By Mae Kowalke
Many visions exist for what the next generation of business communications technology will look like. The potential for resources like 4G LTE networks get a lot of talk time these days. But what will it take to actually turn all these visions into reality?
Alcatel-Lucent’s stance is that there are four vital elements to driving the development and adoption of faster, better communications technologies:
1. Building business ecosystems
“Our goal is to unlock innovations that are disruptive to the status quo of the industry,” Alcatel-Lucent says on its Who We Are page. “Our teams are small yet empowered. They work directly with customers, and are charged with getting products to market fast, without sacrificing quality.”
2. Fostering open innovation
This is achieved through cultivating a community of researchers who collaborate on entrepreneurial programs, together determining the right business models, partners and paths to marketplace.
“Our group values teamwork, open innovation and an intense dedication to creating value for service providers, enterprises and consumers,” Alcatel-Lucent says on its Our Approach page.
3. Bringing game-changing ideas to market rapidly
Alcatel-Lucent equates its team approach to the concept of a paceline in professional cycling race.
“The team moves as one, in perfect lockstep, reaching a goal as a team faster than any individual could alone,” the company says on its Ventures page. “Riders trust each other in a way known only to driven, successful professionals. They reach that finish line where results exceed expectations. Together.”
Teamwork and innovation are the underlying key principles Alcatel-Lucent Ventures uses in all its efforts to create real value for consumers, service providers and enterprises.
4. Identifying external investment
It takes not only dedication but also money, of course, to turn ideas into reality. That’s why strategic investment is a big part of what Alcatel-Lucent does, in partnership with its Bell Labs division. These entities work together to incubate and commercialize new ideas through venture capital investment and joint ventures.
This approach has helped bring to market a variety of innovations, including:
- OmniAccess 3500 Nonstop Laptop Guardian, which allows IT departments to remotely locate and manage laptops, using a dedicated high-speed wireless card.
- Touchatag, a contactless payment system that lets operators and enterprises use RFID and other near field technology to electronically process payments and manage loyalty and coupon services.
- 9900 Wireless Network Guardian, which provides real-time visibility into the effects of wireless IP traffic, eliminating a previous service provider blind spot.
