Why to do it simple, when you can make it complicated?

Why to do it simple, when you can make it complicated?

At the beginning, the story seems very simple. Lucent bought Riverstone for $207m to improve its Ethernet portfolio. Well and probably a good decision at that time. Few weeks after Alcatel bought Lucent. OK

At this point, it is obvious that a conflict of interest can emerge between the two companies on their respective Ethernet portfolio, but it is life and it can be solved internally.

The situation became more complex when press recently reported that Lucent made a deal with World Wide Packets (a Riverstone competitor) to win a pretty large network in the Netherlands.

So the Alcatel-Lucent tandem will have now three carrier-Ethernet product lines to deal with. It is better to be rich and in good health than poor and sick. Isn't it?