TIME WARNER TELECOM SELECTS ASTRAL POINT IN MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT WORTH UP TO $100 MILLION
Time Warner Telecom signed a multi-year contract to purchase up to $100 million of Astral Point’s optical network equipment for deployment in all of its 22 US markets.  The carrier will use Astral Point's ON 5000 Optical Services Node to provide managed bandwidth at speeds of OC-3 to OC-48, as well as soon to be launched next-generation services.  Astral Point’s platform provides SONET ADM, ATM, DCS, IP, leased line TDM and Gigabit Ethernet functionality through its integrated switching fabric.  The platform then uses Optical Service Modules to converts the signals into DWDM wavelengths. The platform is designed for rapid provisioning of Private Line Transport, ATM, IP, Gigabit Ethernet and Lambda services. http://www.astralpoint.com
Astral Point, October 17, 2000

• The Astral Point ON 5000 platform integrates SONET protection, frame and cell switching and optical ADM functionality.  It features a fully distributed, mesh network topology discovery and bandwidth-management system. The platform leverages a "Self-Healing Mesh" algorithm to enable SONET-quality protection and restoration in mesh networks.  Astral Point currently has 18 ongoing carrier trials.
  
• In July, Astral Point raised $80 million in third round financing.  Investors include KMC Investment Partners, E-TEK Dynamics, GE Capital, Bowman Capital, Essex Investment, The Sprout Group, New Enterprise Associates and OneLiberty Ventures.
  
• Astral Point was founded in November 1998 by Raj Shanmugaraj (formerly PictureTel), Bill Mitchell (Cascade Communications), Bruce Miller (Bay Networks) and Steve Sherry.  The company is based in Chelmsford, MA.
  
• Time Warner Telecom is building local and regional optical networks in 22 US markets.  The company has 8,872 metro fiber route miles in operation, 5.3 million voice grade equivalent circuits in service, 19 Class 5 switches and 20 ATM/IP switches. 
  
• In May, Time Warner Telecom signed a five-year, $40 million agreement covering optical network transport services from Williams Communications.  The deal involves capacity from DS-3 to OC-48 connecting key cities throughout the US. Earlier this year, the company raised $475 million in bank credits to fund its network expansion.  http://www.twtelecom.com/

WINSTAR DEPLOYS IN-BUILDING VODSL WITH COPPERCOM, LUCENT
Winstar Communications will deploy a unique voice-and-data-over-wireless broadband solution that combines in-building DSL with its fiber and fixed wireless access network. The architecture uses Lucent Technologies' Cellpipe integrated access devices (IADs) at the customer location and Stinger DSL access concentrators in the office building.  Access to the building will be secured via ATM over Winstar's fixed wireless network.  CopperCom's Gateways will be used to hand-off packetized voice traffic from the ATM network to a Lucent 5ESS Switch.  Winstar’s initial rollout targets three primary markets: Los Angeles, San Diego and San Antonio.  The company plans to deploy the Lucent/CopperCom solution in 13 additional markets later this year. CopperCom's voice over broadband solution supports up to 24 voice lines over a single, copper wire.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.coppercom.com
CopperCom, October 17, 2000

• WinStar is among the largest holders of broadband fixed wireless spectrum, with licenses in the top 60 US markets and in ten international markets. The company also operates extensive long-haul and intracity fiber networks, as well as seven regionally dispersed Internet hosting centers. As a CLEC, WinStar currently services 810,000 lines.  The company has access rights to 11,400 buildings.

TELIA IMPLEMENT'S ERICSSON'S PACKET TELEPHONY IN ITS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
Telia International Carrier is deploying Ericsson's ENGINE Bridgehead solution to expand its long-distance voice services in Europe.  The initial deployment covers two Telephony Servers, one in France and one in Germany, and thirteen Media Gateways.  The Media Gateways are based on Ericsson's AXD 301 ATM switch, will be used to handle interconnections between operators throughout Europe.  http://www.ericsson.net/pressroom/20001016-0011.html
Ericsson, October 16, 2000

• Ericsson's ENGINE Media Gateway concentrates IP traffic from PSTN modems and ISDN onto ATM UNI 3.1 and 4.0 interfaces.  The ENGINE Telephony Server (based on the Ericsson AXE central office telephony switch) communicates with local switches and access nodes using SS7. It controls all PSTN and ISDN services over an ATM backbone.

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• British Telecom has also selected Ericsson's ENGINE circuit-to-packet migration solution its national network. Other major orders include Telefonica in Spain, KPN International Network Services, Telia Denmark, eircom and Diveo (formerly Diginet Americas).

VILLAGE NETWORKS OUTLINES ITS OPTICAL FLOW NETWORKING, SECURES FUNDING
Village Networks, a start-up based in Eatontown, New Jersey, outlined an Optical Flow Networking architecture that would drive IP intelligence into the optical domain.  The company plans to integrate packet routing and high-capacity optical switching technology in a single optical packet node under common, intelligent control.  The platform will use high-speed ASICs to provide identification and control of all traffic flows across both the IP and optical domains.  The per-flow intelligence would enable different service level guarantees as well as sub-SONET speed restoration.  Village Networks recently raised $40 million in second round of funding.  Investors include Spectrum Equity Investors, Geocapital Partners, Acappella Partners, .A.C. Capital Associates, Global Crossing Ventures, Intel Capital, The Goldman Sachs Group and PCG Ventures.  The company currently has 80 employees.  http://www.villagenetworks.com
Village Networks, October 16, 2000

• Village Networks was founded in 1998 by Dr. Kai Eng, a former Bell Laboratories research department head.

TRELLIS PHOTONICS RAISES $25 MILLION FOR ITS OPTICAL SWITCHING
Trellis Photonics, a start-up developing all-optical wavelength switching technology, secured $25 million in new venture funding. Strategic investors include Carlyle Internet Partners Europe, Agilent Technologies, Enron Broadband Services and Anschutz Investment Company. Trellis' existing shareholders contributed additional capital. http://www.trellis-photonics.com
Trellis Photonics, October 16, 2000

• Trellis Photonics plans to employ Electroholography as a means for all-optical wavelength switching.  The technique requires a wavelength specific hologram to written into a KLTN crystal.  When no voltage is present, the crystal is essentially transparent. However, when voltage is applied, the hologram within the crystal becomes reflective to a specific wavelength of light. Trellis claims that by assembling crystals into a matrix of rows and columns, any wavelength can be routed to any fiber.  The company also plans to use the technology to test, measure and dynamically attenuate wavelengths without interfering with the signal.  
  
• In August, Trellis Photonics named Timothy K. Cahall as its new CEO.  Cahall formerly Marketing & Sales Vice President for Lucent Technologies optical fiber and specialty fiber businesses.

AT&T PROVIDES ATM BACKBONE FOR THE TRIBUNE COMPANY
The Tribune Company will use AT&T 's ATM backbone to share media content among its affiliates nationwide.  The ATM service will enable Tribune Broadcasting to maximize cost efficiencies by running multiple television stations from one facility – for instance, WEWB-TV in Albany, N.Y. is programmed and technically operated out of Boston.  ATM multicasting capability will also enable Tribune's 22 television stations to immediately transmit via the network live video of breaking news or sporting events to all stations.  The companies said the ATM solution was cheaper than satellite.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.att.com/press/item/0,1354,3390,00.html
AT&T, October 16, 2000

GENUITY DEPLOYS REDBACK'S SMARTEDGE OPTICAL PLATFORM
Redback Networks announced a multi-million dollar agreement to supply its SmartEdge optical platform to Genuity for deployment in major POPs.  http://www.redback.com
Redback Networks, October 16, 2000

• Redback's SmartEdge platform uses seven custom ASICs to dynamically provision and deliver SONET capabilities with significantly higher port density, faster performance, and lower power requirements than conventional SONET ADMs.  The system handles both TDM and IP at up to OC-48. 

BROADWING SIGNS STORAGEPROVIDER FOR ITS DATA CENTERS
Broadwing signed StorageProvider Inc., a start-up targeting real-time data storage and recovery management, as a customer for its data center collocation facilities located in Dallas and Austin, Texas.  http://www.broadwing.com  http://www.storageprovider.com
Broadwing, October 16, 2000

LUCENT TO RESELL ENSEMBLE'S LMDS BROADBAND WIRELESS NETWORK
Lucent Technologies signed a worldwide OEM resale agreement covering Ensemble Communications' Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS) point-to-multipoint wireless platform.  The deal includes Ensemble's Fiberless 16000 Base Station, Fiberless 300 Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) and the Fiberless Management System, and will initially focus on service providers that own 24, 28, 31, 38 and 42 GHz frequency licenses.  The agreement with Ensemble broadens Lucent's OnDemand product portfolio of 10, 26 and 38 GHz broadband wireless solutions.  http://www.EnsembleCom.com
Ensemble, October 16, 2000

• Ensemble is developing a point-to-multipoint wireless system capable of providing burst rates of up to 120 Mbps to hundreds of buildings.  The company uses a proprietary Adaptive Time Division Duplexing (Adaptive TDD), Adaptive TDMA and Adaptive modulation system for the 10 to 43.5 GHz frequencies.  The adaptive modulation technique optimizes range and capacity.  
  
• In August, Ensemble raised $60 million in additional venture funding.  Investors include Cisco Systems, Dell Ventures, IVP X, Goldman Sachs, ADC Telecommunications, DMC Stratex Networks, Samsung, Crescendo Ventures, Enterprise Partners, Institutional Venture Partners, KTB Networks and TrinityVentures.
  
• In February, Ensemble named David Twyver as its new CEO.  Twyver is the former CEO of Teledesic Corp. and held numerous leadership roles at Nortel, most recently as president of Nortel Wireless Networks.  The company is based in San Diego, California, with offices in Israel.

READ-RITE CORP. BACKS SCION PHOTONICS FOR OPTICAL COMPONENTS
Read-Rite Corporation will transfer key technology, intellectual property, wafer processing expertise, low cost offshore packaging capability and capital to Scion Photonics, a new start-up based in Milpitas, California. Dr. Venkatesan Murali, previously a senior manager in the optical components group at Intel, will serve as Scion Photonics' COO.  The new company also has received funding Tyco Ventures and Integral Capital Partners.  Target products include dense wavelength division multiplexers and other optical communications components.
http://www.scionphotonics.com/  http://www.readrite.com/
Read-Rite, October 16, 2000

• Separately, Read-Rite, Komag and Guzik Technical Enterprise achieved a magnetic data storage world record of 63.2 billion bits per square inch or 88 gigabytes per 3.5-inch platter.