AOL SELECTS SANDPIPER FOR STREAMING MEDIA SERVICES
America Online (AOL) will implement Sandpiper Networks' Footprint streaming media service within its nationwide network to deliver Webcasts to its 18 million members. Sandpiper's content delivery network uses over 400 Sun Enterprise servers with more than four terabytes of storage capacity on disk arrays, connected with Alteon WebSystems' Ace-Director switches. Sandpiper uses the Inktomi Traffic Server cache platform and has previously disclosed alliances with RealNetworks covering the integration of its RealSystem G2 streaming technology. Sandpiper's Footprint servers are deployed in the more than 25 networks, including AOL, UUNet, GTE BBN, Sprint, Cable and Wireless, ATT/TCG, PSINet and Frontier/GlobalCenter. By the end of the year, Sandpiper plans to have 1,000 Sun Enterprise servers online. Financial terms of the AOL deal were not disclosed. http://www.sandpiper.net/news/press/pr29_b.html
SandPiper, September 14, 1999

SAVVIS TRIPLES THE SIZE OF ITS GLOBAL IP/ATM NETWORK
Savvis Communications has tripled the size of its global IP/ATM network to 87 city POPs -- 30 more planned by early next year. The backbone uses Lucent ATM switches, along with Cisco and Nortel routers. Savvis is leveraging the network for a global VPN service featuring dedicated T1/E1/T3, DSL, dial-up, Internet, ATM and Frame Relay connections. ATM access to the Savvis VPN service offers four levels of QoS levels, ranging from Bronze, for basic applications such as basic e-mail and Web surfing, to Platnium, for real-time voice and video. The VPN services were developed with Bridge Information Systems, Savvis' parent company, to satisfy the requirements of the financial community. http://www.savvis.net/pr/pr-59.html
Savvis, September 14, 1999

AT&T PLANS 26 NEW INTERNET DATA HOSTING CENTERS
AT&T announced plans to build up to 26 Internet Data Centers for its OC-48 IP backbone. The web hosting farms will be located in major US cities, as well as three international sites -- the UK, Germany and an Asia-Pacific location. The facilities will offer redundant security features and access to AT&T's Network Operations Centers. AT&T is testing several content replication and local caching solutions to improve site availability. Enhanced services will include eCommerce processing and "click-to-call" connectivity. http://www.att.com/press/item/0,1193,663,00.html
AT&T, September 14, 1999

NEXTLINK ENTERS BROADBAND WIRELESS FIELD TRIALS
NEXTLINK Communications began its first point-to-multipoint wireless field tests using equipment from Ericsson, SpectraPoint Wireless, Wavtrace and Digital Microwave Corp. NEXTLINK's broadband wireless hub sites will have capabilities to carry data and voice at up to 155 Mbps in point-to-point configurations. In point-to-multipoint configuration, each hub would have the capacity for 672 T-1 (1.544 Mbps) connections. The trial network operates in the Los Angeles area and has several beta customers. NEXTLINK hopes to introduce commercial broadband wireless service in the Dallas area by year-end and in 30 US cities next year. http://www.nextlink.com
NextLink, September 14, 1999

NEXTLINK is the largest holder of LMDS spectrum in the US. Last month, it completed construction of a 432-strand fiber ring extending 60 miles throughout Silicon Valley. NEXTLINK is building 200+ fiber strand networks in the other cities where it plans broadband wireless access services.

RHYTHMS NETCONNECTIONS OFFERS FRAME RELAY, ATM, IP, DSL SERVICES
Rhythms NetConnections will offer Frame Relay, ATM, IP, and DSL transport options over its nationwide, local access network. Rhythms said any of these transport options could be combined with features such as voice, VPNs, security services and video streaming. Rhythms uses Cisco Systems' BPX 8650 IP+ATM switching platform and MCI WorldCom's local-to-global network services, including primary ATM, frame relay, and SONET private line metro area network connectivity. Rhytms also uses Cisco DSL equipment, including the Cisco 6400 universal access concentrators, Cisco 6100 DSL access concentrators, and Cisco 675 SOHO/telecommuter routers. In June, Rhytms announced its first tests of voice/DSL in conjunction with JetStream Communications. Separately, Rhythms NetConnections will offer Ramp Networks' WebRamp 500i SDSL device as a CPE access solution to its nationwide DSL network. The companies will jointly market the solution through Value Added Resellers (VARs). http://www.rhythms.net/ 
Rhythms, September 14, 1999

As of June 30, Rhytms reported 3,250 active DSL lines in service and 508 operational central offices.

SONUS NETWORKS ADDS VOIP OVER ATM AND VTOA TO PACKET TELEPHONY SWITCH
Sonus Networks, a start-up developing an IP Telephony SS7 gateway switch, announced Voice over IP (VoIP) over ATM, voice telephony over ATM (VToA) and packet-over-SONET (POS) support for its platform. The Sonus IP Telephony SS7 gateway features policy-based service management, open APIs and interoperability with LDAP and the emerging Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) specifications. The company has been shipping its GSX9000 Open Services Switch for Voice over IP (VoIP) using Fast Ethernet as the packet interface. Sonus said either VoIP over ATM or VToA would capitalize on ATM's inherent QoS and leverage the transport provided in the significant ATM infrastructures built by many incumbent carriers. Sonus is offering an ATM module with a single OC-12c interface and a module featuring four OC-3c interfaces. The Packet-over-SONET option eliminates the ATM layer completely as VoIP packets are transported directly in SONET frames for optical transport. Sonus is based in Westford, Mass. http://www.sonusnet.com/rel091499.html
Sonus Networks, September 14, 1999

In July, Frontier Communications selected Lucent Technologies to design and build an IP telephony network capable of carrying all its voice traffic by 2002. The core of the network will consist of Lucent's recently announced IP Softswitch and Sonus Networks' GSX 9000 Open Services Switch.

ANDA NETWORKS AND NEC ELUMINANT OFFER TDM TO PACKET MIGRATION
ANDA Networks, a start-up developing a Universal Access Platform to replace DLCs, digital cross-connects, Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) and Fiber Optic Terminals (FOTs), signed a reseller agreement with NEC Eluminant Technologies. The deal authorizes Eluminant to bundle its VISTA Intelligent Access Multiplexer and ISC-303 Intelligent Subscriber Carrier with ANDA Networks' Universal Access Platform 2000 (UAP). NEC Eluminant's VISTA serves as the SONET transport and ISC-303 for digital loop carrier (DLC) line terminations The Eluminant/ANDA joint solution would performs the duties of a digital cross-connect, a DSL delivery system and a multiplexer, providing a migration path from TDM-based access technologies to ATM/IP-based infrastructures. The UAP 2000 will terminate up to 45 distributed ISC- of high-speed backhaul circuits to a GR-303 switch. ANDA Networks is based in Santa Clara, California and is funded by Wu-Fu Chen, Venrock Capital, Highland Capital Partners, PairGain Technologies, InveStar and Crimson Capital.
http://www.andanetworks.com
ANDA Networks, September 14, 1999

FRONTIER COMMUNICATIONS INVESTS IN PLURIS
Frontier Communications made a $3 million equity investment in Pluris, a Palo Alto, California start-up developing a Terabit Network Router with an optical core. Pluris is building an Internet core router that scales up to 184 Tbps of aggregate capacity using a unique fiber-based, distributed switching fabric (instead of an electrical backplane) to interconnect up to 2,000 line cards. Pluris plans to introduce its new Terabit Network Router in early 2000. The company has also received venture funding from Weiss, Peck & Greer Venture Partners, Vanguard Venture Partners, Communications Ventures, Crescendo Ventures, Bay Partners, Piper Jaffray Ventures, DynaFund Ventures, Cassin Ventures, and RWI Group. Pluris recently names Joseph Kennedy as its new President, CEO and Chairman of the Board. Kennedy was founder, chairman and CEO of Rapid City Communications, an early vendor in the Gigabit Ethernet and routing switch market (acquired by Bay Networks). http://www.pluris.com/ 
Pluris, September 14, 1999

AVICI RAISES $40 MILLION FOR TERABIT ROUTER DEVELOPMENT
Avici Systems completed a $40 million, third round of venture funding, led by the Sprout Group and existing investors Accel Partners, Brentwood Associates, and Oak Investment Partners, along with new investors J.P Morgan and MeriTech Capital Partners. Avici's Terabit Switch/Router (TSR) is being developed to handle up to 560 OC-192 ports, for an aggregate switched bandwidth of 5.6 Terabits/second. The product is currently in testing by the National Transparent Optical Network (NTON), which provides the west coast connectivity for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) sponsored SuperNet. Deutsche Telekom has also agreed to test the platform. http://www.avici.com/ 
Avici Systems, September 14, 1999

TI DEMONSTRATES NEW VOIP CABLE MODEM REFERENCE DESIGN
Texas Instruments demonstrated a new Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) cable modem reference design based on its DSP architecture. The cable telephony design uses technology from TI's recent acquisitions, Telogy Networks and Libit Signal Processing. The reference design integrates all of the components necessary to build a VoIP-enabled cable modem, including the DOCSIS chipset/RF front end, RISC processor, memory, operating system, and voice application software. Telogy's Golden Gateway software incorporates compression, line echo cancellation (G.168 compliant), tone detection, and compliance with the NCS (Network Based Call Signaling) network interface protocol (also known as MGCP). http://www.ti.com/sc/docs/news/1999/99067.htm
TI, September 14, 1999

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