Alcatel Taiwan opens a wireless-equipment test center

Taipei, Dec. 16, 2003 (CENS)--Alcatel Taiwan, Alcatel SA of France's Taiwan branch, yesterday inaugurated a NT$300 million (US$8.8 million at US$1:NT$34) test platform to offer Taiwan's wireless-service providers and handset suppliers a trial environment for their equipment.

Alcatel Taiwan opened the center in cooperation with the Computer & Communications Research Laboratories (CCL) of the Taiwan government-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). According to the Alcatel's Taiwan branch, the test laboratory is Alcatel's only laboratory of its kind in Asia.

The center integrates information-technology, communications and telecommunications capabilities to offer customers a complete range of tests including those on third-generation cellular technologies, Internet Protocol (IP) network and next-generation network.

The center is divided into four departments--mobile communications, fixed-network communications, optic-fiber network and enterprise solution.

Alcatel Taiwan's chief technology executive, J.L. Chang, pointed out that the center will primarily focus on tests of cellular phones and cellular services. He noted that his company will increase R&D spending to account for 5% of its total revenue some time soon from the current 2%. Local industry watchers estimate Alcatel Taiwan's annual revenue at NT$6 billion (US$176 million). The company didn't decline to release its revenue data.

Alcatel Taiwan's French parent company already planned to open an international procurement office (IPO) as part of its plan to increase procurement in Taiwan. Chang pointed out that his company's procurement in Taiwan already outpaced its annual revenue this year. Handsets and asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) equipment have long been the major products it procured on the island. It is considering adding IP equipment to its procurement list in the future.