Alcatel to Eliminate 800 Jobs

PARIS, Dec. 4 -- Alcatel announced various job reductions, as part of of its optics business restructuring initiated 18 months ago, to adapt to the "persistent crisis in the submarine network and optical fiber markets."

Alcatel's optical fiber site in Conflans Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines), France, which employs 380, will be closed by the end of 2003. After restructuring, its R&D activity will be transferred to the Douvrin (Pas-de-Calais) site and its central functions to another Alcatel site in the Paris region, resulting in the loss of 90 jobs.

280 positions will be eliminated by the end of 2003 at its Calais (Pas-de-Calais) site, which employs 745 for its submarine network and optical fiber activities.

The submarine network workforce In Ormes (Loiret) will be reduced by 70 by the end of next year. Alcatel now has 830 employees in Ormes.

For more information, visit: www.alcatel.com