ISLAMABAD, Feb 9: Alcatel-Lucent, the world leader of telecom technology, plans to train and export Pakistani human resource of telecommunication sector to its operations worldwide and expand its market operations to vertical telecom solutions in Pakistan.

The $25 billion company gained number one position in global telecom ranking in December last year with the merger of Paris-based Alcatel with Lucent of the United States and is looking at new strategies to take a leading position in Pakistan’s growing telecom and IT industry.

Mr Sid Taylor, the new CEO and Country Senior Officer for Pakistan and Afghanistan of Alcatel-Lucent, told Dawn that the new board of directors of the merged entity was currently looking very favourably at a scheme to convert a part of Alcatel Pakistan’s factory in Islamabad into a centre of excellence for research and development of telecom professionals of private and public sector including military officials.

He said about 450 plus existing workforce of the company was fully occupied with the existing business needs in the country. It would, therefore, be hiring a large number of professionals to expand its business in Pakistan and relocate many of them to Alcatel-Lucent’s operations worldwide, particularly to Egypt and Algeria because of their cost-effectiveness instead of bringing such professionals from the United States at higher bills.

"This is part of our new strategy to export talent from here to other markets to meet the requirements of our high-end customers," he said.

Before the merger, Lucent has been selling its products to dedicated clients like defence forces in Pakistan through two local business agents. With the new position, the Alcatel-Lucent would be able to advance its carrier market to improve the services of big customers to service their retail customers.

As such, it would now become “almost a utility” by providing high-end services to Pakistan Telecom Company Limited (PTCL), Mobilink, Paktel, Warid and the armed forces so that they are loyal to their customers with new products and solutions. In addition, it will also be providing products, services and technology to Pakistan government in its e-government project, military exchanges, oil and gas companies, banking and industry besides looking at exporting services and products to the Middle East.

He said Alcatel Pakistan used to provide exchanges and switches of old technology to the Pakistan market for decades and now it would be in a position to provide all types of latest technologies and services like IP protocols etc.

After Alcatel-Lucent, Mr Taylor said Ericsson and Siemens-Nokia now hold second and third positions respectively in the international ranking.

He said his company is considering updating the factory space where it manufactures legacy type switches and convert part of that into technology-transfer centre almost free of cost. Mr Taylor worked for more than a decade as Lucent chief in Middle East and Africa before the two companies were merged in December.

Alcatel-Lucent is a multinational company that provides hardware, software, and services to telecommunications service providers and enterprises. The company is incorporated in France, and has its executive offices in Paris and its North American regional executive offices in Murray Hill, New Jersey.