US, Israeli firms vie for P400-M AFP project

A major US telecommunications company and an Israeli firm are the top contenders for a P400-million communications project of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Documents obtained by The STAR showed that US-based Lucent Technologies and Israeli company Ceragon Networks are in the shortlist of firms vying for the fixed communications system project of the AFP.

The 125-year old Lucent has a track record of providing state-of-the art communications system to the US Armed Forces.

Documents showed President Arroyo was informed of Lucent’s interest in the program in 2003 during a visit to New York. It was Lucent chairman Pat Russo himself who told Mrs. Arroyo of Lucent’s interest.

The company has been involved in US military projects since Word War II.

In the Philippines, Lucent has undertaken projects in the past 15 years with premier telecom firms like Globe Telecom and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.

Ceragon Network Philippines, on the other hand, began as a representative office of Ceragon Hong Kong on Aug. 10, 2004. It was incorporated as Ceragon Network Philippines in December 2005, with Data Trail Corp. as joint venture partner.

Records at the SEC showed that Data Trail is a wholesale distributor of machinery, computer accessories and construction materials. – Perseus Echeminada