QUANTUM BRIDGE ANNOUNCES DYNAMIC WAVELENGTH SLICING FOR OPTICAL ACCESS
Quantum Bridge Communications, a start-up based in North Andover, Mass., unveiled an Optical Access Networking architecture that uses Passive Optical Networking (PON) technology and a proprietary Dynamic Wavelength Slicing (DWS) protocol to allow individual wavelengths to be shared among many end users.  Quantum Bridge said its DWS protocol will provide transparent transport for ATM, Ethernet/IP or TDM.   It will enable users to request additional bandwidth to accommodate seasonal or situational fluctuations of anticipated bandwidth consumption.  Quantum Bridge's "first mile" optical solution will include an Intelligent Optical Terminal (IOT) for the customer premise, as well as an Optical Access Switch.  Quantum Bridge expects the system will allow a single fiber pair to fan out to as many as 32 businesses over a 20 km radius.  The company was founded in October 1998 and has raised $22 million in two rounds of venture funding from New Enterprise Associates, Atlas Ventures and Lazard Technology Partners.  Founders include Anthony Zona (CEO), previously with Lucent's Bell Labs; Jeffrey Masucci (VP Engineering, previously with IPA Technologies and Bell Labs; and Jeff Gwynne (VP Marketing, previously with AT&T.  http://www.quantumbridge.com/
Quantum Bridge, October 25, 1999

NEC TO BOOST ITS DWDM PLATFORM TO 160 WAVELENGTHS
NEC expects to release a 160-channel version of its SpectralWave DWDM platform by late next year.  The system will use NEC's L-band (Long wavelength) Optical Amplifiers to achieve its high channel counts.  It will also employ .18-micron semiconductor components.  NEC's current generation SpectralWave system, which supports up to 32 channels and is upgradeable to 64-channel capacity, recently completed AT&T certification testing and is now being deployed in the AT&T network.  Earlier this year, AT&T started wide scale deployment of NEC's ITS-2400A OC-48 SONET Multiplexer, which AT&T is using for carrying all types of sub-OC-48 private line and switched traffic and for SONET ring restoration.  http://www.nec.co.jp/english/today/newsrel/9910/2502.html
NEC America, October 25, 1999

BELL LABS DEVELOPS BIDIRECTIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR LASER
Lucent Technologies' Bell Labs announced a unique bidirectional semiconductor laser that emits light at two widely different wavelengths depending on the direction of electrical current flowing through it.  In all other semiconductor lasers, current can flow in only one direction.  The prototype laser emits light in the invisible region of the spectrum.  Potential applications include pollution detection in the atmosphere, or as a communications laser.  Lucent said it bidirectional laser could double the transmission capacity of an optical link if binary information were encoded on both streams of pulses emitted at different wavelengths in different time slots.  http://www.lucent.com/press/1099/991025.bla.html
Lucent Technologies, October 25, 1999

DIGITAL ISLAND ACQUIRES SANDPIPER NETWORKS EXPANDING ITS CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK
Digital Island will acquire Sandpiper Networks to create a content caching and delivery network with over 1,200 enterprise-class servers in 21 countries.  The deal was valued at $625 million.  Digital Island and Sandpiper Networks use a common, edge-network architecture based on Inktomi's caching and mirroring software, enterprise servers from Sun Microsystems, Microsoft and RealNetworks software for streaming audio and video services, and Vignette for publishing and content management applications. The combined company will have more than 100 customers, including E*Trade, Cisco Systems, Intuit, Novell, CNBC.com, Mastercard, Value America, Microsoft and the Los Angeles Times.  Digital Island has regional data centers in New York, Santa Clara, Honolulu, London and Hong Kong.  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.  http://www.sandpiper.net    http://www.digitalisland.net
Sandpiper Networks, October 25, 1999

BRAZIL'S EMBRATEL SELECTS LUCENT'S GX 550 SWITCHES FOR NATIONWIDE ATM NETWORK
Embratel, Brazil's dominant long-distance carrier, selected Lucent Technologies' GX 550 "Smart" Core ATM switch, the CBX 500 and B-STDX 9000 Multiservice Wide Area Network (WAN) switches, IP Navigator MPLS and MAX TNT WAN access switch for its nationwide network.  Embratel plans to offer all its data and telecommunications services from a single, managed IP network.  Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.lucent.com/press/1099/991025.nsd.html
Lucent Technologies, October 25, 1999

PUERTO RICO TELEPHONE SELECTS PAIRGAIN FOR WORLD'S FIRST HDSL2 DEPLOYMENT
Puerto Rico Telephone (PRT) selected PairGain Technologies' HiGain Solitaire HDSL2 solution, making it the first incumbent carrier to undertake a major deployment of HDSL2 technology.  PRT will use HDSL2 to provide Internet access, as well as voice, video and data connectivity, to 1,500 schools across Puerto Rico.  PRT plans an additional HDSL2 deployment using HiGain Solitaire for business customers.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  HDSL2 delivers the same T1 performance (1.544 Mbps), reach and reliability of two-pair HDSL, but uses just a single copper pair.  http://www.pairgain.com
PairGain Technologies, October 26, 1999

THE FANTASTIC CORPORATION INTEGRATES MEDIA BROADCAST SOFTWARE WITH INKTOMI'S TRAFFIC SERVER
The Fantastic Corporation will integrate its IP-based media broadcasting software into Inktomi's Traffic Server platform.  Fantastic's software platform facilitates the aggregation, broadcasting and consumption of interactive multimedia content.  The Fantastic Corporation, which is based in Switzerland, has previously disclosed content delivery alliances with Deutsche Telekom, Loral Space and Communications, BT, Reuters, MTV Europe, EuroSport, AccuWeather and Telecom Italia.  http://www.fantastic.com/99/prsindex.html
The Fantastic Corporation, October 25, 1999

EXAR DEBUTS SINGLE-CHIP, TWO-CHANNEL DS3/E3/STS-1 TRANSCEIVER
EXAR Corporation announced a standards compliant two-channel transceiver line interface device for high port density E3, DS3, and STS-1 applications, including digital cross-connect systems, ATM switches, routers and Add/Drop multiplexers.  Exar already offers a single-channel, transceiver line interface device, as well as T3/E3 framers and transceivers, ATM UNI devices, as well as T1/E1 solutions.  General sampling will begin in December.  http://www.exar.com/pressreleases/press132.html
Exar, October 25, 1999

CELOTEK JOINS FORE SYSTEMS' PARTNER PROGRAM
Celotek Corporation, which provides VPN security services specifically for ATM networks, joined FORE Systems' ForeThought Partner Program.  Celotek's CellCase product line provides CellCase delivers strong encryption, confidentiality, authentication and access control to ensure network and information security.  The CellCase products are hardware-based cryptographic systems providing VPN capability in a QoS environment.  http://www.celotek.com
Celotek, October 25, 1999