PSINET TO ACQUIRE TRANSACTION NETWORK SERVICES -- ISP + ECOMMERCE
PSINet will acquire Transaction Network Services, a leading provider of eCommerce data communications processing, for about $720 million ($351 million in cash and up to 7.8 million PSINet common shares). TNI operates a data transport network used by credit card processors in the US to carry account and purchase information between merchants and the processors' data centers for authorization. The company is currently processing about 20 million transactions per day from 2 million businesses. TNI has experienced a 20% growth rate per month in transaction volumes in 1999. It also has operations in the UK, Sweden, France, Australia, and Japan. PSInet said the merger represents the first combination of a market-leading eCommerce enterprise with a global facilities-based Internet service provider. PSINet currently has 600 POPs worldwide in its global network. http://www.tnsi.com
http://www.psinet.com/news/pr/99/TNSI21.html
PSINet, August 23, 1999

COVAD ANNOUNCES DESIGNS FOR VPNS, PROVISIONING API
Covad Communications introduced a Virtual Private Network (VPN) over DSL service and announced an open industry initiative to speed the provisioning of DSL services. The Covad VPN over DSL service, which will be sold through its ISP partners, will be priced in two tiers: Branch Office connectivity between multiple locations and a corporate headquarters, and Teleworker connectivity for telecommuters and other remote individuals who seek secure access to the corporate network and the Internet from home. ISP channel pricing for the Branch Office VPN starts at $150 a month per location for a 144Kbps symmetric DSL connection; pricing for the Teleworker service starts at $60 per month per employee for 384Kbps DSL access. Covad said its ATM backbone allows it to offer Service Level Agreements that include specified qualities of service -capabilities generally not available to VPNs over the public Internet.

To improve DSL provisioning times, Covad has designed an XML (Extensible Markup Language) based application programming interface (API) that automates the entire line ordering process. The API reduces data re-entry inefficiencies thereby eliminating delays due to manual information transfer. Covad will offer a Certified Software Vendor program (CCSV) to encourage other parties to support the API. It plans to submit the API to the ADSL Forum as a first step to standardize provisioning software for the DSL industry. http://www.covad.com/vpn.cfm  
Covad, August 23, 1999

As of July 29, Covad had 20,000 active DSL lines and was offering services available in 17 cities across the US.

INTEL UPDATES GIGABIT ETHERNET SERVER NIC WITH ADDRESS EXTENSIONS IN WINDOWS 2000
Intel announced a driver update for its PRO/1000 Gigabit Server Adapter that adds performance-enhancing Physical Address Extension (PAE) technology. The upgrade will allow a network to directly access up to 64 Gigabytes of a server's RAM. Without the upgrade, the network can directly access data only within the first 4 Gigabytes of RAM on the server. Data residing in the other 60 Gigabytes of memory must first be swapped into the directly accessible portion of RAM, thus decreasing overall server performance. Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 2000 Server Edition will support PAE. Intel's PAE driver will be available in Q4. http://www.intel.com
Intel, August 23, 1999

VENDORS FORM WIRELESS ETHERNET COMPATIBILITY ALLIANCE (WECA) FOR 2.4 GHZ LANS AT 11 MBPS
A group of leading network equipment vendors formed a Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) to drive the adoption of wireless local area networking using the IEEE 802.11 High Rate (HR) Direct Sequence (DS) standard. The standard uses the 2.4 GHz radio spectrum and supports 11 Mbps rates. WECA will establish an industry sanctioned test lab to test and certify the interoperability of any member's products. Founders of the group include 3Com, Aironet, Intersil (formerly Harris Semiconductor), Lucent Technologies, Nokia and Symbol Technologies. http://www.wirelessethernet.org/
WECA, August 23, 1999

VERIO SELECTS REDBACK'S SUBSCRIBER MANAGEMENT
Verio will install Redback Networks' Subscriber Management Systems (SMSs) to expand its DSL Services. Verio will leverage its existing RADIUS dial infrastructure and Redback's SMS 500s and SMS 1000s to pre-provision circuits for new DSL users. The SMSs integrate the functions of a RADIUS database for user authentication, authorization, and accounting. The SMSs also provide remote access servers for session termination and aggregation of up to 4,000 DSL lines; and routers for Internet backbone connectivity. http://www.redbacknetworks.com/
Redback Networks, August 23, 1999

Redback has previously disclosed deployment of its SMS by UUNET, Concentric, Flashcom, Ameritech, Covad, NorthPoint, Williams, and DSLNet.

VERIO RESELLS DSL SERVICES PROVIDED BY NORTHPOINT COMMUNICATIONS
Verio is the largest web-hosting provider based on the number of registered domain names (260,000 Web sites as of June 23). Verio has previously disclosed deployment of Juniper Networks' M40 Internet backbone routers in POPs throughout its US network. 

FIBERNET (UK) TO DEPLOY CIENA'S 40 CHANNEL DWDM
Fibernet is deploying Ciena's MultiWave Sentry 4000 DWDM platform to increase the capacity of its 3,000 km TANet UK nationwide fiber optic backbone. The installation will give TANet up to 40 channels of OC-48 for 100 Gbps aggregate capacity. The network currently has 43 nodes across the country. An initial rollout will be completed in Q4. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.fibernet.co.uk/press/1999/FNET117.htm
Fibernet, August 23, 1999

KPNQWEST DRILLS FIBER CONDUITS UNDER THE THAMES
KPNQwest has completed a 1.2 km crossing under the River Thames in London using a unique construction technique for the telecommunications industry. To avoid potential cable cuts from the numerous construction projects underway in the city at any time, the company used a radar-guided drilling machine to bury 96 fiber optic links 60m under the Thames riverbed. KPNQwest has built an extremely high capacity PoP in the Docklands to connect the city's financial companies to its European and North American networks. http://jv.eu.net/
KPNQwest, August 23, 1999

AMCC INTRODUCES SILICON GERMANIUM OC-192 SONET/SDH AMPLIFIER
Applied Micro Circuits Corp. (AMCC) introduced a silicon germanium (SiGe) OC-192 transimpedance amplifier (TIA) for use in long-haul, SONET/SDH-based DWDM and TDM applications. The device is engineered with a single power supply, an adjustable output  offset necessary for WDM applications and a transimpedance of 1400 ohms. http://www.amcc.com/Compinfo/PressReleases/S3090.htm
AMCC, August 23, 1999

COMANAGE CORP. RECEIVES FUNDING FOR MANAGED SERVICE SOFTWARE
CoManage Corporation, a start-up based in Pittsburgh, PA, received a $12.25 million second round investment from Lucent Venture Partners Inc. and Columbia Capital Equity Partners. The company is developing a software system for the delivery of managed services, including Transparent LAN Service, VPN Service and Cable Modem and DSL-based services, by next generation network operators. http://www.comanagecorp.com
CoManage, August 23, 1999

A Daily Journal For Broadband Networking
Copyright 1999 ATM News Inc.
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