Cisco spurs optimism

Cisco lifted the spirits of the industry when it posted a 76% increase in earnings and its highest quarterly revenue in three years for its fiscal 2004 first quarter. Observers viewed Cisco’s results as an indication that the industry is beginning to recover from its three-year-old slump. The company posted a profit of $1.1 billion, or 15 cents per share, on revenue of $5.1 billion. This compares to the $618 million, or 8 cents per share, earned for the first quarter of fiscal 2003 on revenue of $4.8 billion. http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/1105ciscoposts.html

Cisco lifted the spirits of the industry when it posted a 76% increase in earnings and its highest quarterly revenue in three years for its fiscal 2004 first quarter. Observers viewed Cisco’s results as an indication that the industry is beginning to recover from its three-year-old slump. The company posted a profit of $1.1 billion, or 15 cents per share, on revenue of $5.1 billion. This compares to the $618 million, or 8 cents per share, earned for the first quarter of fiscal 2003 on revenue of $4.8 billion.

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/1105ciscoposts.html

“Customers R Us” is the mantra of Sprint’s reorganization, which CEO Gary Forsee said is “changing the culture” of the carrier. In an address at The Yankee Group Telecom Forum, Forsee talked about how Sprint is integrating its employees, businesses units and services to look at the market from a customer perspective, rather than a product perspective. Currently, up to four sales organizations are calling on customers to discuss each of their product sets. All customers want to hear about is how Sprint services are going to meet their needs, Forsee says. When the reorganzation is complete Jan. 1, Sprint’s largest customers can still expect to have sales folks that are experts in IP VPN or wireless, for example, brought into their account team if necessary. Smaller business customers should expect one salesperson with a good understanding of all the carrier’s products.

https://www.nwfusion.com/edge/news/2003/1105forsee.html

At the same Yankee Group Telecom Forum, MCI CEO Michael Capellas mapped out the carrier’s 18-month product plan only days after receiving some of the best news the carrier has probably heard in well over a year. Capellas said MCI’s future product directions center around developments in security, managed services and product bundles. His remarks followed the approval of MCI’s reorganization plan by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court last Friday. Capellas says the carrier will likely emerge from bankruptcy by January.

https://www.nwfusion.com/edge/news/2003/1104capyankee.html