Alcatel-Lucent pushes further into communication solutions for enterprises with NCR agreement

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced it has entered into an agreement with NCR Corporation to provide on-site installation and maintenance services for Alcatel-Lucent enterprise communications customers in North America. The agreement demonstrates Alcatel-Lucent’s commitment to providing unrivalled service to both its direct customers and those served by its third party distribution channels.

Through its relationship with NCR, Alcatel-Lucent will expand its local service delivery capability, providing installation and maintenance to customers in previously under-served geographic areas. Additionally, NCR will join Alcatel-Lucent to meet the stringent, secure service requirements of large, multi-site customers. NCR has a strong, well-respected presence in North America and its significant experience in enterprise markets will enhance Alcatel-Lucent’s current services offering.

“Service delivery partnerships are important to end users because the quality of the organization doing the installation, service and support is as important as the quality of the equipment they buy,” commented Jay Lassman, research director with Gartner.

Under the agreement with NCR, Alcatel-Lucent distributors and service providers will continue to offer support packages directly to customers, and will be able to draw from the expertise, resources, and physical presence of two multibillion-dollar service organizations.

“NCR is pleased that our widely distributed and experienced service organization will be supporting Alcatel-Lucent’s customers in North America. By providing faster response to critical on-site requests, NCR will enable Alcatel-Lucent to more effectively meet the service requirements of their larger enterprise clients,” said Christine Wallace, Senior Vice President, NCR Worldwide Customer Services. “In addition, this agreement demonstrates NCR’s commitment to provide industry leading service delivery on converged technologies in the enterprise space.”

“Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise with many branch offices, your communications network is an increasingly critical part of your business - and timely service and support is key,” said Hubert de Pesquidoux, President of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise activities. “By teaming with NCR, we’re able to offer the timely response necessary to meet our customers’ business-critical service needs.”

Alcatel-Lucent expects to deploy its expanded services program under the agreement with NCR by the fourth quarter of 2007.