French equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent has reportedly revived merger talks with Finnish rival Nokia.
The two vendors restarted discussions about a potential tie-up or partnership this autumn, according to German publication Manager Magazin, citing people…
French equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent has reportedly revived merger talks with Finnish rival Nokia.
The two vendors restarted discussions about a potential tie-up or partnership this autumn, according to German publication Manager Magazin, citing people familiar with the companies.
In September last year, rumours of a possible combination between the two companies started emerging after Nokia sold its mobile business to Microsoft for €5.4bn, as it struggled to compete with smartphone giants Apple and Samsung.
A merger with Alcatel would also enable the Finnish vendor to be better positioned against rivals Ericsson and China’s Huawei and ZTE.
Nokia’s CEO Rajeev Suri was appointed in April to implement the company’s new strategy, focusing on networks, location and technologies.
Meanwhile, Alcatel is past the halfway point in its three-year ‘shift plan’ to restructure, refinance and reposition the company.
Earlier this month, Alcatel CEO Michel Combes told TelecomFinance that access to financing was a key barrier to competition.
“All the players, wherever they come from, should be on an even level when it comes to accessing financing and markets, and respecting the rules of the game from an international point of view,” he said.
The full interview will be available in the December issue of TelecomFinance magazine out today.
