Tokyo, June 6, 2000---Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) and Fujitsu Limited
(TSE:6702) today announced a strategic alliance designed to address a
significant portion of the burgeoning opportunities for next-generation networks.
"The business opportunity for telecom equipment throughout Asia Pacific,
excluding China, will approach US$140 billion by 2004," said Colin Golder,
Executive Vice President, Lucent International. "In Japan alone, we believe the telecom market will reach about $81 billion over the same period. Our alliance will be active throughout the entire region."
Initially, the two companies will pursue next- generation network deployment
and buildouts in Japan and the Asia Pacific region. These networks will form
the core infrastructure for a new era in telecommunications. The alliance will
concentrate initially on the switching segment of next-generation networks but may
expand to include other areas.
"With this alliance, we expect to expand our business globally by offering
leading-edge data and voice communication solutions," said Akio Moridera, Executive
Vice President for Fujitsu. "Our initial focus will be on customers in
Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, where we already have a strong track record and are
actively engaged in pursuing next-generation projects."
Both companies are dedicating senior-level executives to set the alliance's
strategy and direction. The companies will leverage their sales and technological
capabilities in Japan and other countries to address opportunities more effectively than
either could address individually. The alliance promises to benefit service
providers either looking to build entirely new networks or to migrate toward next-generation networks by utilizing their current installed base.
"This new relationship with Fujitsu complements our product strengths and
will enable us to achieve major contract wins to build out next-generation
networks in Japan and throughout the Asia Pacific region," added Golder. "This,
combined with our expertise in product support, will enable us to respond more
quickly to our customers needs wherever they do business ."
Lucent and Fujitsu expect their alliance to include provision of a broad
range of hardware and software products from both companies in addition to various
services and customer support. The mix will vary depending on the specific project
and customer needs.
The core of the next generation networks to be offered by the alliance is a
programmable switching platform developed by Lucent and its world-renowned
research and development arm, Bell Labs. Fujitsu will use its computer
business expertise to develop specific applications for customers in every region.
With next-generation networks, service providers can offer consumer and
business customers new multimedia features that converge all traffic, such as fixed
line, mobile voice/data, Web access and e-commerce. Next-generation networks will also
enable service providers to offer customers high-bandwidth access over fixed lines
as well as wireless systems. With next-generation networks, service providers can
offer customers different levels of quality of service depending on their needs.
Examples of those different levels include e-mail transmission, where low-speed
transmission with data accuracy is acceptable, or video, where high speed is necessary
but some margin for transmission error is acceptable.
About Lucent
Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, designs and
delivers the systems, software, silicon and services for next-generation
communications networks for service providers and enterprises. Backed by the research and
development of Bell Labs, Lucent focuses on high-growth areas such as
optical and wireless networks; Internet infrastructure; communications software;
communications semiconductors and optoelectronics; Web-based enterprise solutions that link
private and public networks; and professional network design and consulting
services. For more information on Lucent Technologies, visit its Web site at
http://www.lucent.com.
About Fujitsu Limited
Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) is a leading provider of Internet-based
information technology solutions for the global marketplace.
Comprising over 500 group companies and affiliates worldwide --
including ICL, Amdahl and DMR Consulting -- it had consolidated
revenues of 5.26 trillion yen ($49.6 billion) in the fiscal year ended
March 31, 2000. Fujitsu's pace-setting technologies, world-class
computing and telecommunications platforms, and global corps of over
60,000 systems and services experts make it uniquely positioned to
harness the power of the Internet to help its customers succeed.
Altogether, the Fujitsu Group has 188,000 employees and operations
in over 100 countries.
Home page: http://www.fujitsu.com/
* All company/product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purpose only.