IBM ANNOUNCES NETWORK PROCESSORS
IBM Microelectronics announced a family of programmable communications processors designed for routers, switches and hubs. The new products for the OEM market will include:

* a multi-protocol processing engine for gigabit switch routers and other network hardware supporting ATM, POS, Frame Relay and Ethernet. The device features an integrated SONET framer and OC12c interface

* an integrated processor that provides end-user connection to servers and desktop switches

* a processor for ATM resources

* a 28.4 Gbps, protocol-independent Packet Routing switch and switch fabric (including subsystem chips, system companion chips, software, and test tools. The design will scale to support up to 60 Gigabit Ethernet ports.

* a SONET/SDH framer

Product datasheets and a whitepaper on IBM's network processor vision are online. http://www.chips.ibm.com/news/1999/990902/990902a/
IBM Microelectronics, September 2, 1999

C-PORT AND IBM WORK ON NETWORK PROCESSOR APIs
IBM and C-Port, a start-up silicon designer, will work together to define common application programming interfaces (APIs) for their network processors. C-Port selected IBM to build its C-5 Digital Communications Processor (DCP). The companies also agreed to cooperate on future designs. C-Port's programmable single chip C-5 DCP system supports any mix of network protocols (IP, Ethernet, ATM, Frame Relay, SONET) over physical interfaces ranging from DS1 to OC-48 at full wire speed. The device offers 3,000 MIPS of processing power and 5 Gbps of aggregate bandwidth. Multiple devices can be stacked in order to scale equipment designs to the terabit level. The chip includes a dedicated, programmable RISC core, two programmable serial data processors for handling low-level communications tasks such as packet and cell parsing, validation, framing, and encoding/decoding, and five optimized coprocessors that accelerate specialized networking tasks -- traffic classification, queue management, payload handling, fabric interfacing and supervisory processing. 
http://www.cportcorp.com/news/pr_990831.htm
C-Port, September 2, 1999

NOKIA ACQUIRES ROOFTOP COMMUNICATIONS FOR 2.4 GHZ, MULTIPOINT NETS
Nokia acquired Rooftop Communications, a start-up developing multipoint-to-multipoint radio routers, for US$57 million in cash and stock. Rooftop claims to have simplified the line-of-sight problem for residential wireless access by employing a design in which each of its Internet Radio acts as both an access device and a part of the network infrastructure -- each CPE radio routes traffic for neighboring nodes. The multi-hop routing makes use of a proprietary Internet Radio operating system to handle security and intelligence. Rooftop's first Internet radios operate in the 2.4 GHz unlicensed ISM band. Performance is described as ISDN to T1-like speeds. A lower power version has a range of 1000 feet to 1 mile multipoint-to-multipoint; 3 miles point-to-multipoint; and 6 miles point-to-point 1 (1.6 to 9.6 km); a higher power version extends the range to 30 miles (48 km). Rooftop's technology evolved from DARPA government research programs. The company is based in Mountain 
View, California and has 20 employees. Nokia said it intends to combine Rooftop's wireless data networking expertise with its RF strength, brand name and sales channels. http://www.rooftop.com
http://www.nokia.com
Nokia, September 2, 1999

Nokia's Networking Acquisitions

* Rooftop Communications, 2.4 GHz multipoint radios and routing for wireless access, price not disclosed, Sept 99

* InTalk Corporation, wireless LAN access point operating in the 2.4GHz unlicensed frequency band at data rates between 1 and 2 Mbps, price not disclosed, Feb 1999

* Diamond Lane Communications, DSLAMs and DSL systems, $125 million, Feb 99

* Vienna Systems, an IP telephony developer, for approximately US$90 million, Dec 1998

* Ipsilon Networks, IP switching concept, US$120 million, Dec 1997

PEREGRINE SEMICONDUCTOR RAISES $8 MILLION FOR WIRELESS ICS
Peregrine Semiconductor, a start-up focused on wireless solutions, received $8 million in venture funding from Wasserstein-Perella Ventures, Patricof and CSK Ventures of Tokyo. Peregrine develops ICs for wireless and satellite communications. The company is based in San Diego, California. Its high-yield UTSi process supports very high operating frequencies in conventional CMOS. Products are being developed for phone, paging, integrated ISM radio, and Bluetooth applications. http://www.peregrine-semi.com
Peregrine Semiconductor, September 1, 1999

WILLIAMS COMMUNICATIONS' IPO PRICING EXPECTED IN OCT
Williams Communications filed amended SEC registration papers covering an initial public offering of 29.6 million shares, with an additional 4.4 million shares reserved for over allotment, in a price range of $21 to $23 per share. Williams will sell at least $725 million of common stock in private placements to SBC Communications, Intel and Telefonos de Mexico. Pricing is expected in about a month. http://www.williams.com/news/rel393.html
Williams, September 2, 1999

GLOBAL CROSSING AND FRONTIER AMEND MERGER DEAL
Global Crossing sweetened its acquisition bid for Frontier Corp. to create a fixed exchange ration of 2.05 Global Crossing shares for each Frontier share. Frontier agreed to drop its walk-away right and Global Crossing promised to institute a $500 million stock repurchase plan after the merger is completed. http://www.frontiercorp.com/about/news/199992-936280545.html
Frontier, September 2, 1999 

COVAD EXPANDS DSL NETWORK TO 19 ADDITIONAL STATES
Covad Communications plans to build new DSL networks in 49 additional metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and 19 additional states. The expansion will bring Covad's DSL coverage to 100 of the top MSAs in the US, representing 40% of small businesses and 
residences. The network construction will be completed by the end of next year. http://www.covad.com/about/press_releases/press_090299.html
Covad Communications, September 2, 1999

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

FUTURE SOFTWARE RELEASES PORTABLE MPLS SOFTWARE
Future Communications Software released its portable MPLS software solution for Label Edge and Label Switch Routers (LERs/LSRs). The source code provides IP packet switching, LDP and CR-LDP functionality over ATM-AAL5 and Ethernet networks. Subsequent releases will address integration with RSVP based LSP setup, Frame 
Relay, QoS and VPN support. A white paper on MPLS is available on their website. Future Software Pvt. Ltd. is a privately held company headquartered in Chennai, India with offices in San Jose, California and Richardson, Texas. http://www.futsoft.com/mpls.htm
Future Software, August 30, 1999

CABLELAB CERTIFIES TERAYON'S DOCSIS MODEM
Cable Television Laboratories certified Terayon's cable modem as DOCSIS 1.0 compliant. Ten other cable modem vendors have received CableLabs certification: 3Com, Arris Interactive, Askey, Cisco Systems, General Instrument, Philips Electronics, Samsung Information Systems of America, Sony, Thomson Consumer Electronics and Toshiba. CableLabs said there are more than 60 different cable modem deployments underway by cable operators. http://www.cablelabs.com
CableLabs, September 2, 1999

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