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Technology Stocks : Newbridge Networks -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bob Howarth who wrote (16514)	1/15/2000 7:11:00 PM
From: thebeach	Respond to of 18016

Yes, TSE is open and the boys usually run up NNC with New York closed.

To: Bob Howarth who wrote (16514)	1/17/2000 9:14:00 AM
From: zbyslaw owczarczyk	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 18016

China has the potential to overtake Japan as the biggest telecommunications-equipment market in Asia over the next three years, Tchuruk said, quoting industry forecasts. SHANGHAI (Reuters) - French telecommunications equipment maker Alcatel said Monday it had chosen Shanghai as the site for its new Asia-Pacific headquarters, registering a vote of confidence in the Chinese market. "All-in-all, Alcatel is now betting considerably on China," said chairman and chief executive officer Serge Tchuruk. "We chose Shanghai as the headquarters of Alcatel to position ourselves for the future." China's commercial hub pipped Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney for the regional headquarters. Alcatel previously had no formal Asia-Pacific base, with decision-making centralized in Paris. The move, to be carried out over the next few months, would involve shifting management and business divisions for 15 Asian countries stretching from Brunei to New Zealand. There would be no lay-offs in other countries, company officials said. "Up to now, this was not built up as a region," Tchuruk said. "But now we believe it's about time to differentiate our strategies and corporation in this part of the world by having built what we now call the Asia-Pacific region." Asia recovers Tchuruk said the decision to establish an Asia-Pacific headquarters reflected Alcatel's belief that the region had largely recovered from the economic crisis that started in 1997. "We believe that we are at the beginning of a new growth cycle," he said. Alcatel had revenue of $2.5 billion in Asia last year, with around 10,000 people working in the region, company officials said. China has the potential to overtake Japan as the biggest telecommunications-equipment market in Asia over the next three years, Tchuruk said, quoting industry forecasts. China's Ministry of Information Industry predicts the number of users of fixed-line telephones will rise to 130-140 million by the end of this year from 110 million in 1999. The number of mobile-phone users is expected to top 70 million by the end of 2000, up from 43 million last year, official media say. China also had 7 million Internet users at the end of 1999, up from 2 million in 1998. That figure is expected to reach 33 million by 2004. WTO to boost demand Alcatel officials said China's drive to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), which Beijing expects to complete this year, would boost demand for telecommunications equipment as international service providers enter the market. "These new steps foreshadowed by the agreements within the WTO can only create, in our view, further growth in our market," said Ron Spithill, Alcatel's president for the Asia-Pacific region. Alcatel already has $420 million invested in China through 17 joint ventures and five wholly-owned companies which employ a total of 5,000 employees, company officials said. The company plans to locate some research and development facilities in Shanghai, using Chinese engineers to develop switching and mobile switching technology for the world market, Tchuruk said. It would also use Shanghai Bell, its existing switching-equipment joint venture in China, to manufacture for Alcatel in Asia and other parts of the world, he said. Copyright 1999 Reuters All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.