SPIRENT TO ACQUIRE HEKIMIAN FOR ITS NETWORK SERVICE ASSURANCE SYSTEMS
Spirent agreed to acquire Hekimian Laboratories, a developer of network service assurance systems, for $1.575 billion, comprising $712 million in cash and $863 million in Spirent stock.  Hekimian offers operations support system (OSS) for remote network testing, remote probes, and professional services.  Hekimian has an installed base of 300 testing, monitoring and assurance OSSs in more than 10,000 central offices of ILECs, CLECs and other major networks.  The company's TestDSL product is the service assurance solution used by Verizon and SBC, as well as other DSL service providers in North America.  Hekimian Laboratories is a subsidiary of Axel Johnson Inc and is based in Rockville, Maryland.  http://www.hekimian.com  http://www.spirentcom.com/
November 16, 2000

SYCAMORE ADDS DYNAMIC SERVICE MAPPING TO ITS OPTICAL OS
Sycamore Networks released version 2.0 of its BroadLeaf Network Operating System (NOS) offering an extended tool set for migrating existing wave and legacy services to a switched optical infrastructure.  Specifically, BroadLeaf 2.0 features a Dynamic Service Mapping (DSM) capability that gives users visibility into SONET/SDH bytes as they travel through the network, grooming capabilities down to the STS-1 level, tiered levels of optical services and customer wavelength provisioning.  Sycamore uses a combination of softoptics and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) to provision optical lightpaths.  http://www.sycamorenet.com/about/news/pressreleases.cfm?news_item_id=357
Sycamore Networks, November 16, 2000

VODAPHONE SELECTS SYCAMORE'S OPTICAL SWITCHING
Vodafone Limited, the world's largest mobile telecommunications company, will deploy Sycamore Networks' SN 16000 intelligent optical core switch, SN 3000 optical access switch, SN 8000 intelligent optical transport platform and optical network management system in its UK network.  The multi-year agreement was valued at up to $40 million.  http://www.sycamorenet.com/about/news/pressreleases.cfm?news_item_id=356
Sycamore Networks, November 16, 2000

• During September, Vodaphone carried 160 million SMS messages on its UK network, compared with 49 million last year.
• Vodaphone has been awarded 3G licenses in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
• As of September 30, Vodaphone has approximately 65.5 million customers worldwide.

FCC ISSUES 3G WIRELESS REPORT ON SPECTRUM REALLOCATION
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued its an interim report on the current 3G spectrum uses in the US and potential for reallocation or sharing between 3G networks and incumbent spectrum holders in industry and government.  The 62-page report specifically covers use of the 2500-2690 MHz bands.  A final report will be issued by March 1, 2001 http://www.fcc.gov/3G/
FCC, November 16, 2000

• In the US, the 2500-2690 MHz band is currently used by the Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS), Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS), and Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS).  Contemplated 3G systems could cause extensive interference to incumbent ITFS, MDS and MMDS systems without careful segmentation or reallocation of the spectrum.
• In October, President Clinton directed executive departments, federal agencies and the FCC to cooperate with industry to identify spectrum that can be used by third generation (3G) wireless networks, whether by reallocation, sharing, or evolution of existing systems.  The goal would be for the US to auction 3G licenses to competing applicants by September 30, 2002.

BAND-X APPOINTS CABLE&WIRELESS EXEC AS ITS CEO – FIRST WEB TRADE OF COAST-TO-COAST WAVELENGTH
Band-X, a B2B virtual exchange for wholesale telecom capacity, named Stephen Beynon as its new CEO.  Beynon previously served as Managing Director of Cable & Wireless Optus (Australia).  Band-X provides secure, anonymous trading floors for wholesale bandwidth capacity, international telehousing (colocation), international switched voice traffic and Routed IP services.  http://www.band-x.com
Band-X, November 16, 2000

• Last month, Band-X reported the first trade of a coast-to-coast optical wavelength across the US.  
• In May, Band-X raised $40 million in a second-round of venture funding to expand its operations from London to New York.  Investors include Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Private Equity and Madison Dearborn Partners. 

LOOKING GLASS ORDERS SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND KMS OF CORNING FIBER
Looking Glass Networks, a venture-backed start-up planning dense fiber count networks in major US markets, has ordered several hundred thousand kilometers of Corning's MetroCor fiber. Phase I of Looking Glass' networks will be completed over the next 18 months within the nation's 10 largest metropolitan areas.  http://www.lglass.net
Corning, November 16, 2000

• Looking Glass Networks is planning metro networks with dense fiber counts using 216 to 864 fiber strands per cable.  The company will install multiple ducts for future upgrades.
• In April, Looking Glass closed a $200 million in equity financing led by Madison Dearborn Partners, Battery Ventures and others.  The company is based in Oak Brook, IL.
• Looking Glass is led by Lynn E. Refer, who formerly served as Senior Vice President of Network Planning and Engineering at MCI Worldcom.  Refer previously was Senior Vice President of Development for MFS Communications.

TOUCH AMERICA SECURES $400 MILLION FOR ITS NETWORK BUILD-OUT
Touch America, telecommunications subsidiary of The Montana Power Company, closed a new $400 million senior secured credit facility with a consortium of fourteen banks.  Montana Power recently closed the sale of its non-utiliy oil and gas business for $475 million, and it intends to complete transactions for its coal, independent power, and utility businesses by the end of the first quarter 2001.  The $1.3 billion generated through these sales will be used to grow Touch America into a national broadband data, voice, and video transport company.  http://www.tamerica.com
Touch America, November 16, 2000

• Touch America will have 18,000 fiber route miles installed by year's end.  In June, Touch America acquired Qwest's wholesale, private line and retail long-distance business in its regulated 14-state region.

PSINET RETAINS GOLDMAN SACHS, CONTEMPLATES SALE
PSINet has retained Goldman Sachs as a financial advisor and is exploring a strategic alliance or the possible sale of all or a portion of the company to increase shareholder value.  http://www.psinet.com/news/pr/00/nov16.html
PSINet, November 16, 2000

• Earlier this month, PSInet warned that its Q4 2000 results would be lower than expected.  The company cited bad debt from customers in the Internet industry negatively impacted by recent market conditions.

BELLSOUTH TARGETS 600,000 DSL ACCOUNTS IN 2001, A 200% GROWTH RATE
BellSouth said it expects to triple its DSL customers from approximately 200,000 in year 2000 to 600,000 in year 2001, a growth rate of 200%. Overall revenues for the company are expected to grow by 7 to 9%, down from earlier estimates.  For Q3, BellSouth's DSL growth rate was 81%.  The company is targeting data revenue growth of 30% for 2001 driven by other data services, including web-hosting centers in Atlanta and Miami.  Capital expenditures for 2001 are expected to be in the $5.5 - $6.0 billion range.  http://www.bellsouthcorp.com/proactive/documents/render/34482.vtml
BellSouth, November 16, 2000

SAMSUNG AND GEO SHOW MPEG4 VIDEO CELL PHONE
Samsung Electronics Co. demonstrated an MPEG4 mobile phone capable of delivering streaming video over 2G wireless networks.  The device uses a video ASIC chip developed by GEO Interactive Media Group of Israel.  http://www.emblaze.com
GEO, November 16, 2000