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Alcatel

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This article is about the original company in existence from 1970 to 2006. For its present-day successors and other uses of the name, see Alcatel (disambiguation).
Alcatel
IndustryTelecommunications
Founded1970; 54 years ago (1970)[a]
DefunctDecember 1, 2006; 17 years ago (2006-12-01)
FateAcquired By And Merged With Lucent, Formed Alcatel-Lucent
SuccessorAlcatel-Lucent
Websitealcatel.com at the Wayback Machine (archived 2000-12-14)
Companies which merged into Alcatel

Alcatel SA was a French telecommunications company. In 2006, it acquired Lucent Technologies and formed Alcatel-Lucent.[1]

History

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Predecessors

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  • 1898 – French engineer Pierre Azaria sets up the Compagnie Générale d'Électricité (CGE).[2]
  • 1919 – Aaron Weil creates the "Téléphone privé" (Private telephone)
  • 1925 – CGE becomes part of Compagnie Générale des Câbles de Lyon. Bell Telephone Laboratories is created.
  • 1927 – The company is growing, and takes the name of "Téléphonie Industrielle et Commerciale" (TELIC)
  • 1928 – Alsthom is formed by Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques and Compagnie Française Thomson-Houston.
  • 1946 – The CIT is created (Compagnie Industrielle de Téléphone) with CGE (Compagnie Generale d'Electricité)
  • 1947 – ALSATEL is created. (Société Alsacienne et Lorraine de Télécommunication et d'Electronique) to enable sales expansion.
  • 1952 – In the United States, ITT Corporation buys a controlling interest in Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company and rebrands its products to ITT Kellogg.[3]
  • 1954 – TELIC acquires COFRATEL (Compagnie Française du Téléphone).
  • 1960 – TELIC delivers the complex Crossbar technology.
  • 1965 – CGE acquires TELIC, becoming a subsidiary of CIT.

Alcatel

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  • 1970 – Alcatel is created by merging CIT and ENTE, a department of the SACM (Société Alsacienne de Constructions Mécaniques).
  • 1970 – Ambroise Roux becomes CGE's chairman. He later becomes the honorary chairman until his death in 1999.
  • 1977 – Alcatel's first PBX is created, with digital control.
  • 1980 – The Minitel videotex service is launched.
  • 1982 – Jean-Pierre Brunet becomes CGE's chairman.
  • 1984 – Georges Pebereau becomes CGE's chairman. Thompson telecommunications is absorbed by CGE.[4] Cables de Lyon buys Thompson Jeumont Cables and Kabelmetal.
  • 1985 – Alsthom Atlantique becomes Alsthom. Alcatel is formed when CIT-Alcatel and Thompson's telecommunications unit merge.[5]
  • 1986 – ITT Corporation sells its international telecommunications and cable business (including ITT Kellogg) to Alsthom, creating Alcatel N.V., a Netherlands company in which ITT retains a 37% stake.[6] A majority stake in Cables de Lyon becomes a subsidiary of Alcatel N.V.[7] Pierre Suard becomes CGE chairman.
  • 1987 – CGE is privatized.[8] Alsthom wins the contract for TGV Atlantique for the Northern TGV network.
  • 1989 – CGE and the British General Electric Company form GEC Alsthom, which allows Alsthom to sell its products outside France. CGEE-Alsthom becomes Cegelec. AT&T Technologies reorganizes with the following business units: Network Systems, Global Business Communications, Microelectronics and Consumer Products.
  • 1991 – CGE changes its name to Alcatel Alsthom and acquires Rockwell Technologies transmission equipment division.[9][10][11] Cables de Lyons is renamed Alcatel Cable and takes over AEG Kabel.
  • 1991 – Alcatel acquires Telettra, an Italian telecommunication systems company.
  • 1992 – Alcatel Alsthom acquires AEG Kabel. ITT Corporation sells its remaining stake in Alcatel N.V. for around $3.6 billion.[6]
  • 1993 – Alcatel Alsthom acquires STC Submarine Systems from Nortel Networks.
  • 1994 – Alcatel Networks Systems received the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing at the Richardson, Texas, Longview, Texas, Raleigh, North Carolina, Clinton, North Carolina, and Nogales, Mexico locations.[12]
  • 1995 – Serge Tchuruk is appointed chairman and CEO of Alcatel Alsthom. He restructures the company to focus on telecommunications equipment.[13]
  • 1997 – Alcatel Telecom receives IndustryWeek's Best Plants award for the Raleigh, North Carolina, USA plant under Alcatel Network Systems.[14]
  • 1998 – Alcatel and Alsthom split. Alsthom GEC becomes Alstom through an IPO (with Alcatel retaining 24%). Alcatel sells Cegelec to the newly formed Alstom. Alcatel acquires DSC Communications for $4.4 billion[15] as well as Packet Engines.[16]
  • 1999 – Alcatel acquires Xylan, Assured Access and Internet Devices. Alcatel increases its stake in Thomson CSF to 25.3% and decreases its stake in Framatome to 8.6%.
  • 2000 – Alcatel sells the DSL modem business to Thomson Multimedia and acquires Newbridge, Genesys and Innovative Fibers. Alcatel spins off its cable unit into Nexans.[17]
  • 2001 – Alcatel sells its stake in Alstom. Alcatel buys back its Alcatel Space investment from Thales, and reduces its stake in Thales to 20.03%. Alcatel sells its 2.2% stake in Areva.
  • 2002 – Alcatel acquires Astral Point Communications Inc., Telera Corporation, and control of Alcatel Shanghai Bell. Alcatel sells its microelectronic business to STMicroelectronics, its stake in Thomson, 10.3M shares of Thales, and 1.5M shares of Nexans.
  • 2003 – Alcatel acquires iMagicTV, and TiMetra Inc. It sells a 50% stake in Atlinks, and sells its optical business to Avanex.
  • 2004 – Alcatel acquires eDial Inc. Alcatel and TCL form a joint venture: Alcatel Mobile Phones, with Alcatel holding a 45% stake. Alcatel and Draka Holdings form a joint venture: Draka Comteq B.V. with Alcatel holding a 49.9 stake.[18] Alcatel finalizes its acquisition of Spatial Wireless but sells 7.1M shares of Avanex.
  • 2005 – Alcatel sells its 45% stake of the Alcatel Mobile Phones venture back to TCL.[19]

Notes

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  1. ^ The company Alcatel was founded in 1970, but companies that merged into it were founded as early as 1898

References

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  1. ^ Bajaj, Vikas (2006-04-02). "Alcatel and Lucent Agree to Merge in $13.4 Billion Deal". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  2. ^ "ASN-History". Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  3. ^ "Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Co". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  4. ^ "Thomson part of CGE".
  5. ^ "Alcatel is formed" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-04-30.
  6. ^ a b Cohen, Roger (1992-03-04). "COMPANY NEWS; ITT Accepts $3.6 Billion Alcatel Sale". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  7. ^ "Cables dy Lyon subsidiary of Alcatel".[permanent dead link‍]
  8. ^ "CGE privatized".
  9. ^ "Alcatel-Lucent Company History". Archived from the original on 2013-11-05.
  10. ^ "New York Times coverage of Rockwell unit sale". The New York Times. 1991-07-13.
  11. ^ "CGE acquires Rockwell".
  12. ^ "Alcatel Networks Systems; Richardson, TX, Longview, TX, Raleigh, NC, Clinton, NC, & Nogales, Mexico – United States – Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing – 1994". www.bpir.com. Best Practice. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Alcatel and Lucent Talks". Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  14. ^ "IndustryWeek's Best Plants Award Winners, 1990–2022". www.industryweek.com. IndustrialWeek. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  15. ^ Schiesel, Seth (1998-06-05). "Alcatel acquires DSC for $4.4 billion". NY Times.
  16. ^ "Alcatel Buys Packet Engines". Wired. 1998-10-13. Archived from the original on 2013-02-09.
  17. ^ "Nexans Press Release". 9 October 2000. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  18. ^ "Draka Press Release" (PDF). May 17, 2004.[permanent dead link‍]
  19. ^ "TCL Unit to Buy 45% Stake of Mobile-Phone Venture From Alcatel". Bloomberg. 2005-05-16.
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