Alcatel-Lucent will deploy LTE solutions for US-based telecom service provider, AT&T with the commercial rollout scheduled for 2011. Ericsson is the other vendor shortlisted for the project.

Alcatel-Lucent has also deployed AT&T’s 3G network.

“This announcement is an important step forward in our ongoing mobile broadband strategy, which is focused on delivering the best possible combination of speed, performance and available devices for customers at every level of technology deployment,” said John Stankey, president and CEO, AT&T Operations. “AT&T has a key advantage in that LTE is an evolution of the existing GSM family of technologies that powers our network and the vast majority of the world’s global infrastructure today. As some competitors move away from their existing investment in niche 3G platforms, we are able to efficiently and quickly move toward LTE while enhancing our existing 3G performance and providing access to a strong ecosystem of customer devices.”

“This is a critical step forward in AT&T''s ongoing mobile broadband strategy to deliver and support the next generation of mobile applications. We look forward to being a part of the journey and see this as a starting point for further collaboration with AT&T to deliver an end-to-end IP solution for mobile broadband,” said Alcatel-Lucent CEO Ben Verwaayen. “This announcement expands on our long standing relationship with AT&T – one that covers everything from 3G HSPA infrastructure to network monitoring and management – and speaks volumes about the confidence and trust they have in our leadership in LTE technology and our ability to deliver a smooth, end-to-end migration path to LTE.”