Lucent fends off Ericsson for Riverstone

Tripleplaytastic!

By Drew Cullen • Get more from this author

Posted in Data Networking, 23rd March 2006 14:41 GMT

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Lucent has won the auction for Riverstone, the bankrupt networking equipment maker, with a bid of $207m. Originally, it had offered $170m for the firm's assets, but its pitch was queered by Ericsson.

Ericsson unexpectedly offered $178m for the assets, forcing Lucent to up the ante.

Riverstone makes carrier-class Ethernet routers and these will help Lucent compete more effectively for the so-called triple-play market - voice, data and TV - against Alcatel. According to Lucent, the routers "uniquely delivers the reliability that allows carriers to meet the triple play service requirements of their customers in a cost-effective and scalable way. Riverstone allows carriers to offer new services over existing revenue-generating networks permitting them to evolve to a next generation Ethernet infrastructure".

Riverstone went titsup in February with debts of $130m. The deal is up for approval today in a US bankruptcy court and is expected to close in April. ®

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