CIENA PREVIEWS WAVELENGTH BINDING, FLEXIBLE CONCATENATION, VSR OPTICS
Ciena announced plans for a “Lightworks Toolkit” that will provide Wavelength Binding, Flexible Concatenation and Very Short Reach (VSR) Optics capabilities for its optical transport architecture.  The Wavelength Binding capability will use both hardware and software to create "virtual channels" of multiple wavelengths bound together in a single, very high capacity bitstream. This would enable carriers to deliver a 40 Gbps service without changing their transport infrastructure. Ciena expects to introduce Wavelength Binding by the end of Q3 2000.  Ciena's Flexible Concatenation feature will allow carriers to access all time slots within a SONET/SDH frame - even when fractionally filled. This would create true OC-N services in which "N" can be any number between 1 and 768.   The feature introduction is slated for end of Q2 2000.  Ciena is also planning Very Short Reach (VSR) Optics for 10 Gbps connections between Internet routers/switches and optical transport systems.  The VSR Optics will leverage VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) technology and Gigabit Ethernet standards.  A significant cost reduction is expected for VSR optics.  Introduction is planned for Q3 2000.  http://www.ciena.com/news/archive/2000/01/01.25.2000pr.html
Ciena, January 25, 2000

MCI WORLDCOM OFFERS SMART BANDWIDTH ATM AND PRIVATE LINE SERVICES
MCI WorldCom introduced new Web-based customer controls for its ATM and private line services.  The new Smart Bandwidth and Web Digital Reconfiguration Service allows customers to dynamically swap bandwidth among sites, re-balance loads across existing circuits and self-provision new circuits in real-time.  The service further allows customers to alter the quality of service and the user permissions, and manage circuits up to the capacity of the physical port without involving MCI WorldCom's provisioning staff.  Other benefits include Voice over ATM-Intranet voice (in which packet voice rides for "free" over the data circuit), Source & Destination Address Validation-Enhanced security, Closed User Groups-Permits and Point-to-Multipoint Service for videoconferences and corporate broadcasts.
http://www.wcom.com/about_the_company/press_releases/display.phtml?cr/20000125
MCI WorldCom, January 25, 2000

MARIPOSA'S ATM IADS SUPPORT MCI WORLDCOM'S SMARTBANDWIDTH SVCs
MCI WorldCom's new Smart Bandwidth on Command service (above) will leverage ATM switched virtual circuits (SVCs), a capability supported by integrated access devices (IADs) from Mariposa Technology, a privately held company based in Petaluma, California.  Mariposa's IADs use both ATM Adaptation Layer-1 (AAL-1) and AAL-5 protocols for establishing switched virtual circuits (SVCs), and can determine which protocol to use based on the telephone number dialed by the subscriber.  AAL-1 uses circuit emulation -- similar to traditional time division multiplexing (TDM) for transmission of ATM traffic, while AAL-5 provides proprietary dynamic bandwidth allocation and allows for compressed voice, silence suppression, comfort noise insertion, and echo cancellation.  Mariposa has successfully tested SVCs at MCI WorldCom's labs.  http://www.mariposatech.com/
Mariposa Technology, January 25, 2000

TELEGLOBE ACQUIRES US DARK FIBER NETWORK FROM WILLIAMS
Teleglobe acquired 14,000 route miles (22,400 km) of dark fiber across the US from Williams Communications.  The 20-year, $200 million deal includes associated collocation space in more than 30 major US cities and significant interim capacity until the dark fiber is activated.  Major hubs along the route include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Diego and Washington D.C.  Teleglobe plans to light the fiber with DWDM capable of supporting 1.6 Tbps aggregate capacity.  Last year, TeleGlobe embarked on a US$5 billion network expansion project to connect 160 of the world's largest metropolitan centers.  In addition to its Canadian network, Teleglobe operates a 7,700 km network in Europe, has acquired a dark fiber pair on the forthcoming FLAG Atlantic-1 cable system, and has interests in 20 other undersea cable systems.  http://www.teleglobe.ca
TeleGlobe, January 25, 2000

CISCO SYSTEMS DELIVERS MULTI-FUNCTION ACCESS PLATFORM
Cisco Systems introduced a Multi- Function Access Platform (MFAP) that enables CLECs and Interexchange Carriers (IXCs) to integrate voice and data traffic from various sources including routers and private branch exchanges (PBXs), as well as service types including T1, ISDN, SONET and ATM.  The Cisco 6700 Series, which came out of the company’s acquisition of Fibex, includes a central office product (priced at $9,000) and an integrated access device (IAD) for the customer premise ($5,000).  The platform provides TDM and ATM protocol interface support; GR-303 & TR-008 traffic grooming; xDSL service; SONET transport; and digital cross connects (3/1/0).   http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/146/pressroom/2000/jan00/sp_012500.htm
Cisco Systems, January 25, 2000

Cisco Systems acquired Fibex Systems of Petaluma, California in April 1999.

FOUNDRY NETWORKS ENTERS CORE INTERNET ROUTER MARKET
Foundry Networks introduced a core router featuring a parallel, crosspoint fabric backplane and switch modules that equally distribute IP processing loads.  The platform is targeted at Web hosting firms and ISPs.  The NetIron800 8-slot (NI800) and NetIron400 4-slot (NI400) modular chassis routers deliver up to 90 million packets per second (Mpps) and scale to 256 Gbps of switching capacity.  Each switch module provides 32 Gbps of switching capacity and the parallel crosspoint switch fabric contributes 128 Gbps of packet switching throughput.  The platform accepts a range of LAN/MAN/WAN switch modules ranging from 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet to OC-48c/STM-16, with scalability to OC-192c/STM-64 and 10 Gigabit Ethernet.  Foundry will offer fiber WAN switch modules covering Short (2 km), Medium (15-20 km) and Long (20-70 km) reach distances.  Additionally, Foundry Networks will offer 150 km links for building Gigabit Ethernet MANs.  Telocity, a nationwide provider of broadband services, has deployed the NetIron800 in its network core and established BGP4 peering relationships with its partners.  General availability is expected later in the year.  http://www.foundrynetworks.com/pr1_25_00.html
Foundry Networks, January 25, 2000

MARCONI ADDS UNIVERSAL IMA NETWORK MODULE FOR WAN ACCESS
Marconi released a Universal Inverse Multiplexing for ATM (IMA) Network Module that enables its ATM switches to consolidate numerous T1/E1 (1.544 Mbps/2.048 Mbps) lines into a single ATM connection.  The 8-port module combines numerous T1/E1 links into a Fractional T3/E3 pipe, providing a cost-effective enterprise WAN access option at rates scaling from 1.544 Mbps to 12 Mbps.  The module has a list price of $10,995.  http://www.marconi.com/news_events/press_releases/current/4188.html
Marconi, January 25, 2000

PMC-SIERRA INTRODUCES HIGH DENSITY CHIPS FOR CONVERGING VOICE/VIDEO/DATA
PMC-Sierra introduced three new high-density constant bit rate ATM processors aimed at next-generation networking equipment that aggregates multiple channels of voice, data and video traffic on a single ATM multi-service network.  The AAL1gator devices can convert up to 32 lines of T1/E1/T3/E3 traffic into ATM, providing up to six times the density over other available solutions.  Tellabs will use the chipsets in its forthcoming AN-2100GX next-generation media gateway.  The AAL1gator devices will interface directly with complementary PMC-Sierra products, including TEMUX, COMET, SPECTRA-155, SPECTRA-622, S/UNI-ATLAS and S/UNI-APEX.   http://www.pmc-sierra.com/aal1/index.html
PMC-Sierra, January 25, 2000

HARRIS & JEFFRIES RELEASES RSVP CODE FOR ITS MPLS SYSTEM
Harris & Jeffries expanded the capabilities of its Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) source code product line with the introduction of Resource ReSerVation Protocol with Traffic Engineering extensions.  The RSVP addresses Internet traffic engineering problems.  H&J's MPLS Label Traffic Control System now includes a unique Label Manager, the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP), plus Quality-of-Service traffic engineering utilizing Constraint-Based Routing Label Distribution Protocol (CR-LDP) and extensions to the Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP).
http://www.hjinc.com/
Harris & Jeffries, January 25, 2000

SBC REPORTS 169,000 DSL CUSTOMERS, UP BY 70K IN Q4
As of December 31, SBC Communications had 169,000 DSL customers, an addition of 70,000 during Q4. Overall, SBC's data services revenues increased 44.0% over the previous year to $1.6 billion.  The company also noted good progress on its Project Pronto initiative to deliver DSL service to more than 80 percent of its local telephone customers by the end of 2002.  Nearly half of the 1,300 wire centers targeted by the project, and more than 10 million customer locations are now DSL-capable.  http://www.sbc.com
SBC Communications, January 25, 2000

COVAD EXPANDS DSL FOOTPRINT IN RURAL MARKETS WITH NEW EDGE PACT
New Edge Networks will provide its wholesale customers access to Covad's nationwide network. In turn, Covad will offer its Internet and other service provider partners expanded DSL coverage in small, midsize and semirural markets where New Edge Networks is aggressively expanding.  Since its founding last June, New Edge Networks has raised more than $300 million in venture funding to deploy its network in small, midsize and semi-rural markets across the US.  http://www.newedgenetworks.com/
New Edge Networks, January 25, 2000

GLOBAL TELESYSTEMS TO BOOST CORE CAPACITY OF EUROPEAN NET
Global TeleSystems announced a US$500 million capital-investment plan for backbone network enhancements in 2000, including a cable duct with up to 144 fibers providing additional redundant connectivity to London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf.  . The company will soon light the second of its existing fiber pairs, giving its in excess of a terabit of capacity on the busiest routes.  GTS also plans to expand the network to more than 25,000 km by the end of 2000, up from 16,000 km today.  http://www.gtsgroup.com/news/news_archive/2000/corenetwork.htm
GTS, January 25, 2000

INTRODUCING SPIRENT: NETCOM SYS+  ADTECH + TELECOM ANALYSIS SYS + GLOBAL SIMULATION + DLS TESTWORKS
Bowthorpe plc announced the integration of its five subsidiaries, Netcom Systems, Adtech, Telecom Analysis Systems (TAS), Global Simulation Systems (GSS) and DLS TestWorks, into a new multimillion-dollar communications test and measurement company named SPIRENT Communications.  The new company has 700 employees worldwide.  Netcom Systems offers the SmartBits network performance and analysis systems; Adtech provides broadband test and analysis systems; Telecom Analysis Systems offers cellular/PCS, voiceband and cable modem test solutions; DLS TestWorks provides xDSL testing and Global Simulation Systems specializes in Global Positioning Satellite networks.
http://www.bowthorpe.com/
Bowthorpe, January 25, 2000

NORTEL REPORTS QUARTERLY SALES OF US$6.99 BILLION, UP 21%
Nortel Networks reported Q4 revenue of US$6.99 billion, up 21% over the same period in 1998.  Net earnings were US$755 million, or US$0.55 per share.  Areas of fastest growth included Nortel's optical business, which rose more than 80% over 1998 .  http://www.nortelnetworks.com
Nortel Networks, January 25, 2000