Lucent buys Ascend for $20 billion

the drenalizer writes "Here is an interesting one for the ISP and telco industries. CNN has an article on this story. Reaction so far seems that ISP's are optimistic about the deal and think that Lucent can benefit from getting Ascend's SOHO product line and some of the mid range products that they offer (and maybe Ascend customers will appreciate more clueful tech support according to some). "

Where'd you read that?

[Shaman]

We get excellent speeds out of our MAXen. 6.0KB/s is the norm for good solid 56K connects. ISDN connections are a solid 14KB/s.

Ascend's not just Ascend

[justin42]

Many of you are leaving out the fact that half of
Ascend is the former Cascade Communications (which
make AMT and FR switches). This is what Lucent wants. Forget the buggy low-end dial-in stuff. It's the core switching equipment which Lucent has customer's asking for.

hehe, 20 million

[synaptic]

that's a handful of loaded MAX TNTs

I heard rumors about this and am glad it happened. Some of the Ascend stuff I have to deal with is just brain-dead so maybe Lucent can address these issues. Then again, it's better then 3com racks so I can't complain.

Ascend winmodems?

[Coram]

Hey maybe with LT getting some new tech they will be able to build their el cheapo winmodems with actual functionality! From the troubles I have providing tech support for winmodems I certainly hope so. I'm not the only one. winmodems.org [winmodems.org]

Ascend winmodems?

[Coram]

If you read my comment again you will see that I suggested that LT might be able to build working winmodems with Ascend's technology. Hell, they could probably build better winmodems with Pizza Hut's technology...

I work for an ISP...

[Timex]

ugh. why not identify yourself when you want to make comments like that?

i work for Cabletron. is that a good thing? your guess is as good as mine. I know that Gig is not too bad; sure it's got some problems, but it has only recently gotten its standards ratified.

One thing that Gig has over ATM is getting things going. with ATM you have to monkey with configurations all over the place. with Gig (like any other Ethernet), it's pretty-much PnP.

Back to the subject at hand: Lucent buying Ascend.... It was bound to happen that SOMEBODY was gonna get bought; at ctron, we heard rumors that it would be US. obviously that didn't happen. now it's us and Newbridge looking for a buyer. (personally, i think it'll be Newbridge that gets bought before Cabeltron.)

_______

I work for an ISP...

[stimpy]

according to people who should know, Lucent is going to phase out the Ascend boxen...(shrug)

Brian

Ascend also has a Broadband Access group

[hgc]

which makes equipment that can take 10/100 Enet, DS1, DS3, Voice, and Frame Relay and send it out an ATM trunk (anything from DS1 up to OC3, or multiple DS1's using IMA). And these of course talk directly to the Cascade ATM switches.

This merger is probably a good thing for both Lucent and Ascend.

-- hgc

Actually it's $20 Billion

[gjt]

It's $20 Billion with a 'B'. 1,000 times bigger - and in stock. The value is now acually higher than $20 billion because Lucent's stock price rose on Friday.

Stock Grant

[PDG]

And to think only 2 months ago Ascend offered me a cushy job which included $20,000 worth of Ascend stock. I'm happy where I am but, ouch, that really hurts.