BT SELECTS LUCENT’S DWDM FOR GLOBAL TRANSPORT NETWORK
BT awarded a five-year contract to Lucent Technologies to supply optical transmission equipment that will form the backbone of BT's next-generation Global Transport Network (GTN) to and from its UK terminated sub-sea cables.  Lucent will supply its WaveStar optical networking solutions, including its recently launched WaveWrapper technology which provides network management functions for the optical layer -- independent of whether the individual wavelengths are carrying SDH, IP, Gigabit Ethernet or ATM traffic.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.lucent.com
Lucent Technologies, November 11, 1999

“THUS” (SCOTTISH TELECOM) ACTIVATES OC-192 NETWORK
Thus, the newl name for Scottish Telecom, activated a 10 Gbps network between Glasgow and Edinburgh using Nortel Networks’ transmission platform.  The deployment, which uses Nortel Networks' TN-64X SDH multiplexer and DWDM, is scalable to 1.6 Tbps.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  Thus is a subsidiary of Scottish Power and has sites across the UK and in the Netherlands.  http://www.let-it-be-thus.com  http://www.nortelnetworks.com/corporate/news/newsreleases/1999d/11_11_9999678_uk_mainland_networks.html
Nortel Networks, November 11, 1999

AT&T INTEGRATES BILLING FOR LOCAL, LONG DISTANCE, INTERNATIONAL, WIRELESS, DATA AND IP
AT&T has adopted Web-based tools for providing a fully integrated range of communications services - local, long distance, international, wireless, data and IP – all with one      contract, one bill and one point of contact for customer care.  AT&T Business Network will offer a customized, secure Web site allowing customers to order services, manage their account, and review and pay their bills online.  AT&T Business Network services are in controlled introduction now. http://www.att.com/press/item/0,1354,2245,00.html
AT&T, November 11, 1999

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION BUILDS GLOBAL VPN
The World Health Organization (WHO) is building a Global Private Network (GPN) to provide video conferencing, voice, and data communications via satellite and terrestrial links between its headquarters in Geneva and six regional offices worldwide.  Harris, through its Maritime Communication Services (MCS) subsidiary, is the lead contractor, joined by Ericsson, Tele Danmark, and N.E.T.  The network will use the N.E.T. Promina 800 Series Multiservice Access Platform at its core.  http://www.harris.com  http://www.net.com
Harris, November 9, 1999

CISCO TO ACQUIRE V-BITS FOR MPEG DIGITAL VIDEO INSERTION
Cisco Systems will acquire privately-held V-Bits, a developer of digital video processing systems for cable television service providers, for $128 million in stock.  V-Bits offers a digital video processing system for MPEG-2 transport streams, allowing cable, satellite and broadcast operators to add or drop specific channels and insert local content or advertising to their programming.  The product uses a programmable DSP-architecture for statistical re-multiplexing of up to 15 MP&ML MPEG-2 input signals through DHEI or DVB-ASI compliant interfaces.  The company has alliances with Texas Instruments and Harmonic.  In July, V-Bits raised $7.5 million in a second round of financing led by Bedrock Capital Partners. EDB Ventures, KLM Capital and several individual investors.  V-Bits is based in San Jose, California and has 30 employees.  http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/146/november99/16.html
http://www.v-bits.com/
Cisco Systems, November 11, 1999

SONY AND SUN DEVELOP HOME GATEWAY PLATFORM
Sony Corporation and Sun Microsystems will jointly develop home gateway software to provide digital consumer electronic appliances with direct access to Internet-based content and services.  The platform will support the Home Audio-Video interoperability (HAVi) architecture, which is a peer-to-peer distributed home network system based on the IEEE1394 "i.LINK" interface standard.  It will also employ Sun's Jini model for establishing network services, a Java Enabled Server (JES) and Sun's SNMP-based network management platform.  Sony expects to incorporate the software into a new generation of digital AV consumer electronics products.   http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/9911/sunflash.991110.2.html
Sun Microsystems, November 11, 1999

KPN TRIPLES ITS DEPLOYMENT OF ERICSSON AXE SWITCHES
KPN Telecom will triple its deployment of Ericsson AXE Transgate switches in its Dutch national network to handle interconnections with new operators on the Dutch market and the sharp rise in mobile and Internet use.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.ericsson.se/pressroom
Ericsson, November 11, 1999