Cisco Systems to Acquire Qeyton for its Metro DWDM
Cisco Systems will acquire Qeyton Systems, a start-up developing metropolitan area DWDM systems, for approximately $800 million in stock.  Qeyton's Metro DWDM platform is designed for high node efficiency -- which enables more channels, more nodes and greater distances -- without using amplifiers. Eliminating amplifiers from the design is expected to increase reliability and to lower cost of metro optical networks. Qeyton's QS200 product line uses a modular architecture that allows channel-by-channel in field upgrades.  It also features channel-by-channel traffic protection options with full SONET compatibility and switching times of less than one millisecond.  Cisco said Qeyton's optical technology would be integrated with its Optical Networking Solutions (ONS) 15000 family of products.  http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/146/pressroom/2000/may00/corp_051200.htm
http://www.qeyton.com/
Cisco Systems, May 12, 2000

• Qeyton Systems was founded in July 1998 by the team of engineers that created the DWDM program at Ericsson.  The company is based in Stockholm, Sweden and has 52 employees.

OPTICAL MERGERS/ACQUISITIONS 2000 

CoManage Unveils ITS CUSTOMER AWARE SERVICE MANAGEMENT
CoManage Corporation, a start-up based in Pittsburgh, PA., announced a service management platform that integrates discovery, provisioning, fault management and performance monitoring capabilities, and embeds customer and service information into these features. CoManage's Integrated Service Manager architecture leverages a real-time database that links information about network elements, services and customers.   Network events can be instantly correlated with affected customers and services, enabling service providers to proactively inform customers when there are service-affecting events.  CoManage said its platform enables the carrier to monitor the utilization of every customer connection simultaneously while supporting different service level agreements (SLAs).  The CoManage system is designed to work in multi-vendor networks and the company initially is announcing support for gear from Marconi, Alcatel, Lucent and Cisco.  AT&T Canada is already deploying the CoManage system to enhance its Transparent LAN and ATM services.
CoManage, May 15, 2000

• CoManage was founded by Dave Nelson and Andrew Fraley, both formerly with FORE Systems.  Investors in the company include Lucent Venture Partners and Columbia Capital Equity Partners.
  
• CoManage will be presenting its platform in a web cast on Monday (May 15), hosted by analyst Michael Howard of Infonetics.  The webcast is scheduled for 2:00 PM Eastern Time.  
  http://videonewswire.com/COMANAGE/051500/
  

Vitesse Introduces 10 Gbps Chipset for OC-192 and STM-64
Vitesse Semiconductor introduced a 10 Gbps multiplexer/demultiplexer (1:16) chipset providing low power dissipation, making the solution suitable for OC-192/STM-64 applications in DWDM, undersea transmission and test equipment.  The chipset exceeds all relevant Bellcore and ITU-T jitter specifications and supports FEC (Forward Error Correction) capability.  The devices are manufactured using Vitesse's  proprietary H-GaAs-V process.  The company said the new chipset arrives just in time for the production ramp of the OC-192 market.   http://www.vitesse.com
Vitesse, May 15, 2000

Shaw Cites Shortage of Cable Modems Impinging Rollout
Shaw Communications, a Canadian cable operator serving 1.8 million customers, said a general shortage of cable modems is slowing its service rollout to new broadband customers.  Although customer demand remains high, Shaw expects the general shortage of Motorola cable modems to continue into the next quarter.  Shaw, which also sources cable modems from Terayon, hopes to increase its purchases from other suppliers.  During the previous quarter, Shaw was adding approximately 500 new Internet customers per day, or about 30,000 a quarter. As a result of modem shortages, the company estimates its will add only 20,000 new Internet customers.  http://www.shaw.ca/investor_relations/press/press_set.html
Shaw, May 12, 2000

Bell Atlantic Agrees to No-Charge DSL Line Sharing with Rhythms NetConnections
Bell Atlantic agreed to a line sharing deal under which Rhythms NetConnections will pay no recurring monthly charge to use customers' existing voice lines to provide DSL service.  In addition, Bell Atlantic has committed to operational and deployment requirements that will allow Rhythms to provide line-shared services on an expedited basis across the Bell Atlantic territory.  http://www.rhythms.net/pr/bell_atlantic.html
Rhythms, May 12, 2000

Equinix Names MCI Worldcom Unit President as its New CEO
Equinix named Peter Van Camp as its new CEO.  Van Camp most recently served as president of the Americas region for UUNET, a WorldCom company, prior to which he served as president of Internet markets for UUNET. Van Camp has also served as president of MCI Worldcom Advanced Networks.  Van Camp replaces Equinix founder Al Avery, who remains with the company as its president and chief operating officer.  http://www.equinix.com/press/2000/05-12-00.htm
Equinix, May 12, 2000