Private telecommunications carrier Hydro Quebec, Montreal, recently awarded a $50 million contract

Private telecommunications carrier Hydro Quebec, Montreal, recently awarded a $50 million contract to Alcatel Canada Inc. for all its multigigabit fiber-optic transmission, digital microwave, and network management services over the next five years. Alcatel will install its 1648 SM and 1603/12 SM sonet multiplexers, Optinex long-haul terminal optical amplifiers, mdr-4000 and mdr-6000 digital microwave radios, and 1320 NM network management system. The mdr-4000 includes high-capacity sonet interfaces. Hydro Quebec plans to use its increased capacity to meet growing data traffic requirements between its Montreal headquarters and distant regional centers. The network stretches north from the Canada-United States border to James Bay and east to Churchill Falls on the Labrador coast.