Nokia CEO says Alcatel buy will increase its 5G firepower

By Eric Auchard FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Nokia's planned takeover of rival network gear maker Alcatel-Lucent will give it far greater scope to invest in new technologies like 5G mobile equipment while cutting costs, its chief executive said on Wednesday. Rajeev Suri also told Reuters in an interview that the Finnish company was making rapid progress towards closing the acquisition, originally valued at 15.6 billion euro ($16.62 billion). The deal coincides with a major new industry investment cycle