Alcatel-Lucent to acquire NetDevices

Bangalore, May 21 (UNI) Global communications major Alcatel-Lucent has acquired city-based NetDevices, a privately held developer of services gateway products for enterprise branch networks.

Announcing the acquisition here today, Hubert de Pesquidoux, President of Alcatel-Lucent's enterprise activities said plans were afoot to expand operations of NetDevices both in the city and the United States.

NetDevices delivers a market recognised, innovative and flexible enterprise networking platform designed to reduce the cost and complexity of managing branch office networks.

He said traditional architectures lacked the flexibility and programmability to deploy the new converged infrastructures in a cost-effective way. A fresh approach based on the innovative enterprise platform from NetDevices combined with Alcatel's core strengths of voice and switching would now help deliver best in class enterprise networks.

"I am very excited that by joining forces with Alcatel-Lucent, we can enhance the benefits of NetDevices' solutions to our customers and create new opportunities for our partners," Seenu Banda, founder and CEO of NetDevices said.

Upon close of the transaction, the NetDevices team and products would be integrated into Alcatel-Lucent's Enterprise Business Group, reporting into Tom Burns, president of Alcatel-Lucent's Enterprise Solutions activities.

The acquisition was subject to various standard closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals, and was expected to close in the second quarter of Alcatel-Lucent's fiscal year 2007.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

UNI