News | News Releases | 2005

Printer-friendly version

MAY 25, 2005
Contact: Marianna Ohe (202) 565-3200

EX-IM BANK $48 MILLION GUARANTEE SUPPORTS U.S. EXPORTS
TO BUILD STATE-OF-THE-ART TELECOM NETWORK IN KAZAKHSTAN

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Winncom Technologies Corp., Solon, Ohio, and Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, N.J., are providing a turn-key fiber-optic communications network in the capital city of Astana in Kazakhstan, backed by an Ex-Im Bank $48 million loan guarantee. The network will have the capacity to provide multifunctional voice and data services for up to 100,000 customers.

As the exporter of record, Winncom Technologies will provide procurement, design, engineering and other services to Kazakhtelecom, the state-owned national telecommunications provider. Lucent Technologies is the primary supplier on the export sale.

"This export sale is a win for the United States and for Kazakhstan. It will create and sustain high-quality U.S. jobs in California, New Jersey and Ohio while supporting Kazakhtelecom's effort to develop a 'next generation' national data network," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman Philip Merrill.

Societe Generale, New York, N.Y., is the guaranteed lender on the transaction. The primary source of repayment is Kazkommertsbank, Kazakhstan's largest bank.

Ex-Im Bank, the official export credit agency of the United States, is in its 71st year of helping finance the sale of U.S. exports, primarily to emerging markets throughout the world, by providing loan guarantees, export credit insurance and direct loans. In fiscal year 2004, Ex-Im Bank authorized financing to support $17.8 billion of U.S. exports worldwide. For more information, visit www.exim.gov.

# # # #