NORTEL NETWORKS OUTLINES PLANS FOR OPTERA PACKET SOLUTIONS
Nortel Networks outlined its vision for consolidating multiple IP, ATM, Frame Relay and TDM networks onto a single, optical core. Nortel's plan for converging optical and packet networks will include five elements:

* OPTera Packet Core, an IP/MPLS switching fabric scaling from 10 Gbps to hundreds of terabits of non-blocking throughput. The Packet Core will enable multiple Versalar Switch Router 25000s or Passport 15000 switches to be integrated into a single-hop system with far greater throughput than the separate boxes. Scaling will be provided via inter-shelf optical connections. Beta testing is expected by Q3 2000

* Versalar Switch Router 25000, a terabit class router with a switching capacity of 500 Gbps and 240 Gbps of useable throughput. The Versalar Switch Router 25000 will provide density of up to 576 DS-3s in a half rack. It uses custom micro-programmable packet processors, each of which handles 24 million IP packets-per-second. The product is being designed to support port speeds from DS-3 to four-port OC-192 at full line-rate with quality-of-service enabled. The Versalar Switch Router 25000 is currently in customer trials and is expected to be generally available in Q4 1999. 

* Passport 15000 Multiservice Switch, an ATM-based multiservice switch supporting native ATM, Frame Relay, IP and voice services on a range of high-density interfaces, from DS-3/E3 to OC-48c/STM-16c. The multislot platform can terminate up to 43,000 DS-0s in a single 
NEBs-compliant footprint while scaling up to 40 Gbps. Currently available.

* OPTera Connect DX, an optical cross connect that will act as a smart wavelength switch. The optical cross-connect will provide service management capability and gateway functions between a minimum of 2304 STS-1 ports to a maximum of 9212 STS-1 ports (500 Gbps). It will interconnect multiple ring and mesh-based services operating at different line rates (155 Mbps to 10 Gbps). The OPTera Connect DX will be available for customer trials in the second quarter of 2000. 

* Integrated Network Management, software available today.

Nortel said a key feature of its OPTera Packet Solution would be its ability to share network topology and state information between the packet and optical layers. A Webcast of the announcement is available online. http://www.nortelnetworks.com/corporate/pressroom/ops/
Nortel Networks, September 28, 1999

NORTEL TO OFFER OPTICAL PROTECTION RINGS WITHOUT SONET/SDH
Nortel Networks plans to introduce Optical Protection Rings for its OPTera LH platform. The new capability will provide individual wavelength traffic protection in a non-SONET/SDH based network and will be able to support high-capacity 10 Gbps routers and on-ramp traffic. Nortel Networks described the solution as complementary to its current ring-based protection deployed in customer networks but noted that the new technology would change people's concepts of reliability in the optical layer. Commercial introduction is 
expected in the first half of next year. http://www.nortelnetworks.com
Nortel Networks, September 28, 1999

CORVIS TO SUPPORT OC-192C INTERFACES ON ITS OPTICAL SWITCH
Corvis Corporation, a start-up based in Maryland, will offer OC-192 and OC-192c interfaces for its all-optical switching, transport and network management platform. The company will support both IP data-centric OC-192(c) services as well as more traditional SONET devices. Corvis is led by Dr. David Huber, who previously founded Ciena Corp. and developed its 16-channel DWDM platform. http://www.corvis.com/
Corvis, September 28, 1999

LUCENT TO RESELL TURNSTONE'S LOCAL LOOP MGT. PRODUCTS
Lucent Technologies signed an OEM agreement to resell Turnstone's Copper CrossConnect loop management products. Turnstone's product, which sits in a central office between the Main Distribution Frame (MDF) and the DSL access multiplexers (DSLAMs), speeds up the  process of copper loop qualification and testing. Lucent will resell the testing platform along with its DSL access equipment and NetCare installation and customer support professional services.  Separately, Turnstone announced a major contract to supply its Copper CrossConnect loop management products to Covad Communications. Financial terms were not disclosed. Turnstone recently disclosed shipment of more than 1,000 of its Copper 
CrossConnect CX100 platforms to DSL service providers in the first six months of production. Turnstone is based in Mountain View, California. http://www.turnstone.com/
Turnstone, September 28, 1999

WIN SWITCHING SELECTS LUCENT FOR CONVERGED VOICE/DATA NETWORK 
Lucent announced a five-year, $50 million contract to build a converged voice/data network in the Pacific Northwest for WIN Switching, a consortium of independent carriers. The network will use an ATM core and Lucent's PathStar Access Server, 5ESS Switch and 7 R/E Packet Solutions portfolio.  http://www.lucent.com/press/0999/990928.nsa.html
Lucent Technologies, September 28, 1999

INTEL ONLINE SERVICES LAUNCHES ITS WEB HOSTING BUSINESS
Intel Online Services commenced operations at its first two Internet service centers -- a major production facility in Santa Clara, California and a development facility in Folsom, California.  Initial customers include the e-Citi unit of Citigroup, Excite@Home Shopping Service and NEC. Intel said its Santa Clara facility can host more than 10,000 servers, while delivering capabilities for second-generation application hosting and first generation co-location. Intel is also building major hosting facilities near Dulles airport in Virginia, as well as in Japan and England. UUNET is developing network management and enhance routing for the Intel facilities. iXL, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Proxicom, Razorfish and US Interactive will provide eCommerce enhancements. http://www.intelonlineservices.com/
Intel Online Services, September 28, 1999

NETRO ADDS FREQUENCIES AND PERFORMANCE TO ITS BROADBAND WIRELESS ACCESS SYSTEM
Netro Corporation announced its second generation AirStar system, a point-to-multipoint broadband wireless platform providing dynamic bandwidth access on a packet-by-packet basis . AirStar Release 2.0 expands the platform's addressable market by offering support for 39 GHz licensed frequency for the US market and for the 10 GHz Latin American channel plan. Major enhancements also include an increased channel capacity enabling individual subscribers to burst up to 16 Mbps, integration of the modem unit into the hub chassis, and increased port density and capacity of the sector control hardware. Netro's proprietary CellMAC media access protocol, coupled with the product's TDMA and ATM foundation, supports the transmission of voice, IP and Frame Relay traffic. The new release also supports intelligent signaling of voice applications, such as PRI-ISDN and DASS2. Field trials for Release 2.0 began in July. Lucent Technologies resells the Netro platform on an OEM basis under its OnDemand Wireless Access label. Siemens/Italtel is also a Netro partner. 
http://www.netro-corp.com/ 
Netro Corporation, September 28, 1999

ALCATEL TO ACQUIRE GENESYS LABS FOR CALL CENTER SOLUTIONS
Alcatel will acquire Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, a developer of Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) and call center solutions, for approximately $1.5 billion in stock. The Genesys call center architecture integrates telephony systems and enterprise databases across multiple sites. Genesys has added modules for handling incoming voice calls and e-mail in a blended environment, and for interacting with customers in real time via 
the web, such as allowing customers to view real-time call queue statistics for average wait time and number of calls ahead of them. Genesys is based in San Francisco, California.
http://www.genesyslab.com/
http://www.alcatel.com/press/current/1999/09_28.htm
Alcatel, September 28, 1999

THE LIST OF ALCATEL ACQUISITIONS

GLOBAL CROSSING COMPLETES MERGER WITH FRONTIER
Global Crossing closed its merger with Frontier Corporation. The merged company will have a one of the largest global fiber-optic networks with connections to major cities on five continents. It also owns one of the largest web hosting operations. http://www.globalcrossing.com/index.asp
Global Crossing, September 28, 1999

FOUNDRY NETWORKS ROCKETS 525% -- TOP FIRST DAY GAINER FOR IPOs
Shares of Foundry Networks (NASDAQ: FDRY) jumped 525% (+131 ¼) in their first day of public trading, closing at 156 ¼. Reuters described Foundry's rocketing share price as the top first-day percentage gainers for IPOs. The company's product line includes Gigabit Ethernet Layer 2, Layer 3 and Layer 4-7 switches aimed at enterprises and ISPs. Its top customer accounts include AOL, MindSpring, Global One, LTV Steel and Incyte Pharmaceuticals. http://www.foundrynetworks.com/
ATM News Digest, September 28, 1999.