Channel Ponders Lucent-Alcatel Merger

Alcatel and Murray Hill, N.J.-based Lucent last week announced the $13.4 billion stock deal. Lucent Chairman and CEO Patricia Russo will become the CEO of the combined company, which will have approximately $25 billion in revenue. Alcatel Chairman and CEO Serge Tchuruk will become non-executive chairman.

The companies are not yet providing details on how the proposed merger would impact their channel strategies, an Alcatel spokesperson said.

With Lucent’s focus on wireless service provider equipment, the merger ups Alcatel’s ante in the carrier infrastructure market.

Several solution providers said they expect the merger’s impact on their Alcatel enterprise business to be positive and that it does not likely signal diminished focus on Alcatel’s enterprise efforts.

“The merger may help us in other aspects, having a stronger presence in North America with Lucent,” said Ron Goodband, COO of Advance2000, a Buffalo, N.Y.-based Alcatel partner.

However, Lucent partners are approaching the merger with more caution. Lucent has a small channel effort that has seen cutbacks over the past year, while Alcatel is not known for the strength of its channel, Lucent partners said.

“Alcatel is not exactly a channel-friendly company, so that concerns us,” said Maggie Petro, vice president of services at Solunet, a Lucent partner in Miami. Solunet has a good relationship with Lucent, but recent downsizing in the vendor’s channel support infrastructure did have a negative impact for the partner, Petro said.

“Alcatel is not known for being friendly to the channel ... and Lucent is only marginally friendly to the channel,” said another Lucent channel partner, who asked not to be identified. “I have concern about their supporting any channel going forward,” the partner said.

Why Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) Stock Hit a One-Year Low Today

Rainbow, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise's Cloud-based Telephony and Collaboration Solution, Obtains Prestigious CSPN Certification From ANSSI

COLOMBES, France, November 22, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, a leading provider of communications, networking and cloud solutions tailored to customers' industries, is proud to announce that its collaboration platform, Rainbow™ by Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, has obtained the First Level Security Certification (CSPN) issued by the French National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI). This certification, based on Rainbow's private cloud infrastructure, underscores ALE's ongoing commitment to information security and customer data protection.

Obtaining the CSPN certification for Rainbow represents a significant milestone, validating the compliance of ALE’s unified communications as a service (UCaaS) solution with the rigorous IT security standards set by ANSSI, a French government agency. This certification demonstrates that the Rainbow solution has been subjected to an in-depth and exhaustive analysis of its security, robustness and resilience capacities, evaluated by security specialists, accredited by the ANSSI.

"This certification, issued on the basis of our private cloud infrastructure, is one of the most demanding in terms of information security. It reinforces our status as a leading European sovereign player in the field of communication solutions. By awarding this certification, ANSSI has validated our rigorous information security policy and our strong commitments to data integrity," said Fabien Brisset, Security Manager for the Rainbow solution at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise.

Rainbow, available globally, offers a full range of next-generation unified communications and collaboration services. The solution adapts to businesses of all sizes and industries, allowing them to collaborate seamlessly and securely. ANSSI's CSPN certification reinforces Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise customers' confidence in the security of their communications and data when using Rainbow.

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"Security is one of the founding pillars of our Rainbow strategy, it is in the DNA of our solution and the teams that develop and operate it. This certification is the result of all these efforts, and we will continue to innovate and create value for our customers," said Moussa Zaghdoud, EVP Cloud Communications Business Division at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise.

The benefits of CSPN certification for Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise’s clients include:

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About Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise delivers the customised technology experiences enterprises need to make everything connect.

ALE provides digital-age networking, communications and cloud solutions with services tailored to ensure customers’ success, with flexible business models in the cloud, on premises, and hybrid. All solutions have built-in security and limited environmental impact.

Over 100 years of innovation have made Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise a trusted advisor to more than a million customers all over the world.

With headquarters in France and 3,400 business partners worldwide, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise achieves an effective global reach with a local focus.

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Contacts

Alcatel-Lucent EnterpriseCarine Bowen, Global presspress@al-enterprise.com

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