2013/3/5 - Healthcare provider UPMC selects Alcatel-Lucent's IP and optical networking technology in response to 'big data' evolution

NEW ORLEANS, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- HIMSS 2013 -- Almost no other industry uses data like healthcare and the evolution to 'Big Data' has prompted UPMC, the top ranked healthcare provider in Western Pennsylvania in the United States, to apply IP and optical networking technology from Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) to upgrade its information network to leverage the large sets of complex data gathered daily.

Today at HIMSS, the annual healthcare information technology conference, Alcatel-Lucent (booth #1469) announced that it has been selected by UPMC to deploy a new network to provide critical communications services to hospitals, doctors' offices and other sites throughout Western Pennsylvania using Alcatel-Lucent's recently introduced 7950 Extensible Routing System (XRS) - the industry's most powerful Internet protocol (IP) core router. The agreement will also include the supply of advanced 100G (100 gigabit-per-second) fiber-optic technology.

Key Facts:

• UPMC is Western Pennsylvania's leading health system with more than 20 hospitals, 3,400 doctors and over 55,000 employees.
• UPMC is a recognized leader in the application of information technology to revolutionize patient care and improve safety through services such as telemedicine and cloud-based services.
• Adoption of 'big data' solutions such as multi-site 'Metro WANs' by healthcare institutions like UPMC can contribute to better point-of-care decisions, fewer readmissions, and operational improvements, pushing beyond current bandwidth limitations.
• Alcatel-Lucent is supplying UPMC with its new 7950 XRS family - based on the 400G FP3 chipset which brings a huge boost in capacity, efficiency and flexibility to the heart of IP networks, while slashing power consumption and increasing cost-efficiency.
• Belgacom and Telefonica recently announced deployment of 7950 XRS, which was awarded the prize of Best New Product (Telecom)byLight Reading in November 2012.
• The UPMC build-out will also include Alcatel-Lucent's proprietary optical coherent technology, the 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS).
• The PSS uses Alcatel-Lucent's Photonic Service Engine (PSE), a 400G chip that dramatically enhances the capacity, intelligence and flexibility of data network's such as UPMC's.

Quotes:

William Hanna, Vice President, Technical Services, Information Services Division of UPMC said: "Here at UPMC we see our network as a vital tool to support our mission – providing our patients with world-class healthcare. Our ongoing network modernization is ensuring that we remain at the forefront of healthcare innovation. This new project with Alcatel-Lucent, the latest step in our long-standing collaboration, will enable us to not only increase the capacity of our network, but to make our entire enterprise smarter and more efficient, and ultimately improve patient care throughout the UPMC system."

Michel Emelianoff, President, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise said: "The 'big data' needs of large-scale enterprises such as UPMC are breaking down the barriers between traditional IT systems and communications networks. This project with UPMC offers a great example of how advanced IP and fiber optic technologies can enhance the operations of enterprises in a wide array of fields. We are particularly thrilled to play such a critical role in bringing improved healthcare services to the communities that UPMC serves."

Additional Information

• Product web site: http://bit.ly/12MByki
• Photos:  Alcatel-Lucent 7950 XRS family: http://bit.ly/Z3c4ib
• General ALU Flickr link: http://bit.ly/Z3cKEg
• Videos, slides and more from the Annual Tech Symposium: http://bit.ly/12qhhW7
• Blog: Alcatel-Lucent's New Core Router: off to a big start http://bit.ly/Vnibkj

About UPMC

UPMC is a $10 billion global health enterprise with more than 55,000 employees headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., and is transforming health care by integrating more than 20 hospitals, 400 doctors' offices and outpatient sites, a health insurance services division, and international and commercial services. Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC ranked No. 10 in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report annual Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals in 2012—and No. 1 in Pennsylvania—with 15 adult specialty areas ranked for excellence. UPMC is redefining health care by using innovative science, technology and medicine to invent new models of accountable, cost-efficient and patient-centered care. For more information, go to www.UPMC.com.

About Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU)

The long-trusted partner of service providers, enterprises and governments around the world, Alcatel-Lucent is a leading innovator in the field of networking and communications technology, products and services. The company is home to Bell Labs, one of the world's foremost research centers, responsible for breakthroughs that have shaped the networking and communications industry.

Alcatel-Lucent innovations are regularly recognized by international institutions for their positive impact on society. In 2012 and for the second year running, Alcatel-Lucent was named one of the Thomson Reuters Top 100 Global Innovators, recognition for the company's continued addition to its world-class patent portfolio, one of the largest in the telecom industry. Alcatel-Lucent has also been recognized for its sustainability performance.  In 2012 the company was ranked Technology Supersector Leader by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Through its innovations, Alcatel-Lucent is making communications more sustainable, more affordable and more accessible as we pursue our mission of Realizing the Potential of a Connected World.

With operations throughout the world, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with global reach. The Company achieved revenues of Euro 14.4 billion in 2012 and is incorporated in France and headquartered in Paris.

For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow the Company on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.

SOURCE Alcatel-Lucent