v7n011, 17-Jan-00

TACHION SUPPLIES COLLAPSED CENTRAL OFFICE PLATFORM TO TELEPACIFIC
Tachion Networks, a start-up based in Eatontown, New Jersey, will supply its Fusion 5000 collapsed central office platform to TelePacific Communications, a CLEC with operations in California and Nevada. The contract was valued at up to $35 million over three years.

Tachion�s platform integrates transport, switching, routing and signaling into a single box, significantly reducing the cost of complexity over a traditional multi-box and Class 5-based architecture. A dual TDM/ATM switching matrix allows services to be switched in native format. The integration of SONET ATM/STM Add Drop Mux (ADM) enables direct attachment to SONET rings. The platform also provides an integrated, wire speed IP services routing engine; enabling differentiated services and supporting MPLS, DiffServ, BGP, IS-IS, OSPF and RIP. The company estimates a 10X cost advantage over a Class 5-based switch and of the separate systems otherwise needed for transport, switching and routing.

Tachion recently closed a $26 million second round of venture funding and announced its intention for an IPO in the second half of the year. The funding was led by Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan, and included the participation of Roy Wilkens, Chairman of Williams Communications, Clark McLeod, Chairman of McLeodUSA, Gabriel Communications (Chairman is Bob Brooks, former founder of Brooks Fiber), and UniDial Communications.

Separately, Tachion announced that John Colton joined the company as Sr. Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing. Colton formerly was Product Management Director for Lucent�s Optical Networking business. http://www.tachion.com
Tachion Networks, January 17, 2000

US ANNOUNCES STREAMLINED ENCRYPTION EXPORT REGULATIONS
The US Department of Commerce announced new encryption export regulations allowing US companies to export any encryption product around the world to commercial firms, individuals and other non-government end-users without a license. The new regulations allow telecommunications providers and ISPs to obtain and use any encryption product under this license exception to provide encryption services, including public key infrastructure services for the general public. However, provision of services specific to governments (e.g., running a virtual private network for a government agency) still requires a license. http://www.bxa.doc.gov/Encryption/
US Department of Commerce, January 14, 2000

NEXT LEVEL AND LIBERATE PARTNER FOR TV OVER DSL
Next Level Communications will integrate Liberate Technologies� client and server software in its Residential Gateway, a set-top box that will connect TVs, PCs, phones and other devices to a VDSL service. Next Level's Residential Gateway 2000 is designed to provide 3 concurrent MPEG-2 video streams, digital audio, and a 10BaseT port for Internet access. Next Level Communications is based in Sonoma County, California. Liberate Technologies� (formerly Network Computer Inc.) software platforms deliver Internet content and Internet applications to television set-top boxes, game consoles, smart phones and hand-held computers. http://www.nlc.com/
Next Level, January 14, 2000

IMAGICTV SECURES $10 MILLION IN VENTURE FUNDING FOR TV OVER DSL
iMagicTV, a start-up based in New Brunswick, Canada, received $10 million in new venture funding to support is development of software systems for delivering digital and interactive TV services over ADSL or VDSL. The company�s Digital TV Manager software manages content distribution and delivery from the head end to the customer premises using a client/server architecture with Unix servers and Java clients. The architecture uses IP-multicasting of MPEG-2 streams to the subscriber client (set-top boxes). Whitecastle Investments Limited of Toronto led the new financing with additional equity participation from Centara Investments Limited of Winnipeg. iMagicTV is a Newbridge Networks affiliate .
http://www.imagictv.com/
ImagicTV, January 11, 2000

BROADWING RECEIVES $2.1 BILLION IN FINANCING FOR NETWORK EXPANSION
Broadwing Inc. (the company formed from the merger of Cincinnati Bell and IXC Communications) arranged up to $2.1 billion in credit facilities from a syndicate of 24 banks and other financial lenders led by Citibank and Bank of America. Broadwing said the money would be used to develop its local and national communications networks including new data centers. http://www.broadwing.com
Broadwing, January 16, 2000

MEXICO�S TELEVISA BUILDS FRAME RELAY NETWORK ACROSS LATIN AMERICA
Televisa, Mexico�s leading television company, awarded a three-year contract to Global One to supply Frame Relay services linking its headquarters in Mexico City with its offices in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Global One said its international Frame Relay services continued to grow at a 50% annual rate in 1999 (compared to a 60% annual growth rate for its global Frame Relay in 1998).
Global One, January 16, 2000