Alcatel-Lucent buys ProgrammableWeb as part of app enablement strategy

Alcatel Lucent (ALU) continued its strategy of connecting operators, enterprises and developers, buying ProgrammableWeb, a repository for more than 2,000 application programming interfaces, for an undisclosed sum.
The acquisition will give Alcatel Lucent access to ProgrammableWeb’s developer community, as well as the company’s 2,200 APIs, usage patterns, monitoring services, trial services and its automated update services. Alcatel-Lucent said it will be able to bundle these types of services under its Open API service. In addition, the acquisition will give developers access to Alcatel-Lucent’s resources, including a dashboard that allows developers to see how their applications are being monetized.
“If you look at any organization that launches an API, you quickly realize that the one thing the most successful APIs have in common is a vibrant developer ecosystem,” said Laura Merling, vice president of Alcatel-Lucent’s global developer strategy. “Our goal is to protect the uniqueness and independence of ProgrammableWeb as an API repository and developer resource, while adding beneficial technologies and service provider relationships to the mix for everyone’s benefit.”
Wireless operators, chip companies, handset manufacturers, operating system providers and infrastructure companies are all trying to reach the developer community as the mobile Internet starts to drive wireless growth. Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, Vodafone Group plc, Qualcomm Inc., Nokia Corp., Google Inc. and Research In Motion Ltd. are just a few of the companies courting developers to write apps for their networks, devices and OSes. As such, infrastructure companies like Alcatel-Lucent are trying to position themselves in the middle of the equation, helping operators leverage the mobile network’s assets for developers. The press release announcing the acquisition said ProgrammableWeb’s developer community counts hundreds of thousands of developers. As such, the purchase will help drive Alcatel-Lucent’s Application Enablement strategy, which connects operators and the developer community.
“ProgrammableWeb has always sought to put developers first, by giving them the most timely and comprehensive picture of everything related to APIs,” said John Musser, ProgrammableWeb founder. “That mission will be strengthened and expanded by joining forces with Alcatel-Lucent. As APIs become more central to software strategies in all domains, we’ll make ProgrammableWeb an even better one-stop independent source.” Musser will move to Alcatel-Lucent and continue to oversee the ProgrammableWeb business, which will operate as a separate entity.