Iliad CFO: Alcatel-Lucent To Get Part Of 3G Network Deal

The chief financial officer of French Internet provider Iliad SA (ILIAF, ILD.FR) Tuesday confirmed that telecommunications-equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent (ALU, ALU.FR) will be one of the suppliers for Iliad's mobile network.

Iliad's Free mobile brand earlier this year was awarded France's fourth third-generation mobile license and plans to launch commercial services two years from now.

In February, Iliad said Nokia Siemens Networks, a joint venture between Nokia Corp. (NOK, NOK1V.HE) and Siemens AG (SI, SIE.XE), would supply equipment for Iliad's core network.

"Today, NSN and Alcatel-Lucent are our partners," CFO Thomas Reynaud told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview, adding that Nokia Siemens Networks, however, has the bigger part of the contract, without providing financial details.

"It's too early to say if there will be other partners," he added.

Reynaud also reiterated that Iliad still plans to invest about EUR1 billion in its mobile network, as well as EUR1 billion into fiber optics.

Iliad will compete with France's three established mobile operators--France Telecom SA's (FTE, FTE.FR) Orange brand, Vivendi SA's (VIVDY, VIV.FR) SFR, and Bouygues SA's (EN.FR) Bouygues Telecom--once its network is ready.

-By Ruth Bender, Dow Jones Newswires; [phone]; [e-mail]