The SURPASS IP/ATM core and edge network products will include:

• hiQ - a media gateway controller, signalling gateway and call feature server that is based on the Siemens EWSD central office switch.  The unit controls IP and ATM networks via MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol), provides SS7 signaling to PSTN networks, and establishes connections to H.323 and SIP-compatible endpoints on an IP network.  Siemens will offer an open application interface to the Call & Feature Server.  hiQ will scale from 1 to 2048 processor units for up to 4.0 million BHCA (1111 call/s).  The platform will support Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) and more than 100 national, international and interconnection ISUP variants

• hiG - a family of carrier-class network gateways providing the interconnection between packet-based networks and the PSTN.  The small footprint platform will support voice-over-IP, voice-over-ATM and RAS capabilities, while offering full compatibility with SS7 and PRI TDM trunk interfaces.
  
• hiA – an access platform integrating voice and xDSL (ADSL, G.Lite and SDSL). The platform will concentrates all traffic onto IP or ATM and include integrated voice- over-IP or voice-over-ATM media gateways where needed.  Additionally, an integrated gateway with RAS functionality terminates dial-in modem traffic.  Voice-over-data and RAS gateway functionality are supported by the centralized SURPASS hiQ media gateway controller, utilizing MGCP and access control protocols.

Product delivery dates were not specified.  http://www.icn.siemens.com/icn/news/2000/00012503.html
Siemens, January 28, 2000

AGILENT ACQUIRES THE SILICON VALLEY NETWORKING LAB
Agilent Technologies has acquired The Silicon Valley Networking Lab, a leading networking-industry test lab, for an undisclosed sum.  Agilent plans to build the leading independent test and analysis center and to offer a substantially increased range of services to current and future customers in the networking and communications industry.  Steve Bell, SVNL founder and networking-industry veteran, now heads the new networking lab at Agilent.  SVNL was recently chosen by Lockheed Martin for evaluating advanced IP multicast applications over a 600-node gigabit Ethernet network powered by routers from Cisco.  http://www.agilent.com   http://www.svnl.com
Agilent Technologies, January 30, 2000

Congratulations to all our friends at SVNL!

GERMANY’S EINSTEINET OUTLINES PLANS AS AN APPLICATION SERVICE PROVIDER
EINSTEINet, a start-up planning to be the first facilities-based application service provider (ASP) in Germany, awarded a three year, US$200 million contract to Nortel Networks for high-speed Internet access, optical, Internet data center equipment.  EINSTEINet plans to provide small and medium-sized businesses throughout Germany with high-performance application software services over a secure network.  The company will build a series of Internet Data Centers from which it will host a suite of messaging, calendaring and web hosting applications from iPlanet (a Sun-Netscape alliance), the StarOffice suite of office productivity applications from Sun Microsystems; Nortel Networks' Managed eCommerce solution and other applications.  EINSTEINet is led by Argentine-born Martin Varsavsky, who also was a founder of Viatel (which operates a pan-European fiber backbone) and Jazztel (an ISP in Spain and Portugal).  The deal was announced this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.  Nortel said EINSTEINet represents its first major ASP customer.  http://www.nortelnetworks.com/
Nortel Networks, January 30, 2000

DATA CONNECTION ANNOUNCES VOICEPACKET GATEWAY
Data Connection Limited (DCL) announced a scalable, fault-tolerant platform for OEMs building Voice-over-DSL (VoDSL),Voice-over-Cable (VoCable) and backbone voice trunking gateways.  The DC-VoicePacket combines the company’s existing ATM, SS7 and VoIP software products with cPCI hardware.  The platform could serve as a voice gateway between DSL or cable networks and the PSTN, or as a Class 4 (Tandem) switch replacement that interconnects PSTN SS7 / TDM networks to ATM and IP backbones.  DCL features include signalling and call control (SS7, ATM, MPLS, H.323, MGCP/Megaco, SIP and PacketCable), media processing and pre-integrated line cards for TDM termination.  Data Connection is a privately held company headquartered in London, with US offices in Reston, VA.  http://www.datcon.co.uk
Data Connection, January 28, 2000

ICG LAUNCHES $60 MILLION NETWORK EXPANSION WITH CISCO
ICG Communications, which operates a nationwide backbone and claims 10% of the US' dial-up Internet traffic, announced a $60 million expansion of its infrastructure.  The company is a member of the Cisco Powered Network marketing program.  Cisco Systems Capital Corporation, the financing arm of Cisco, is also arranging for approximately $180 million in additional vendor financing.  http://www.icgcom.com
ICG Communications, January 30, 2000

LUCENT EXECUTIVE JOINS TELOCITY, A START-UP COMBINING DSL + NBC CONTENT
Telocity, a start-up providing DSL services and applications for the residential market, named Edward J. (Ned) Hayes, Jr. as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Hayes formerly served as Lucent Technologies’ CFO of its Global Service Provider Business.  Last month, Telocity formed a strategic relationship with NBC Internet, Inc. and its subsidiaries, XOOM.com and Snap.com to provide content and applications such as entertainment, electronic commerce, search applications and other features designed for broadband.  Telocity is led by Patti Hart, formerly President and Chief Operating Officer of Sprint’s Long Distance Division.  Investors in the Cupertino, California based company include NBCi; NBC; GE Capital Equity Investments; ValueVision International; August Capital; Bessemer Venture Partners; Mohr, Davidow Ventures; RRE Investors; Bessemer Holdings, L.P.; Comdisco; Quantum Industrial Partners; and Soros Fund Management.
http://www.telocity.net/press_releases/01.27.00.htm
Telocity, January 28, 2000

Nortel Completes is Acquision of Qtera
Nortel Network completed its acquisition of Qtera, a privately-held company that produces ultra-long-reach optical networking systems, for up to US$3.25 billion in Nortel Networks common shares.  The deal was first announced in December.  Qtera's operations will remain in Boca Raton, Florida and Richardson, Texas. 
Nortel Networks, January 28, 2000

Earlier this month, Siemens Information and Communication Networks filed an intellectual property lawsuit against Qtera Corp. and its founders, Fahri Diner and Xiang-Dong Cao, both of whom were former Siemens’ employees.  Siemens ICN is also based in Boca Raton, Florida.