Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Alcatel (ALA) and France -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Milkman who wrote (191)	11/9/1998 7:41:00 AM
From: bertrand bidaud	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3891

Milkman, My comments were not confrontational. I do not know your views. It is legitimate to have different opinions. Yours may or may not be different from mine, others could be. I have no problem whatsoever. I do not know where ALA will be in the future. I think the company has no hype, and that is good.There is more upward potential. Yet the company has to face significant challenges. Its geographic strength lies in Europe and many developping countries. Europe is ok, but the developping countries are having difficulties, specially Asia (I live in Asia). Tchuruck tries to position ALA in the US. It will be difficult. But that is the only way to go. There is so much more innovation in the US than in Europe in digital networks. It was not so ten yeaars ago. Now it is, and the company has little time to make up for the delay. Also, it relied a lot on France Telecom, and CNET for innovation. This no more true as much as it used to. Tchuruck is impressive. A true manager. Not the fuzzy intellectual, we usually have in France to lead major firms. I believe that he will do what it takes to deliver (subjective judgmnet should not enter in the picture, but they do, so...) Now, the positioning of the company has to be 'finalized'. I think they bet a lot on new satellite systems. To take a leadership position. I expect major announcement on Skybridge (I have no insider info, just reasoning). It is a field where among the leading telecom firms, only MOT has a presence, but not on the spatial component (as far as I know). I am worried like everyone about the swithcing activity. This is where the battle is. Whether for cellular or broadband, I think the company has yet to improve. This being said, ALA has a drive it never had before. I hope that it will manage to capitalize on its existing strength to develop the new markets. Its commercial strength was with the incumbent. They are still the largest telcos in most developping countries. The focus on the US should not lead ALA to overlook them. I expect a 10% up this month, except if there is major news, one way or the other. The stock is quite cheap for the sector. Good luck