Alcatel UK and Ireland country director William Paterson has celebrated 30 long, successful years in the telecommunications industry.
Paterson joined Alcatel in 1998 as country manager overseeing the French manufacturer’s charge in
the UK. Paterson revealed to Mobile News last year Alcatel took 10.5 per cent market share in the UK, leapfrogging the likes of LG, Sony and HTC. This put the company third in the feature phones and smartphones sector.
The firm is now looking to consolidate its position in third by targeting the £100 to £200 smartphone segment.
Industry veteran Paterson told Mobile News: “I don’t know anybody at Alcatel that has been here longer than me. I must be the longest- serving member and I’m really pleased about it.
“I’ve enjoyed all of the ups and downs – every business experiences cycles. It’s been great and I’ve seen so much change.
“If you go back to 1994 and you look at the brands then and compare it to today, there aren’t that many who have been in the market consistently for that length of time.
“A few have disappeared and then come back. We’re the ones who have been there consistently from the beginning to present. That’s such an achievement in this industry, which is the most competitive in Europe.”
Alcatel unveiled seven new handsets at Mobile World Congress this year: the Alcatel 5, 3, 3V, 3C, 3X, 1X and 1C.