HP and Alcatel-Lucent hook up

10-year global IT and telecoms alliance.

HP and Alcatel-Lucent have announced a 10-year alliance designed to boost enterprise use of converged IT and telecoms.

The companies said that the global agreement would involve a joint marketing of solutions and tools, in an attempt to boost enterprise use of next-generation infrastructures.

HP and Alcatel-Lucent will also offer services designed to guide companies through the adoption of new infrastructures.

The collaboration is currently in the planning stages, but will see the firms co-market and co-develop solutions in the telecoms area. The joint solutions are expected to be offered to enterprises through HP resellers or as managed services.

"We expect that customers will be able to create new business opportunities and greater efficiencies from this alliance," said Mark Hurd, HP chairman and chief executive.

"By combining our deep expertise in IT and communications, [we] will help customers transform their technology needs into a competitive edge."

Alcatel-Lucent products in areas such as IP telephony, unified communications, mobility, security and contact centres will be integrated with HP IT solutions, the firms said.

The intention is to deliver end-to-end solutions pitched at enterprises and service providers.

"Today's global alliance represents a major transformational deal that will deliver great benefits to our customers," added Ben Verwaayen, Alcatel-Lucent chief executive.

"IT and telecoms are coming together in an unprecedented way, and I am delighted to see how we can speed up innovation in our industry. I am also confident that HP will deliver Alcatel-Lucent's best-in-class solutions in terms of performance and cost for our IT needs."