Joel Hackney Talks About Wireless Sale

By Mark Evans | Published: July 26, 2009

Joel Hackney, who heads up Nortel’s enterprise business, provides his thoughts about the sales of the CDMA and LTE R&D units to Ericsson.

What’s particularly interesting is a FAQ that includes this question about what Ericsson bought:

Substantially all of Nortel’s CDMA business, which is the second largest supplier of CDMA infrastructure in the world, and Nortel’s LTE Access assets giving it a strong technology leadership position in next generation wireless networks. The deal also includes some intellectual property rights but excludes a small number of 4G wireless patents.

Here’s the e-mail to enterprise employees:

Team,

As you saw in today’s press release and Zmail, Nortel has concluded a successful auction of substantially all of Nortel’s CDMA Business and LTE Access assets, with Ericsson emerging with the winning purchase price of US$1.13 billion.

Please join me in congratulating our carrier wireless colleagues and wishing them well as they strive to close this transaction as quickly as possible.

In order to ensure our Enterprise sales teams are prepared to address any customer questions that may arise, we have created a reference sheet that contains the key messages and a focused FAQ about today’s announcement.

In Enterprise, we remain committed to our own Stalking Horse process, which was announced earlier this week. Our auction date has not yet been determined, but I will continue to provide you updated information as it becomes available.

In the interim, I urge all of you to continue to be ambassadors for the Enterprise business and focus on our customers, ensuring their service and support needs are our top priority. As we have seen with the result of today’s auction, Nortel’s assets continue to be of significant value in our marketplace, and our job is to carry that message forward in the coming weeks as decisions are made about our own business.

Thank you all again for your commitment to moving through this auction with the same passion and professionalism you always bring to the table.

Joel Hackney

President Enterprise Solutions


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  • Milan_Bekich

    “… continue to be ambassadors for the Enterprise business and focus on our customers … Nortel’s assets continue to be of significant value in our marketplace, and our job is to carry that message forward in the coming weeks as decisions are made about our own business.”

    Does Joel Boy really believe this drivel? What exactly is the parking lot pugilist trying to accomplish ?

    Milan

  • Moose_Chaser

    Why would the Carolina Choker want to talk about this ?

    IMHO, he is praying for the same sweet deal that Richard Lowe got;
    ie: JOEL JUST WANTS TO LOOK AFTER HIMSELF.

    You want me to be an “ambassador” ? An ambassador of WHAT ?!

    It would be more appropriate to be an “embarrassador” !!

    MC

  • painful_truth

    Mr. HackAttack—there will be some stalking horses chasing you in your afterlife……

  • felixmk

    The division presidents get a huge chunk of bonus money for selling their units and Lowe is lined up for his. Joel wants to make sure he gets his time at the trough. He is just saying “keep working while we sell this baby and I get my big bucks”.

  • less

    Dear, fellow “Team” member, Jøl,

    You urge us all to *continue* to be ambassadors for the Enterprise business. Fine, but, uh, when will you *begin* to be an ambassador, bringing to the table the necessary commitment, passion and professionalism, to “our” business? 12-18 months has turned into as many days left to try.

    Oops. My bad. You've created a reference sheet, an asset that should continue to be of significant value in the coming weeks.

    Your dedicted underling,

    Sven Samenstrøm

  • NortelTragedy

    Loser!

  • Joel_HackedMe

    When is this guy going to ever just shut up and crawl under the rock that Z had found him under?

    All I can say is….what goes around comes around and Joel has some heavy karma headed his way

    <what a jerk!!>

  • headabovewater

    It would be really nice if all of you Nortel folks just stopped whining about your execs behavior and do something about it…like the French did! It's getting a bit tedious to see the same old posts day after day. DO SOMETHING!!!! Where are the REAL leaders in Nortel???

  • Milan_Bekich

    Oh I so totally agree. Let's all load up the SUV's with Blue Rhino canisters and caravan to the Hackney estate.

    FOLLOW ME TEAM NORTEL !

    Milan

  • NortelEngineer

    True

  • felixmk

    Dear Magnus,

    Its me, Dickie Lowe, but you can call me Dickje. You have not returned my calls. Did you get the flowers I sent? They were supposed to be Ericsson blue carnations. Again, welcome to Nortel CDMA!

    To make you feel welcome, I got you an office on the 16th floor of the Richardson tower. I made sure it was bigger than mine – we will be “floor buddies” now. I also renamed the Sanibel conference room the “Stockholm Conference Room” so you will feel at home. I also called the cafeteria manager and told him to put Swedish meatballs on the menu every day you are in town.

    I have a new org chart ready to go that retains all our key execs, managers, admin people (especially the employee communications folks), and my flunkies. We have a form letter ready to go out on Monday to the engineers telling them that they are gonzo.

    Also, did I tell you I am learning the Swedish National Anthem:

    Du gamla, du fria, du fjällhöga Nord,
    du tysta, du glädjerika sköna!
    Jag hälsar dig, vänaste land uppå jord,
    din sol, din himmel, dina ängder gröna,
    din sol, din himmel, dina ängder gröna.

    Man is it catchy! We will be using it as the intro to all our future employee propaganda, I mean communications.

    I have one last question: when will I get the bonus check for selling the CDMA business to you? We have a tradition at Nortel of over-compensation of greedy execs and I am sure you want to preserve it.

    Anyway, I look forward to your call.

    Your new floor buddy
    Richard (Dickje) Lowe

  • Lookahead

    Nortel employees need a company wide strike to protect themselves, to demonstrate to the Govt., to get rid of bad leader — Zero man cronies. It is a long over-due action, we need an action now!

  • less

    I'm not a Nortel employee, just a watcher. But I'd like to see NT execs get permanently ostracized from leadership for their misdeeds. Public ridicule is a valid outlet to voice one's opinion, in most parts of the world.

    I hear my Krauts in Berlin are clinging to time-tried activism (bummer, though, that it rhymes with “craptivism”) by staging a hunger strike in support of them poor detained Iranian election protestors. Doing so should ultimately effect as much change as posting at AAN, or staging bomb threats at Nortel in France.

    But, wait, AAN has in fact been blamed for negatively influencing Nortel's fortunes. So it can't be a total waste of time.

    And, to counter said hunger sttike, Iran is allegedly planning to air the detainees' voluntarily confessing they are but puppets of Zion, death to it and America. I must respect their culture as you must respect ours (however inferior.)

  • throw_out_the_bums

    In a recent Harvard Business Review, an interesting list of factors was published on what can lead to, as well as hinder one from obtaining that saught after promotion.

    Factors that are absolutely necessary:
    A. Demonstrating Consistently Strong Performance
    B. Displaying Ethics, Integrity and Character
    C. Being driven to lead and to assume higher levels of responsibility

    Deselection Factors:
    A. Having Weak Interpersonal Skills
    B. Treating others with insensitivity or abrasiveness
    C. Putting Self-Interests above Company Good
    D. Holding a narrow, parochial perspective on the business and organization

    Any comments?

  • less

    The Swedexho (no pun) Fountain court! Man I wish I was still there, grabbing my guitar out of the showcase and strumming along to the Swedish national anthem. Maybe even compose a Nortel Song:

    Magnus is our latest Gipper!
    Blå apelsin grön brun skiffer!

    (to the Cisco shills reading along, thats “blue orange green brown slate”, duh)

  • scalppeeler

    I personally see no value in posting the lunacy rants from Z, Joel, Lowe or any other senior executive at Nortel. Do you people really enjoy reading this crap that these millionaires make up on the fly or phone up their personal secretary and PR man to lay out the spin. What would you expect these guys to say? Do you really think they will say anything different than what you are hearing? They are going to try and make a disaster look like a soaring american eagle. That is their job. Why on earth would you expect anything different out of their mouth. They'll never admit fault. Has Roth or Dunn ever admitted any fault of any kind even years after the fact. Think about it. Would you?
    It is a dog eat dog world and everyone has to be out for themselves.
    I'd personally wish they would re-enact the old laws of the west.
    Everyone carries a gun and you carry it where everyone can see it.
    Why don't you go after government officials on this website and the way Canada has turned its back on Nortel. What about manley/dunn and other injustices that are going on.
    If you want to know whats wrong with Canada listen to Lowell Green on CFRA in Ottawa. My friends up there tell me about it regularly and I've heard his show the odd time.
    He'll educate you.

  • less
  • less

    Manage to get a few losers in the door and they can completely invert this leadership skills pyramid. See Nortel.

  • felixmk

    Yes. It is very therapeutic to post rambling rants on blogs. I read that on a health blog called http://www.psychoquacks.com

  • less

    I've been waiting for TongueInCheek to post anything sane, like, about Nortel remaining the recognized leader forever, yay, but it apears he/she/it finally got bored with our childish and silly rants?

  • longgone

    too little, far too late

  • GoProto

    Good Question. What IS he trying to accomplish?
    WTF ? I don't get it- Just more rah rah cheerleading the Team Terrible Two: Z and Hack?
    Maybe we give him too much credit, and he is not trying to accomplish anything at all, as he did at Enterprise for past years. In that case- Good Job, pathetic psychotic parking-lot perpertraitor.

    They really are in bed together it seems.

  • GoProto

    i think TiC is in shock and trying to PiC up the pieces..

  • Compass

    Parking Lot Pugilist.

    Accurate and funny.

  • yes4aapl

    f you want to know whats wrong with Canada listen to Lowell Green on CFRA in Ottawa. My friends up there tell me about it regularly and I've heard his show the odd time.
    He'll educate you.
    —-
    re
    There was a time I had my comp tuned to CFRA in Ottawa

    That is the guy!
    but He retired and is sick now…

    so sad

  • yes4aapl

    To make you feel welcome, I got you an office on the 16th floor of the Richardson tower. I made sure it was bigger than mine – we will be “floor buddies” now. I
    ===
    re
    I'm guessing
    E// does not know Nortel is present in Richardson…
    Even me have trouble to grasp that fact…
    and look
    Canada has only 5000 employees and usa probably 12000

  • sick_sigma

    Tongue in cheek is a rather confusing poster to me. He/she seems to be intelligent about certain things. However, TIC is extremely quick to defend the horrible misdeeds of Nortel upper management. TIC is also very quick to tear down the critics of anyone who points out their wrongful behavior.

    People are losing jobs, benefits, retirement money, etc. because of mike z and his screwups. Most of us feel sorry for the employees. But TIC's sympathy is all reserved for the failed management bunch which got us into this mess.

  • protosphere

    “As we have seen with the result of today’s auction, Nortel’s assets continue to be of significant value in our marketplace”

    Z and Hack sound surprised and pleased. Does this indicate what was sold doesn't merit this price or went for a premium.

    The competitor they now call colleague took something they didn't need only to lock out another competition?

    As the Swedish chef on the puppets would say, soup de jour =)

    With little mention to quality, I like their phones and enjoy my Volvo as plus here =) Once then Volvo was bought out by Ford wasn't it if any foreign talk arises =)

    Lastly, where was Cisco in all of this? Couldn't be bothered or will they take a peek at Enterprise ?

  • yes4aapl

    GoProto
    ==
    re
    He just wanted to show up
    He is there and he wants his $$$$
    Who can deny that?

  • freqmgr

    The E// offices for years were just south of the Nortel campus in Richardson.

  • Milan_Bekich

    The majority of NT senior management attended classes at Harvard Business School.

    Mlan

  • scalppeeler

    Nope.
    He is on every day.

  • http://nortelinsider.wordpress.com/ Desk Jockey

    TiC is busy putting together a conspiracy theory about how Mark Evans plotted and brought about the Ch.11 and subsequent fire sale of Nortel in order to increase traffic to this blog and thus increase advertising revenue for AAN. Yeah, something like that.

    Expect a full report in the next 6-8 weeks.

  • protosphere

    yes “be ambassadors” not Ninjas like a parking lot Kato (in Inspector Clouseau's Pink Panther) Perhaps he should start speaking in a French accent and sport a mustache while bumping into things.

    I wonder if the element of surprise was scrapped having learning he can not do what ever he wants after asking a little girl to roll down her window, even though he was promoted anyways over a veteran who went to Cisco as Enterprise tanked. Be ambassadors, like Manley?.

    Ambassadors, what a lame analogy. These are scientists not politicians he is addressing.

    Be good little ambassadors, ya right, they should practice what they preach than display moral bankruptcy before and during their financial one. A poor term to have used in my opinion by some one who lacked diplomacy, as yet another contradiction.

  • felixmk

    Dearest Magnus,

    Still no call from you. I called your house again and your wife said you were in the sauna and could not be disturbed. That gave me a great idea! I will get a sauna for the 16th floor in Richardson. Then we can hang out together until, as the famous Swedish rapper Lil jön says, “the sweat drips from our balls”. It will be great.

    Also, we still have the box at the Dallas Stars arena for hockey outings. Fabian Brunnstrom from Sweden is my most favorite player. We also have Loui Eriksson. Maybe we can sponsor a sign on the boards like “Ericsson CDMA – Business made Simple” or something like that? I will bring my cowbell and sing the Swedish National Anthem. I checked and they do have Swedish Meat Balls on the catering menu at the Arena.

    Looking forward to your call.
    Dickje Lowe

  • GoProto

    I totally concur with your insights. Bright, but misdirected.

  • GoProto

    Everyone can deny that. The question is, who will?

  • GoProto

    I'll be waiting.. He will not disappoint.He is always right, and the righteous must defend their position.

  • GoProto

    Ha Ha Inspector Clouseau.. ! Love that Pink Guy.However he is an innocent, is he not, eh? His bumbling tactics are genuine, without a spec of malice behind them. Hack's tactics are those of a viper, defensive, and disturbingly evil..

  • GoProto

    Whatever you do Magnus,

    I promised the masses (of + or – 2500) upon condition of my continued role at E/// that there would be unlimited fondue pots and Swedish Hot Chocolate, available in the cafeteria so can you please issue an M-Mail to ensure that this will come true?

    Thanks so much,
    Dick aka Dick

  • NortelTragedy

    P.S. I thought of another campaign that we can do, here goes:

    “Come Together – Nortel and Ericsson, and CDMA and LTE.”

    It's a play on words, of course. What do you think?

    Now, if you don't like these, not to worry, I have another idea: “LTE. What do you want the Internet to be?”

    I have signs, pens, table banners, everything we need.

    That's probably enough for now. I'm going to go wash the Porsche. Well, I won't wash it personally – there's enough ex-Nortel people around for that! – but you know what I mean. And don't think I'm a German car fan because I own a Carrera. The reason for the detail is because I'm going to sell the Carrera and buy a SAAB.

    I've also recently broken out my ABBA collection. I'll show you when you come to Richardson. We can also go visit IKEA (there's some ex-Nortel people working there, too, so I'll have to wear a disguise). We can pick up some Swedish meatballs and Swedish cookies (Brunscrackers).

    Hugs and kisses,

    Ricard (but you can call me Dick, anyone who knows me calls me Dick)

  • scalppeeler

    Wonder what the attrition rate is like at Nortel?
    Surely they must be losing people?
    Surely they don't have all their bases covered. The Crap-Chirp retainers were
    likely targeted at execs and managers neither of whom they need right now.
    I would think they better start taking care of anybody who has stuck it out.
    Revenge of the peons maybe?
    Take money away from overpaid managers and spread it to the ones who do the work.
    Oh I forgot.
    We're talking Nortel here.
    Speaking of kerp and keep. Should not those programs be stopped and revoked.
    Should the money be pulled back from these people and distributed to the lower echelon?
    Makes you wonder if there is a case for this? After all were not these special perks okayed by the courts for the purpose of restructuring. Since restructuring was never done (just a selloff) why were these incentives given out. Especially now that auctions are happening and bids are being submitted why on earth would any of these people given kerps or keeps still be getting money for that reason when they are not even involved in the selloff. It is up to the bidders, the judge and the creditors. What gives?

  • less

    …shocking were them French flics not confiscating NT employees'/bombers' BiCs…

  • The psychiatrist

    Joel_~| HackedMe! lol

  • The psychiatrist

    Team,

    To-employees-and -minions

    the minion part comes from the “I believe campaign” they attempted to brainwash some with.

    Now you really know what they mean when they begin their updates with “Team,”

  • edwardqwerty

    When it's all over, Nortel's final months will become a textbook example on how to methodically euthanize a large company. In hind sight, it's clearly evident that announcements and decisions made prior to Ch. 11 were either designed to drive the company into insolvency, or were just plain negligence.

    What is it about Nortel's “highly valuable assets” that these new owners/bidders can do that current management is unable? Seems to me that current management is blatantly stating that they do not have the expertise/capabilities to utilize these assets like other managers can. And if this is the case, why provided bonuses to incompetence?

  • Asset_Number_XXX

    Hahaha, this is too rich!!! – “anyone who knows me calls me Dick”. Thanks for a good laugh! Loved the Brunscrackers, too.

  • broadbandbill

    With ALL due respect to Mark posting Mr. Hackney’s comments that relate to NT’s CDMA/LTE sale to Ericson are akin to the post-mortem Wacko Jacko show on CNN; both are examples of news-less garbage masquerading as journalism. Time to move on….–bb

  • Theleftbehind

    Unfortunately the enterprise stalking gorse process won't drive any new big bidder. Cisco could be interested in the contact center piece but pay more than 400M is crazy just for that.

    Avaya will be the final buyer and 80% of the employees will be gone. This is an installed base purchase.

  • GoProto

    CliC yer BiC.. let's all light up…

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