LUCENT ADDS TO ITS OPTICAL NETWORKING PORTFOLIO
Lucent Technologies announced three new products for its optical networking portfolio:

* The WaveStar MetroPoint OLS -- a lower cost, point-to-point transport system that can transmit up to 16 wavelengths at OC-48 over distances of 60 km.

* The WaveStar AllSpectra OLS -- an optical enterprise system that uses Wide-Spectrum WDM to space wavelengths farther apart than conventional DWDM. This would allow the use of lasers costing 50% less than those used in traditional long-haul systems. Lucent said 
Wide-Spectrum WDM would also avoid incurring the cost of the components used to align traditional DWDM lasers with high precision. The AllSpectra OLS will support ring configurations and will be bit-rate and format independent. It will be able to support Gigabit Ethernet access to up to six locations along each ring. Time Warner Telecom will be first to test the system. Commercial availability is expected by June 2000

* The WaveStar OpticGate series DWDM network cards -- allowing equipment vendors to integrate DWDM directly into their IP routers and ATM switches. The cards offer per-wavelength capacities of 2.5 Gbp s and 10Gbps and are currently available. Lucent will integrate the cards into its NX64000 Multi-Terabit Switch/Router and its GX 550 "Smart Core" ATM Switch. It is also offering them to other data vendors. http://www.lucent.com/press/0999/990922.nsa.html
Lucent Technologies, September 22, 1999

NTT TESTS MIRAINET, AN ADAPTIVE PHOTONIC NETWORK
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone will begin testing an "adaptive network" designed to respond to rapidly changing demands for bandwidth and services. The experimental MIRAInet project, which  will be launched next month between R&D facilities in Yokosuka, Atsugi, and Musashino, will use state-of-the-art photonics, ultra-dense WDM, wavelength routing, programmable hardware and a combination of optical and wireless user access technologies. NTT said the goal of MIRAInet is to provide network services that cross the boundaries of fixed, mobile and satellite media through the use of a very high-capacity core transport network operating in the terabit per second range. http://www.ntt.co.jp/news/news99e/9909/990921.html
NTT, September 22, 1999

AKAMAI UNVEILS CACHING INTEROPERABILITY PROTOCOL
Akamai Technologies unveiled a Cache Interface Protocol that facilitates communication between network caches and its global network of servers. The new protocol, which is being co-developed with Cisco Systems, will enable caches to report on their performance - such as the number of hits served. Cisco Systems plans to integrate the protocol into its Cisco Cache Engine 500 Series. Novell will integrate the Cache Interface Protocol into its Internet Caching System (ICS), and has formed a technology alliance with Akamai. Other vendors supporting the protocol include Network Appliance, Cacheflow and Infolibria. http://www.akamai.com/home.shtml
Akamai, September 22, 1999

AKAMAI AND FRONTIER ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP
Frontier GlobalCenter agreed to implement Akamai's FreeFlow Internet content delivery service and to offer the service to its customers as a complement to its own source data management services. Akamai will use Frontier's nationwide fiber network and will host FreeFlow servers at three of Frontier GlobalCenter's major Media Distribution Centers domestically and internationally.  Akamai currently has 900 servers deployed on 25 different service  providers' networks worldwide. http://www.akamai.com/news/press4204.html
Akamai, September 22, 1999

Frontier's merger with Global Crossing is expected to close before the end of September.

CISCO SYSTEMS ACQUIRES WEBLINE FOR ONLINE CUSTOMER RESPONSE TOOLS
Cisco Systems will acquire WebLine Communications, a start-up providing customer interaction management software, for approximately $325 million in Cisco stock. WebLine offers software that facilitates two-way information sharing of web pages, forms, applications or voice calls using a web browser. The software synchronizes the web pages of both the customer and the customer service agent enabling them to work collaboratively to solve a problem. WebLine's email management system software allows a large business to track incoming customer emails, similar to tracking phone calls in a customer service center, and then manage the routing and response process. Lands' End, the online and catalog retailing company, recently introduced the WebLine tools to enhance its customer service and ordering process. Other customers include AutoNation, Bose, Fidelity Investments and eToys. WebLine has 120 employees and is based in Lowell, Mass. Cisco said the WebLine technology would complement the distributed call center products it obtained through its earlier acquisition of GeoTel. http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/146/september99/17.html
http://www.webline.com/
Cisco Systems, September 22, 1999

Separately, Cisco announced the completion of its acquisitions of TransMedia Communications (multiprotocol gateways), StratumOne Communications (high performance silicon) and MaxComm Technologies (home LAN and voice gateway products). So far, Cisco Systems has acquired 11 companies in 1999.

TELLABS ADDS IP ACCESS OPTION TO ITS MARTISDXX PLATFORM
Tellabs released an IP Access Package enabling its MartisDXX transport platform to provide secure LAN-interconnect services and native IP services. Tellabs said its MartisDXX managed access and transport network system is currently deployed in more than 160 networks in over 60 countries. http://www.tellabs.com/new/99news/nr092299.htm
Tellabs, September 22, 1999

ECI TELECOM LAUNCHES BROADGATE ACCESS MULTIPLEXER FOR DATA OVER SDH
ECI Telecom introduced a broadband access multiplexer designed to allow service providers to extend their existing SDH networks to their customers' sites. ECI Telecom's new BroadGate access family includes three models of Network Termination Points. Each supports a 155Mbps STM-1 connection to the wide area network and offers a range of subscriber connections, including Frame Relay, IP, LAN, and ATM services. http://www.ecitele.com/rbroadgate.htm
ECI Telecom, September 22, 1999

NEC ANNOUNCES W-CDMA MOBILE PHONE FOR 384 KBPS VIDEO CALLS
NEC unveiled a prototype of a W-CDMA (Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access) mobile videophone based on the IMT-2000 work. The third-generation mobile phone system aims to support 384 Kbps connection rates while mobile, and 2 Mbps connection rates while 
stationary. NEC is equipping the mobile phone with a small CCD (Charged Couple Device) camera, microphone and 2-inch color TFT-LCD screen. It employs MPEG-4 Visual, H.263 Ver.2, MPEG-4 Audio/CELP (8kHz/16kHz Sampling) and G723.1 compression standards. The phone will also use Bluetooth technology to interoperate with a separate and larger  viewer screen. http://www.nec.co.jp/english/today/newsrel/9909/2201.html
NEC, September 22, 1999

WAVESPLITTER RAISES $21 MILLION FOR DWDM SUBSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
WaveSplitter Technologies (formerly known as Applied Fiber Optics) received $21 million in venture financing for its continued development of DWDM components and subsystems. WaveSplitter is developing a unique multiplexing technology that uses fiber optic coupler cascading to achieve denser channel spacing and port counts. The funding came from CDIB Venture Management (Taiwan's China Development Industrial Bank), Mayfield Funds, Lucent Venture Partners, Goldman Sachs, Star Ventures from Germany, Newbury Ventures, NIF Ventures (the venture arm of Japan's Daiwa Securities), Sumitomo Electric Industries, and TDF/SangYong from Singapore. WaveSplitter is based in Fremont, California http://www.wavesplitter.com
WaveSplitter, September 22, 1999

FRANCE TELECOM DOUBLES CAPACITY OF OLÉANE'S INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
France Telecom is doubling the capacity of international links between its Oléane network and peering points at the Open Transit backbone (operated by France Telecom Worldwide Networks and Services), the ATM MAE (MERIT Access Exchange) in Washington, and LINX (the London Internet Exchange). Additional trunks are being added to the AMS-IX exchange in Amsterdam and one the MAE-FFT in Frankfurt. France Telecom said traffic volume on the Oléane network has doubled since 1998. http://www.francetelecom.fr/vanglais/actualite/actu.htm
France Telecom, September 22, 1999

AGERE HIRES IRONBRIDGE FOUNDER AS ITS NEW CTO
Agere named Mike Hathaway as its new Chief Technical Officer (CTO). Hathaway is a founder and former CTO of IronBridge Networks, a start-up developing terabit class switching routers. Agere, a start-up based in Austin, Texas, recently unveiled its new programmable 
Routing Switch Processor for multi-protocol routers, switches and network management equipment operating at OC-48. The company claims 20 design wins to date. http://www.agere.com/home.htm
Agere, September 22, 1999