12/16/05 - Movistar, a mobile network operator in Venezuela, and Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) announced the commercial launch of Movistars third-generation (3G) CDMA2000 1xEV-DO network to serve the countrys 26 main cities. The Lucent supplied 3G network will allow Movistar to provide subscribers to its Play 3G and Banda Ancha EVDO Movistar services with new high-speed mobile data applications such as Virtual Private Networks to create a mobile office environment, high quality video on demand, and other broadband services at speeds of up to 2.4 Megabits per second (Mbps).

The new Interactivo Play 3G service allows subscribers to download and see multimedia and entertainment content such as movie trailers, digital images and songs, and participate in third dimension video games. In addition, this service will allow corporate users to access virtual office applications and access all their corporate LAN services when they are outside the office.

"The technology is transforming the lifestyle, communications and entertainment for our customers, thanks to the innovative services that are being offered," said Luis Malvido, president, Telefonica Moviles in Venezuela, during an event held last night to launch the service. "Two years ago we started with the Interactive service adding multimedia content such as ring tones, wallpapers, and today Interactivo sells more than 300,000 units of content monthly, which means we sell more music that any record company on the continent. Now with Interactivo Play 3G, we fully enter the video space, which will provide a new experience with multiple possibilities for our customers, Malvido continued. We also plan on continuing our work with the content industry. We now have 15 local companies -- with Venezuelan engineers that generate more than 300 direct jobs -- that are creating all the communications and entertainment applications for our customers."

Movistar offers 3G mobile broadband services to corporate and residential users, including email, Internet access, and remote monitoring capabilities through video streaming.

Through Virtual Private Networks connections, corporate users will be able to access Movistars high-speed data network as if it was an extension of their corporate local area network or intranet, by using a laptop 1xEV-DO card, or connect directly using 3G mobile phones or PDAs, and work as if they were in their offices, enjoying the same speed, security, authentication and information protection. Lucent upgraded Movistars existing Lucent-supplied base stations and mobile switching center (MSC) to support CDMA2000 1xEV-DO technology.