Alcatel-Lucent signed a agreement in principle with EADS Defence & Security to jointly develop and offer powerful mobile broadband solutions to address public safety market in the USA.

The solution will be based on LTE technology. Initially the partners will develop a solution working on the 700 MHz band.

 “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.

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.