ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 15 -- IBM has formed separate alliances with Nortel Networks, Alcatel, Lucent Technologies, Telcordia Technologies and Ulticom in order to provide telecommunications service providers with new hardware, software and services. The deal will allow IBM the ability to offer upgrades to customers who want newer voice and data networks that take full advantage of the Internet, and telecommunications companies will be able to offer a variety of digital services to companies that provide software over the Internet. Network expansion and upgrades for the telecommunications industry will total $100 billion in 2003, said IBM.
IBM will form laboratories in Raleigh, N.C., France and Asia to create and test the new services and solutions by March of 2001.