MAY 15, 2008 -- Alcatel-Lucent (search for Alcatel-Lucent) and NTT (search for NTT) have signed a collaborative agreement focusing on optical packet switching technologies. The collaborative agreement was signed between Alcatel-Lucent's Bell Labs research organization and NTT's Photonics Labs.

According to the two companies, the continuing demand for innovations in packet transport networks are driven by several factors: the emergence of very-high bandwidth subscribers, notably with FTTx deployments on a large scale; new reduced power consumption and footprint specifications; and low latency applications such as storage area network (SAN) or grid computing. Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs and NTT Photonics will cooperate in investigations on optical packet switching technology, including transport multi-protocol label switching (T-MPLS), the initial version of MPLS Transport. Specific terms and conditions of the agreement were not disclosed.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Alcatel-Lucent on this project -- one that represents a significant occasion to combine our well-proven research capabilities with Bell Labs' market-leading expertise in optical networking to raise the bar of technology innovation and benefit end-users," said Yoshio Itaya, director of NTT science and core technology laboratory group.

"We are looking forward to taking the next step in Alcatel-Lucent's already close and successful research and development cooperation with NTT," said Jean-Luc Beylat, head of business partnerships at Alcatel-Lucent's Bell Labs. "As the demand for technology innovation continues to increase, this collaborative agreement is a powerful opportunity for two world class research organizations to collaborate in addressing the very complex challenges in the next generation of optical networks.

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