Alcatel Sees World DSL Market Up As Much as 45% a Year By 2004
Dow Jones Online News, 03/23/2001 08:09
HANNOVER, Germany -- Company officials at France's Alcatel SA said they expect the world digital subscriber line, or DSL, market to show 40% to 45% annualized growth over the next three years.
DSL technology enables high-speed Internet access across traditional twisted-copper-pair telephone cables, among other things. Alcatel (ALA) is one of the largest telecommunications operators in the world.
Chief Technology Officer Martin de Prycker said Friday that Alcatel is targeting a 50% market share in the fast-growing market in China.
Speaking at a press conference during the CeBIT technology fair here, Mr. de Prycker said Alcatel (ALA) has 49% of the DSL market in North America, 52% in Europe, and 28.8% in the rest of the world.
"We are confident of maintaining our market share," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. de Prycker declined to comment on speculation that Alcatel may be interested in making a bid for Bookham Technology PLC.
On Thursday, Alcatel signed a long-term agreement with China Telecommunications Corp. to supply China's dominant telephone operator with more than 50% of the equipment it needs to deploy high-speed Internet access.
Based on market research and prevailing market prices, the multiyear deal could be valued at between $70 million and $225 million in the first year, with most of the business to follow in later years.
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