BT CONFIRMS MERGER TALKS WITH AT&T
British Telecommunications (BT) confirmed that it is holding discussions with AT&T regarding ways of broadening and strengthening their relationship in business services.  BT said the talks may not lead to any change in the existing alliance.   http://www.bt.com/World/mediacentre/releases/2000/nr73.htm
BT, September 17, 2000

• BT and AT&T first announced their Concert international joint venture in July 1998.  The companies formally turned control of assets and businesses to Concert in November 1999.
  
• In recent months, BT has engaged in a plan of rapid expansion through acquisition, including gaining control over Viag Interkom in Germany, Telfort in Holland and Esat in Ireland.  BT also recently increased its investment in the Japan Telecom Group, which controls J-Phone (2G and 3G mobile networks).

BELGACOM SELECTS MARCONI'S 10 GBPS OPTICAL TRANSMISSION
Belgacom awarded a three year, $87.5 million contract to Marconi for transmission equipment to be used as the basis of its core regional & optical access transport networks.  The deal covers a full range of add-drop SDH multiplexers, from STM-1 155Mbps to high-end STM-64 10 Gbps equipment, along with Marconi's graphical network management systems.  TEIN TELECOM will serve as Marconi's systems integrator.  http://www.marconi.com/news_events/press_releases/current/4801.html
Marconi, September 15, 2000

AT&T LATIN AMERICA GAINS $200 MILLION IN NEW FINANCING
AT&T agreed to provide $200 million in new financing to AT&T Latin America, in which it is the majority shareholder.  The new financing is in addition to funds raised through a recent IPO, and an existing $100 million credit facility from AT&T.  The company said it is also working with its major equipment vendors on a substantial financing package.  http://www.att.com/press/item/0,1354,3322,00.html
AT&T, September 15, 2000

• Last month, AT&T Latin America completed a merger with FirstCom and began trading on NASDAQ under the symbol ATTL.  AT&T Corp. owns approximately 58% of the company and former FirstCom shareholders own approximately 34%. Last year, AT&T acquired Netstream in Brazil and Keytech LD in Argentina and both of these companies have been incorporated into the new AT&T Latin America.  The new company is building metropolitan fiber networks in major Latin American cities, and currently has 3,000 route kilometers or 95,000 fiber kilometers in 11 principal metropolitan areas.

FCC RULES AGAINST OFDM CERTIFICATION IN 2.4 GHZ BAND
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) notified Wi-LAN Inc. that it does not intend to certify Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems for use in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz frequency band in the US.  The FCC ruled that OFDM does not fit the definitions of a Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) System, and therefore is outside the intended use of the unlicensed 2.4 GHz frequency band.  The ruling affects only OFDM in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz frequency.  Wi-LAN said it would continue to develop W-OFDM products for the licensed MMDS and unlicensed UNII band.  It will also offer a wireless Ethernet Bridge for the unlicensed 2.4 GHz band built with Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum technology.  The company also intends to appeal the ruling.  http://www.wi-lan.com/news/first2.html
WiLAN, September 15, 2000

• OFDM is a modulation method that encodes and transmits data on multiple high-speed RF signals concurrently.  The technology is highly tolerant to noise and multipath interference.  More information is available from The OFDM Forum.  http://www.ofdm-forum.com/

ALCATEL REVISES RELATIONSHIP WITH TELAXIS
Telaxis Communications, which supplies broadband wireless access products, warned of lower than expected revenue for the rest of the year after Alcatel, its leading customer, revised its resale relationship.  Alcatel became Telaxis' largest customer through its acquisition of Newbridge Networks earlier this year. Alcatel also had its own LMDS product line prior to the acquisition.  It now plans an integrated product offering that utilizes both cross-polarized and co-polarized broadband wireless access technologies to suit different LMDS bandwidth license allocations globally.  The revised relationship between Telaxis and Alcatel involves rescheduling the delivery of some of the cross-polarized products that Alcatel has ordered from Telaxis from the year 2000 into the first half of 2001.  Prior to Alcatel's acquisition of Newbridge, Telaxis only supplied cross-polarized products to Alcatel.  Telaxis said the relationship with Alcatel will be extended to include co-polarized products.  http://www.tlxs.com
Telaxis, September 17, 2000

IPVERSE SECURES $21.8 MILLION FOR ITS SOFTWARE-BASED SWITCHES
IpVerse, a start-up developing software-based switches, secured $21.8 million for its third round of funding.  Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) served as the lead investor in the round.  Additional investors include Norwest Venture Partners, Battery Ventures, Nissho Iwai (a major Japanese trading company who is currently ipVerse’s distribution partner in Japan) and Williams Communications.  http://www.ipverse.com
IpVerse, September 18, 2000

• ipVerse's ControlSwitch is a software-based switch that leverages XML scripting and open APIs to provide fast provisioning of new voice and data services.  The platform provides augmented tandem services, offloading voice and data traffic from traditional Class switches, and also supports deployment of ISDN-PRI leased line services in markets where Class 5 switches are not available.  The ControlSwitch’s multi-protocol call control system also provides transparent traffic exchange within or between service provider networks.  
  
• At this week's DSLcon in Boston, ipVerse, Tellabs and Copper Mountain Networks will host an interoperability demonstration of live voice over DSL (VoDSL) running over a pure packet network.  The demonstration will complete calls between Integrated Access Devices (IADs) and standards PSTN phones, as well as to Cellular phones.  The set-up uses ipVerse’s ControlSwitch, Tellabs’ SALIX 7750 class-independent switch, and CopperMountain’s CopperEdge DSL Concentrators and CopperRocket 408 IADs.  http://www.ipverse.com

NET2PHONE SPINS OFF ITS VOIP MGT INTO NEW COMPANY
Net2Phone formed a new company to market its network management software for Voice over IP (VoIP) to other telecommunications and Internet providers. The new company, Adir Technologies, Inc., will offer focus on quality assurance systems for VoIP network. The technology is currently employed in Net2Phone's extensive Internet telephony network.  Cisco Systems has purchased a minority equity interest in Adir Technologies.  http://www.net2phone.com  http://www.adirtech.com
Net2Phone, September 18, 2000

COMPAQ AND NOKIA ENTER ALLIANCE TO DELIVER MOBILE INTERNET IN ENTERPRISES
Compaq and Nokia will jointly develop and market end-to-end mobile Internet and Intranet solutions to enterprise customers.  The companies will integrate the Nokia WAP Server software and Compaq ProLiant servers running Windows NT.  The combined product will provide business-class email and contact information, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, order/shipment status tools and e-mail telephony links that are always accessible to employees via WAP-enabled handsets.  http://www.nokia.com
Nokia, September 15, 2000

ORBCOMM FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION – LEO DATA SATELLITES
ORBCOMM, which operates a network of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and related ground facilities, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection papers as part of an effort to restructure and reorganize its business. The company expects its satellite network will remain in full operation.  An affiliate of Teleglobe is providing interim financing.  http://www.orbcomm.com/frames/frame3.htm
ORBCOMM, September 15, 2000

• ORBCOMM uses a network of 35 LEO satellites to provide two-way mobile data messaging on a global scale.  The system sends/receives small data packets to sensors in vehicles, containers, vessels or remote fixed sites.  Data rates are currently limited to 4800 bps downlink and 2400 bps uplink.  Primary applications include tracking of physical assets, as well as commercial messaging/paging.