Lucent Technologies Inc is thought to be on the prowl for something big enough to jump-start its ambitions to add a data communications arm alongside its telecommunications equipment. Lucent already has an agreement with Bay Networks Inc – the company that is now run by a chip rather than a networking specialist – for joint product development. One damper for Lucent is that you have to have been freestanding for two years to do a tax-efficient pooling of interests rather than a purchase where goodwill must be offset against future profits. It has only been free from AT&T Corp for six months.
