Romania, Alcatel's island of growth

Alcatel Network Systems Romania concluded 2002 with $110 million turnover, up 15% since 2001, general manager Dan Bedros said.
“Despite our receding cooperation with RomTelecom, we have been working more closely with Orange Romania and 2002 was a good year for us. At the same time, we completed a contract with Telecomunicatii CFR, the telecom subsidiary of Compania Nationala CFR SA (National Railway Company),” Bedros added.
About half of Alcatel Romania’s revenues were generated by the business of the productive facility in Timisoara, with the rest covered by the direct shipments from Alcatel France. The Timisoara-based plant, which mainly makes telephone exchanges, derived 60% of its revenues from exports to other markets.
“Compared with the Western European countries, Romania’s telecommunications market increased by 15% in 2002, a percentage also mentioned by Communications and Information Technology minister Dan Nica. This growth is due to the mobile telephony operators, which took advantage of the halt in RomTelecom’s investments. This market segment remains extremely dynamic, which shows in the increasing number of subscribers,” Bedros said.
Foreign operations-related revenues will also account for a significant share in Alcatel Romania’s 2003 revenues, as the company is to carry out two major contracts in Bulgaria and Kosovo.
“The first contract signed with Bulgarian GSM operator Mobitel early this year is worth 46 million euros. We will expand the capacity of the already existing network in Kosovo, as part of a 23 million-euro contract. We are also in talks with Slovenia-based Vega mobile telephony operator,” Bedros specified.
Alcatel Romania aims to maintain the upward sales trend, participate in tenders organised by the Interior Ministry, CFR SA, Transelectrica and by various public administration institutions, as well as broaden the product and service range and approach non-telecom market segments.