Nortel’s LTE Orphans

By Mark Evans | Published: September 16, 2009

From the files of the sad and bizarre comes a strange tale of a small group of R&D employees working for Nortel’s LTE division.

Apparently, Nortel kept about 100 of its top LTE R&D people aside for Research in Motion, which had been interested in the LTE R&D business, and would still like to buy the LTE patents.

When Ericsson won the CDMA and LTE R&D business, it extended offers to everyone EXCEPT the 100 people who have been “reserved” for RIM.

As you can appreciate, these people were pissed about not being part of the Ericsson deal, so Nortel has been scrambling to try to place them over the past two weeks within other parts of the organization. Unfortunately, it appears some of them will be laid off today.

If anyone has more details, especially if you’re one of the 100 R&D employees, please send them along.

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  • LTE_Engineer

    The “RIM list” did include some very key people, but I wouldn't say ALL the key people were on that list. I believe the E/// and RIM lists were pretty balanced in terms of key people.

    My opinion is that RIM is to blame for this. Plus, if RIM really cared about the people affected, they would hire them!

  • GoProto

    “…were sequestered to be orphaned as an understood thing between NT and bidders.”
    ——————–
    Oh, I agree – but I think “bidders” includes RIM (pre-auction “understanding” that NT did not follow through on) and perhaps NSN in their Stalking Horse deliberations/ultimate bid, but not necessarily Ericsson. They were probably taken off the table specifically for RIM, pre-NSN and as recent AAN thread states, these 100 may still have a life at RIM. IMO, there's no reason to think they are not in the top group of LTE R&D, where would Mark have gotten that info from-somewhere? Although NT is certainly capable of these shifty tactics, you may be over-reaching to call them troublesome sacrificial sheep.

  • zeroman

    oh yes you invented LTE like Al Gore invented the internet. you pompous a$$

  • GoProto

    “My opinion is that RIM is to blame for this. Plus, if RIM really cared about the people affected, they would hire them!”
    ———————————-
    see Mark's newest thread re: RIM's position. To me, they way things went down seems to be squarely on NT's shoulders. As far as “caring”, this is business, as it should be. If NT had been serious about business, and 100% focused on staying in business instead of the shenanigans that went on, they would probably still be whole today.

  • GoProto

    Where's a “Lockbox” when you need one?? ;>)

  • NTInfidel

    “To me, the way things went down seems to be squarely on NT's shoulders, as they are the employer and went along with this sequestering – For Their Own Benefit.”

    I believe everyone involved (with more information than available here) does not blame this one on Nortel management.

    But even with the information available here, it shouldn't be hard to see that when a deal is in the works that includes headcount, you can't turn that headcount over to another company without facing potential lawsuits.

    Also consider that the Ericsson deal actually included a specified headcount. They have no obligations beyond that.

    I know it goes against the grain on this board, but this one was not inflicted by Nortel.

  • GoProto

    I'm sorry, I should explain. I agree with and understand why it is that Ericsson could not and did not take these employees. Maybe not “inflicted” by Nortel, but this fall-out perhaps avoidable. What I find fault with is NT's architecture of this plan, choosing these people to be held aside for a “possible” deal with no back-up plan if it didn't happen. For every plan, you should have an alternative if it doesn't happen, especially when you are dealing with other people's livelihoods, unbeknownst to them. Based on Mark's description that they are now “scrambling” it seems this was not ever considered, which it seems “nice” they are concerned, but there should not be a need to scramble when you think things through with some thought and care.

  • LTE_Engineer

    NT did not choose to hold these folks aside hoping for the RIM deal, but the deal was imminent and RIM picked most of the people and prevented them from being part of the stalking horse. I still blame RIM.

    By the way, word on the street is that E/// will be extending offers to most of these folks soon. I think all of them should get offers, but a few may not :(

  • GoProto

    But most may? That is awesome. I knew that someone would not cast aside people with this much talent.
    Thanks for the update. Hope it will pan out,

  • NTInfidel

    Not at work this week?

    The layoffs were yesterday, you couldn't miss the mass of goodbye emails. A whole bunch of people didn't decide to leave on their own yesterday.

    While some people were saved and the numbers here are not the numbers I heard and I won't go into those specifics.

    There were essentially no changes from Mondays Somber Townhall when the cuts (and numbers for cut/saved) were announced, till yesterday when the same number of cuts announced Monday were ALL cut.

    It is really sad for those let go, to make it so far, through so many cuts, to get tossed just before the end and they will get lost in a sea of Enterprise folks in the job market.

  • lte_123

    I'm one of the LTE people let go yesterday. I think that Mgmt did their best to accommodate people and saved many jobs. They are reasonable people and I don't doubt that they did their best to save as many jobs as possible and I appreciate their efforts.

    I don't speak for the others, only myself.

  • lte_123

    I'm one of the LTE people let go yesterday. I think that Mgmt did their best to accommodate people and saved many jobs. They are reasonable people and I don't doubt that they did their best to save as many jobs as possible and I appreciate their efforts.

    I don't speak for the others, only myself.

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