Capturing Market Share in a Converging Industry

Strategic Insights -

Sue Ashton-Davies, President of Global Service Providers at Lucent Technologies, is at the forefront of an industry revolution. As one of the most powerful women in IT, she shares her insights on capturing market share in a field where telecommunications and networking technologies are rapidly converging. Lucent, having been around for just over two and a half years, has established itself as a major player in the industry. Its mission now is to become the clear market leader globally in the 21st century.

The industry is witnessing a revolution, driven by the need for service providers to add value. Data traffic is growing exponentially, posing significant challenges for network design and management. Lucent is at the forefront of addressing these challenges, focusing on software, network design, and management. The company's commitment to innovation is evident in its concentration on optical networking and the development of intelligent switching technologies.

As the demand for voice over IP increases, service providers are facing significant challenges. Lucent believes that IP networks of the future will look very different from those of today. The medium of choice will ultimately be IP, but the quality of voice over IP still has a way to go. Telstra, a major carrier, is grappling with the implications of this technological shift, with its economic model potentially being disrupted.

Key Takeaways:

  • Lucent Technologies has established itself as a real powerhouse in the communications and networking industry in just over two and a half years.
  • The company is focused on becoming the clear market leader globally in the 21st century.
  • The industry is witnessing a revolution, driven by the need for service providers to add value.
  • Data traffic is growing exponentially, posing significant challenges for network design and management.
  • Lucent is at the forefront of addressing these challenges, focusing on software, network design, and management.
  • The company is committed to innovation, concentrating on optical networking and intelligent switching technologies.
  • Telecommunications and networking technologies are rapidly converging, creating opportunities for service providers.
  • Lucent is focusing on providing products in key spaces, rather than competing on a product level.
  • The company's strategy includes a combination of acquisition and internal development to stay ahead in the market.
  • Time to market is crucial in revolutionary times, with Lucent prioritizing speed to market in its decision-making process.

Statistics:

  • Bell Labs has 25,000 employees, of which 70% work on software development.
  • Lucent is the largest provider of communications software.
  • Lucent's software capabilities are significantly more extensive than Cisco's in terms of network design and management.
  • IP networks will continue to evolve, addressing quality of service issues.

Sources:

  • Sue Ashton-Davies, President of Global Service Providers at Lucent Technologies.
  • Carly Fiorina, Lucent Technologies group president for global service providers.
  • Lucent Technologies press release announcing its focus on software, network design, and management.
  • Lucent Technologies press release announcing its concentration on optical networking and intelligent switching technologies.
  • Lucent Technologies press release announcing its acquisition of companies over the last 12 months.