

The two companies will market the joint solution to public safety players through either their respective existing sales channels or to and through service providers and systems integrators.

“Communications is becoming the ‘oil‘ that makes other industries run, providing new levels of efficiency and safety and delivering new applications and services that were impossible before,” said Tom Burns, president of Alcatel-Lucent’s Enterprise activities. “By combining our best-in-class end-to-end broadband wireless solutions with EADS’ public safety applications and technologies, we will provide first responders and public safety organizations new powerful communication tools and services.”

“We are looking to propose mission-critical systems combining the strengths of our COR P25 radio system open architecture with the next generation of networks and applications in order to better respond to customer requirements,” said Hervé Guillou, CEO of Defence & Communications Systems in EADS Defence & Security. "We have found the best partner as Alcatel-Lucent is a leader in LTE and has a strong presence in North America"

Alcatel-Lucent will adapt its LTE-based radio access network, enhanced packet core, IMS and IP backhaul infrastructure and systems to the frequency band dedicated to broadband public safety services in the U.S. Alcatel-Lucent will also provide integration, validation and testing solutions and services. Alcatel-Lucent is a recognized market leader in LTE with more than 40 LTE trials around the globe and commercial contracts with two of the largest operators in the world.

EADS Defence & Security will provide LMR infrastructure and systems, LTE terminals and public safety applications. EADS Defence & Security will also provide integration, validation and testing solutions and services.EADS Defence & Security is a world leading provider of mission-critical communications and Command & Control solutions through its integrated activity Defence and Communications Systems (DCS).