Alcatel-Lucent brings sales focus to NBNCo dealings

Alcatel-Lucent has appointed a new lead for its national broadband network taskforce as it moves from business development to "sales focus" in its engagement with NBNCo.

Sean O'Halloran will replace John Turner as the leader of the NBN team.

Turner, who held the NBN role for six months, will leave Alcatel-Lucent at the end of the year to pursue an undisclosed "private business venture".

"John was leading our business development phase," O'Halloran said.

"We're entering a different phase now as the NBNCo gets more mature and builds up its organisation."

O'Halloran said Alcatel-Lucent's taskforce was responding to requests for information from the NBNCo. He said the taskforce was in daily contact with NBNCo.

He also said that the make-up of the taskforce would be "augmented with a more direct sales focus." It was understood headcount of the core team would remain the same but it would have access to more resources from elsewhere in Alcatel-Lucent.

O'Halloran had over 20 years experience in the telco sector, having previously worked with Telecom Australia (Telstra), Optus, MCI/Verizon and NEC.

In other NBN news today, the Tasmanian NBNCo appointed Adrian Inch as its general manager to oversee the roll out of the wholesale broadband network across Tasmania.

Inch, who will be located in Hobart, had a strong background in telecommunications having spent 18 years in engineering and senior management positions in Telstra and contributed "a key part in Acacia Australia's bid for work on the NBN", according to a statement.

He was currently a senior architect with NBNCo, the statement said.