Alcatel-Lucent and INRIA, the French national institute for research in computer science and control, operating under the dual authority of the Ministry of Research and the Ministry of Industry, have opened their joint research laboratory for next generation networks. This collaboration emphasizes the desire to improve existing networks and create the technological solutions of tomorrow to manage the inevitable growth of Internet and associated services.

The virtual laboratory has 50 researchers and includes 15 specially recruited young researchers. The introduction of joint management by a world-class scientist and an engineer at the heart of industrial concerns symbolizes the symmetry of the partnership around teams that will be working together to meet the major challenges of tomorrow.

The implementation of this partnership through a joint laboratory offers ideal working conditions under which to initiate long-term R&D objectives (pooling of the best teams on the basis of targeted core business, upstream knowledge of the subjects and privileged human relations). The research envisaged in this laboratory will enable the networks to extend their cover, capacity or quality of service, while at the same time controlling their cost.