Brazil's Telesp Celular to Rely on Lucent

CAMPINAS, Brazil, May 24 -- Brazil's largest wireless operator, Telesp Celular, has chosen Lucent Technologies to help it with the centralization and expansion of its network.
Telesp will rely on Lucent's synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) technology to expand services to its 3.2-million subscribers by setting up a centrally managed optical network. It is hoped that this technology will make Telesp's traffic capacity faster thereby allowing the transmission of voice, data and video to help bring about the installation of third-generation services. Telesp is a wholly owned subsidiary of Portugal Telecom.
The network will be based in Säo Paulo where five optical rings will connect to each of the operator's mobile switching centers. This optical center will also be connected to the coast (Santos and Praia Grande), the Vale do Paraíba, and Campinas. Completion of the project is forecast for September.