Skip to main content

Nokia’s serious about 5G, acquires Alcatel-Lucent to boost development

Nokia N1 6
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Nokia has announced it will purchase Alcatel-Lucent for a grand total of $16.6 billion. The two companies will become one, should the deal be approved, and be known as the Nokia Corporation. It’ll have its headquarters in Finland, but maintain research and development facilities in France, the U.S., and China.

While the Nokia name will be familiar to most, the Alcatel name may not, but it could be the source of some confusion. Although it shares part of its name with Alcatel OneTouch, the smartphone manufacturer, this has nothing to do with the acquisition. Alcatel OneTouch is part of China’s TCL Corporation, after it acquired it back in 2005.

Recommended Videos

This means Nokia hasn’t found itself a backdoor to quickly return to the smartphone game. However, the acquisition is still of importance to mobile users. Alcatel-Lucent works on networking, broadband, and connectivity. Since Microsoft purchased Nokia’s Devices Division, Nokia has concentrated on building its network infrastructure business.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

“Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia intend to lead in next generation network technologies and services,” said Rajeev Suri, Nokia’s CEO. What does it all mean for you? Nokia’s pushing ahead with 5G network connections, and this deal will hopefully accelerate development even more. The press release on the acquisition talks about the combined company being, “essential for enabling the next wave of technological change, including the Internet of Things and transition to the cloud.”

During Mobile World Congress, Nokia was heavily promoting its 5G technology, showing how it will enable our dreams of connected cities, smart homes, self-driving cars, and obviously, mega-fast data speeds to come true. It’s still far in the future — 2020 was the date thrown around at MWC — but it’s clear Nokia intends to be at the forefront when it is ready.

In related news, Nokia has also said it’s looking into the possibility of selling off its Here Maps division. Here Maps was one of the three primary businesses it retained after Devices passed to Microsoft.

Should the Alcatel-Lucent acquisition meet all the regulatory checks, it should close some time in early 2016.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Visible’s affordable 5G plans just got even cheaper
The Visible logo on a smartphone.

Visible has a new offer that can help you save significant money when switching to its service. Both Visible and Visible+ packages are now available for purchase upfront on an annual basis. These new annual plans are available for new Visible customers starting today, while existing customers will gain access to them this May.

With this new deal, the Visible+ plan costs $395 per year when paid upfront instead of $540 when paid in 12 monthly installments of $45 each. This means you can save $145, which is 26%. That's an incredible savings. When paying upfront for the regular Visible plan, it will cost $275 per year, saving you $25. If you pay for it monthly, the standard Visible plan costs $25 per month (or $300 per year).

Read more
5G home internet: What is it, and should you get it?
T-Mobile 5G home internet router on tabletop with a person's hand plugging in the power adapter in the background.

Among the many promises of 5G technology to deliver faster speeds and global connectivity is the ability to bring that world without wires to where you live — beyond your mobile phones and tablets and into your home.

Today, most of us rely on home broadband networks that operate over wires — cable, fiber optic lines, or even plain old telephone service (POTS) lines. However, as 5G coverage and capacity expand, wireless technology has begun to give even the fastest wired broadband connections a run for their money.

Read more
Visible just made its unlimited 5G plan better than ever
Visible wireless phones and plans featured

Digital wireless service provider Visible has announced upgrades to its premium Visible+ phone plan. The highlight is a new Global Pass feature that allows Visible customers to use their phones in 140 countries worldwide.

The Visible Global Pass offers unlimited talk and text services, along with 2GB of high-speed data, for a flat rate of $10 per day. Visible+ members can also enjoy a free Global Pass usage day every month. The activation process can be done through the Visible app.

Read more