European contact center communications services developer NextiraOne (News - Alert) received five awards at the recent Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert) awards held in Dublin. NextiraOne UK & Ireland was named UK & Ireland Partner of the Year. NextiraOne UK was declared 2011 Growth Partner of the year for Communication Business and as Partner of the Year in the Customer Value segment. Alcatel-Lucent named NextiraOne Ireland was named Growth Partner of the Year for Network Business, while NextiraOne France was named Communication Partner of the Year.

NextiraOne attributed its showing at the Alcatel-Lucent awards to the increasing business between NextiraOne and Alcatel-Lucent, particularly in Unified Communications (News - Alert) applications and services. The company noted that NextiraOne UK has seen a 33 percent increase in business with Alcatel-Lucent over the past year. NextiraOne Ireland won reported a 149 percent increase in such business.

"NextiraOne and Alcatel-Lucent have a special partnership and alliance which has both a global and European focus and also works at a local and regional level. For NextiraOne UK to grow year on year by 31% through Unified Communications applications and services – even under such harsh economic conditions - is a testament to the breadth of the Alcatel-Lucent portfolio and the NextiraOne services wrap and the company’s exceptional deployment capabilities," said Chris Donovan, head of channel management, Enterprise UKI Region, in a company statement. “In 2012, the focus on multi-media, multi-device, multi-party collaboration and Video will be key to continued growth and we look forward to our ongoing partnership with NextiraOne in delivering these solutions to our customers.”

NextiraOne is Alcatel-Lucent’s biggest European business partner and a certified Global Partner with more than 2,000 certifications in Europe, the company said. NextiraOne maintains Group-Wide Technology Specialization Accreditation across a number of technologies, including Network Infrastructure, Unified Communications and Contact Centers.

Headquartered in Paris, NextiraOne operates division across Europe designing, installing, maintaining and supporting a wide array of business solutions and communications services to more than 60,000 private and public sector customers. The company has annual revenues of roughly €1 billion and runs sales and service operations in 16 countries, employing about 4,300 employees.

“To receive an award is always pleasing and we are especially proud when such recognition comes from such a key partner. However, winning three separate awards and the coveted Partner of the Year as the highest accolade in our region is exceptional,” said Steven Skakel, managing director UK & Ireland at NextiraOne, in the company statement. “It reflects the close relationship we have with Alcatel-Lucent and also the growing success of this partnership.”