Agere Systems

Agere Systems was a semiconductor company that specialized in the design and manufacture of integrated circuits for the telecommunications and data storage industries. The company was formed in 2000 as a spin-off from Lucent Technologies, which was itself a spin-off from AT&T. Agere Systems was led by Henry B. Schacht, a veteran executive with experience at IBM and Lucent Technologies. The company's initial public offering (IPO) was underwritten by Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.

● History

The history of Agere Systems dates back to the early 20th century, when Western Electric was a major manufacturer of telecommunications equipment for AT&T. In the 1980s, AT&T was broken up into several regional Bell operating companies, including Bell Atlantic and Pacific Bell. The Bell Labs research and development organization was spun off from AT&T and became part of Lucent Technologies, which was later acquired by Alcatel. Agere Systems was formed in 2000 as a spin-off from Lucent Technologies, with the goal of focusing on the design and manufacture of semiconductor products for the telecommunications and data storage industries. The company's early success was driven by its relationships with major customers, including Cisco Systems and Nortel Networks.

● Products

Agere Systems produced a wide range of semiconductor products, including integrated circuits for telecommunications equipment, such as routers and switches from Juniper Networks and Extreme Networks. The company also produced storage controllers for hard disk drives from Seagate Technology and Western Digital. In addition, Agere Systems designed and manufactured optical transceivers for fiber optic communications systems, including those used by Verizon Communications and AT&T. The company's products were used in a variety of applications, including networking equipment from 3Com and Dell, as well as data storage systems from EMC Corporation and IBM.

● Technology

Agere Systems was a leader in the development of several key semiconductor technologies, including silicon germanium (SiGe) and gallium arsenide (GaAs). The company's researchers worked closely with universities and research institutions, including Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to develop new materials and processes for semiconductor manufacturing. Agere Systems also collaborated with other companies, including Intel and Texas Instruments, to develop new standards and interfaces for semiconductor products. The company's technology was used in a variety of applications, including wireless communications systems from Qualcomm and Ericsson, as well as optical storage systems from Sony and Toshiba.

● Acquisitions and Merger

In 2007, Agere Systems was acquired by Lucent Technologies, which was itself acquired by Alcatel in 2006. The combined company, Alcatel-Lucent, became one of the largest telecommunications equipment manufacturers in the world, with a portfolio of products that included routers and switches from Juniper Networks and Cisco Systems. The acquisition of Agere Systems by Lucent Technologies was seen as a strategic move to expand the company's semiconductor capabilities and improve its competitiveness in the telecommunications industry. The deal was advised by Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, and was approved by Federal Trade Commission and European Commission.

● Operations

Agere Systems operated a global network of research and development facilities, including locations in Allentown, Pennsylvania, San Jose, California, and Tokyo, Japan. The company's manufacturing operations were located in Orlando, Florida, and Singapore. Agere Systems also had a significant presence in Europe, with offices in London, United Kingdom, Paris, France, and Munich, Germany. The company's products were sold through a variety of channels, including direct sales to major customers, such as Cisco Systems and Nortel Networks, as well as through distributors and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including Avnet and Arrow Electronics. The company's operations were supported by a global network of partners and suppliers, including Intel and Texas Instruments. Category:Defunct companies