CTIA: Lucent to buy content provider Mobilitec

Lucent Technologies, which is close to its official merger with Alcatel, announced an agreement to buy content provider Mobilitec for an undisclosed cash sum. An infrastructure vendor is getting into the content business, you say? Lucent says operators are looking for a return on investment from their infrastructure purchases, and Lucent wants to be there to help them deliver good apps over 3G and IMS. But it looks like a bigger play for the vendor. As carriers begin embracing mobile advertising, Mobilitec’s platform just so happens to enable personalized context-aware content delivery and targeted advertising. Not to mention, the world’s infrastructure market is quickly becoming one characterized by managed services deals. Why not roll content platforms in there too? –Lynnette