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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 ddagDh8RTuYHl/cMWT6OYQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000903423-04-000859.txt : 20040917
<SEC-HEADER>0000903423-04-000859.hdr.sgml : 20040917
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040917173628
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000903423-04-000859
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	3
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040910
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040917
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20040917

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BOOKHAM TECHNOLOGY PLC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001110647
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SEMICONDUCTORS & RELATED DEVICES [3674]
		IRS NUMBER:				000000000
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		90 MILTON PARK ABINGDON
		STREET 2:		011-44-1235-827200
		CITY:			OXFORDSHIRE ENGLAND
		STATE:			X0
		ZIP:			OX14 4RY

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NORTEL NETWORKS CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000072911
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH APPARATUS [3661]
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		3
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-30684
		FILM NUMBER:		041036483

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		8200 DIXIE ROAD SUITE 100
		STREET 2:		BRAMPTON
		CITY:			ONTARIO CANADA
		STATE:			A6
		ZIP:			L6T 5P6
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9058630000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		8200 DIXIE ROAD
		STREET 2:		SUITE 100 BRAMPTON
		CITY:			ONTARIO CANADA
		STATE:			A6
		ZIP:			L6T 5P6

	FORMER NAME:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	NORTHERN TELECOM LTD
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19940831

	FORMER NAME:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	NORTHERN ELECTRIC CO LTD
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19760324
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>bookham-nortel_0916ex.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-09-10</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001110647</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOOKHAM TECHNOLOGY PLC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BKHM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000072911</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NORTEL NETWORKS CORP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>8200 DIXIE ROAD SUITE 100</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>BRAMPTON</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ONTARIO CANADA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>A6</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>L6T 5P6</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>ONTARIO, CANADA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40000000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Held by wholly-owned direct and indirect subsidiaries of reporting person</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>20,000,000 Senior Unsecured Convertible Note Due 2007</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-09-10</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2005-09-10</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityValue>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityValue>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Held by a wholly-owned subsidiary of reporting person</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The reporting person has been advised that, effective as of September 10, 2004, Bookham Technology plc, a corporation
organized under the laws of England and Wales (&quot;Old Bookham&quot;) consummated a reincorporation in the United States pursuant to
a scheme of arrangement under the laws of England and Wales (the &quot;Scheme of Arrangement&quot;) in which a newly-formed Delaware
corporation, Bookham, Inc. (&quot;New Bookham&quot;), has become the parent company of Old Bookham and the shareholders of Old Bookham
have become the holders of common stock of New Bookham. The reporting person has also been advised that, as a result of the
Scheme of Arrangement, New Bookham has become a reporting company under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended. The reporting person is filing this Form 3 because it is a 10 percent holder of New Bookham.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">In connection with the Scheme of Arrangement, Nortel Networks UK Limited (&quot;NNUKL&quot;), a subsidiary of the reporting person,
exchanged its $20,000,000 Senior Unsecured Note Due 2007 (the &quot;Original Note&quot;) issued by Old Bookham for the $20,000,000
Senior Unsecured Convertible Note Due 2007 (the &quot;Convertible Note&quot;) issued to NNUKL by New Bookham, which is listed above in
Table II (the Original Note was originally issued to Nortel Networks Optical Components Limited and assigned to NNUKL prior
to such exchange).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The holder of the Convertible Note is entitled to convert the Convertible Note into shares of common stock of New Bookham at
a conversion price equal to ninety (90%) percent of the average of closing price per share of New Bookham common stock on
The NASDAQ National Market, or any other principal securities exchange or trading market where the common stock is then
listed or trading, for the three (3) trading days preceding the conversion date, but at no time less than $19.00 per share,
subject to certain customary adjustments. Assuming a conversion price of $19.00 per share, the Convertible Note would be
convertible into 10,526,316 shares of common stock of New Bookham.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Deborah J. Noble, Corporate Secretary and Authorized Representative of Nortel Networks Corporation</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-09-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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