Alcatel-Lucent acquires Capella for WSS technology

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) has shored up its in-house optical transport expertise with the acquisition of wavelength-selective switch (WSS) developer Capella Intelligent Subsystems Inc. (a.k.a. Capella Photonics). The privately held Capella was one of the few independent vendors of WSS subsystems for reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs) in the optical communications market.

The deal was first reported by Ray Le Maistre of Light Reading. In confirming that report, an Alcatel-Lucent source described Capella’s WSS products as “strategic to our business.” The source declined to provide other details of the transaction, other than to say, ”the acquisition was not considered material.”

Capella was founded in 2000. Investors have included Formative Ventures, Levensohn Venture Partners, Lucas Venture Partners, Rustic Canyon Partners, Silicon Valley Bank, Saints Capital and Black Diamond Ventures. SingTel Innov8 joined as strategic investor in early 2011. Executives included Larry Schwerin as CEO, Bruce Gray as president, and George Berberis as COO.

The company’s last announced new product was the CR-EX 1x20 WSS subsystem.

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