AlcaLu tells Light Reading the acquisition was made "late last year … to add to our overall optical capabilities." San Jose, Ca.-based Capella makes WSS products for use in ROADMs (reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers) and optical cross connects. (See Capella Adds 1x20 WSS.)

The vendor giant isn't revealing any more than that, though, saying only that it was "a relatively small acquisition" and that news of the deal wasn't broadcast as the purchase price fell below (an unspecified) "threshold for public disclosure."

The deal would have been struck just as AlcaLu was coming to terms with significant job cuts and arranging a financial lifeline. (See Alcatel-Lucent Secures