PARIS, March 23 -- Alcatel announced that it has entered into a nationwide frame agreement with China Telecom, China's largest telecommunications network operator and service provider, to jointly deploy digital subscriber line (DSL) technology across the country. Alcatel will supply China Telecom, which owns 99 percent of the fixed telephone infrastructure in China, with its industry-leading 7300 DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) and DSL Speed Touch modems. The strategic agreement is expected to become the blue print for China Telecom to work with Alcatel for nationwide deployment. "I am sure that this will be inspiring news to all Internet users, who are continuously asking for higher speed and broadband services," said Chang Xiaobing, vice president of China Telecom. "By working this way, operators like China Telecom will be able to provide to end-users a wide range of broadband services in a cost-effective way." Alcatel was the first vendor to introduce DSL to China more than five years ago and is now working in more than 10 provinces, including Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Fujian, etc. Chinese consumers have demonstrated an increased appetite for new communication technology, which has been further stimulated by the government's recent emphasis on developing broadband networks in the most developed areas of the country.