NTT DOCOMO TO INVEST NEARLY $10 BILLION IN AT&T WIRELESS
AT&T and NTT DoCoMo confirmed plans to enter into a strategic alliance under which NTT DoCoMo will invest approximately $9.8 billion in AT&T Wireless (for 406 million shares, a 16% stake).  Under the deal, AT&T Wireless will create a new, wholly owned subsidiary to develop multimedia applications for its current network and a new 3G network.  AT&T Wireless will license NTT DoCoMo's i-mode technology platform and both companies will share technical resources and support staffing of the new unit.  AT&T Wireless said it aims to be among the first in North America to deploy a network based on WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access).  NTT DoCoMo's WCDMA will be offering commercial services by mid-2001 in the Tokyo metropolitan area (23 wards) and a portion of Yokohama/Kawasaki areas.  Service to be provided in the Osaka and Nagoya areas is slated for December 2001 and coverage to all service areas of NTT DoCoMo group companies is expected by April 2002.  http://www.att.com/news/
AT&T, November 30, 2000

• Of the $9.8 billion NTT DoCoMo investment, AT&T Wireless plans to use $6.2 billion for building its network and $3.6 billion for debt reduction.
  
• As of November 26, NTT DoCoMo had 15,227,000 i-mode subscribers.  The service was launched in February 1999.  NTT DoCoMo will market its forthcoming WCDMA service under the "FOMA" ("Freedom Of Mobile multimedia Access") slogan.  The packet based service will deliver a maximum downlink speed of 384 kbps and maximum uplink speed of 64 kbps.  http://www.nttdocomo.com

AT&T WIRELESS NAMES ITS 3G SUPPLIERS: NORTEL, LUCENT, NOKIA AND ERICSSON
Nortel Networks will supply a complete new core network infrastructure for AT&T Wireless as it migrates from second generation wireless standards to 2.5G and 3G, including GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) and UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System). Nortel Networks’ packet-based IP core solution includes its Passport multiservice switching platform and Nortel Networks Shasta 5000 Broadband Service Node. 

Lucent Technologies will supply its GSM base stations with GPRS enhancements to work alongside the current AT&T Digital PCS network.

Nokia will supply its 1900 MHz EDGE 3G radio system with GPRS-ready, triple-mode (GSM/EDGE/UMTS) base station radio solutions.

Ericsson will supply its R520 mobile phones for the company's GPRS network.  It will also provide base station systems, including GSM for voice, GPRS for packet data and EDGE and UMTS for higher-speed 3G applications.  http://www.att.com/news/
AT&T, November 30, 2000

ERICSSON/JUNIPER VENTURE TARGETS DATA-READY MOBILE NETWORKS
Ericsson and Juniper Networks will form a joint venture company to provide data networking equipment designed for GPRS and 3G mobile networks.   The venture will combine Juniper's routing expertise and JUNOS software with Ericsson's mobile IP systems.  New products would be IPv6 ready and would be sold exclusively by Ericsson to mobile operators.  The companies plan to invest $50 million in the new venture.  Ericsson will hold a 60% interest in the company, while Juniper will hold 40%.  http://www.juniper.net/news/pressreleases/2000/pr-001130.html
Juniper Networks, November 30, 2000

GENUITY SELECTS CIENA'S COREDIRECTOR OPTICAL SWITCHES
Genuity selected CIENA's MultiWave CoreDirector optical switches for its nationwide network.  The optical architecture would give Genuity the ability to reconfigure its backbone with dynamic optical switching, provisioning and protection capabilities.  It would also eliminate the need for additional SONET add/drop multiplexers, digital cross-connects and optical cross-connects.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.ciena.com/news/archive/2000/11/11.30.2000.html
CIENA, November 30, 2000

• In September, a consortium of global banks agreed to provide Genuity with a $2 billion line of credit for five years to fund a network expansion plan. 
  
• Genuity is the new name for the GTE Internetworking unit (the former BBN Planet network), which was spun-off into an independent company as a condition for the approval of the merger between GTE and Bell Atlantic.  BBN Planet was purchased by GTE in 1997 for $616 million in cash.

NEW TRANS-ATLANTIC CABLE SYSTEM ADDS 320 GBPS CAPACITY, SCALING TO 1.28 TBPS
Viatel activated its Yellow Submarine trans-Atlantic system, part of a new cable system owned by Global Crossing (50%), Level 3 (25%) and Viatel (25%).  The new network is a four fiber pair cable providing 320 Gbps capacity initially and scaling to at least 1.28 Tbps.  Level 3 managed construction of the cable.  http://www.viatel.com/us/news/rel_23.html
Viatel, November 30, 2000

360NETWORKS LIGHTS TRANS-CANADA FIBER BACKBONE, PLANS METRO NETS
360networks began delivering commercial services over its new coast-to-coast Canadian fiber network.  The 11,500 km network connects Victoria, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Quebec City and Halifax.  Some segments are already operating at 60 Gbps.  Separately, 360networks announced plans for metro rings in more than 35 major cities worldwide. The metro infrastructure will be acquired through network construction, as well as network capacity exchanges, purchases and leases with other telecommunications carriers.  360networks will soon be providing service on metro rings in Seattle, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa and Calgary.  The company is lighting networks in 11 European cities.  Fourteen metro networks are under development in the US.  http://www.360.net
360networks, November 30, 2000

• Last week, 360networks lit a 640 km segment of its North American network linking Montreal and New York City using Nortel Networks’ OPTera Long Haul 1600 Optical Line System. 

360NETWORKS TO INSTALL 100 SYCAMORE SWITCHES IN GLOBAL OPTICAL MESH
360networks announced plans to install more than 100 Sycamore optical switches in major cities around the world by mid-2002.  Switches in the company's major North American and European POPs will be in place by mid-2001.  The architecture will include Sycamore's SN 16000 intelligent optical switch, SN 8000 intelligent optical transport products and SILVX optical network management system.  http://www.360.net/News---Releases---Details.asp?ID=95
360networks, November 30, 2000

• In July, Sycamore Networks first announced a contract with 360networks valued at up to $420 million pending successful completion of trials.

GLOBAL CROSSING INSTALLS FIRST 32-CHANNEL, 10 GBPS UNDERSEA SYSTEM
TyCom announced installation of Global Crossing's Pan American Crossing system, a 3-fiber pair cable linking California, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela and St. Croix.  The 10 Gbps, 32-wavelength capable undersea fiber optic system could carry up to 960 Gbps of traffic.  http://www.tycomltd.com/press_113000.html
TyCom, November 30, 2000

VERIZON OUTLINES DSL INITIATIVES AFTER DROPPING NORTHPOINT
One day after terminating its merger agreement with Northpoint, Verizon announced plans to expand its facilities-based network primarily through its existing relationships with Genuity and Metromedia Fiber Network.  The company will focus its out-of-region activities on business data services in major cities in California, Washington, Texas and Ohio.  In conjunction with its new strategy, Verizon raised its earnings guidance for 2001 and 2002 and forecasted annual growth of 8%, compared to earlier targets of 5% to 6%.  As of September 30, Verizon was serving 350,000 DSL customers and had an average daily installation of 3,500 customers (90% self-install).  The company had 1,700 central offices equipped for DSL, passing 28 million qualified lines.  http://investor.verizon.com/news/VZ/2000-11-30_X362559.html
Verizon, November 30, 2000

FCC OPENS SPECTRUM FOR NON-GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITE IN THE KU-BAND
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made available spectrum that would permit non-geostationary satellites to operate in various segments of the Ku-band to deliver Internet access, plus other types of high-speed data, video and telephony services.  The new rules permit fixed satellite service (FSS) gateway earth stations to provide, on a primary basis, downlink (space-to-Earth) operations in the 10.7-11.7 GHz band and uplink (Earth-to-space) operations in the 12.75-13.15 GHz, 13.2125-13.25 GHz, and 13.75-14.0 GHz bands.  http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/News_Releases/2000/nret0014.html
FCC, November 30, 2000

NORTEL NETWORKS SIGNS OEM AGREEMENT FOR TRITON'S FIXED WIRELESS
Nortel Networks signed a multiyear agreement to resell Triton Network Systems' "Invisible Fiber" fixed wireless systems.  Triton's product line covers the 38 GHz, LMDS and LMCS markets.  http://www.triton-network.com/
Triton Network Systems, November 30, 2000

• Triton's consecutive point architecture enables broadband radios to be deployed in ring architectures over metropolitan areas for delivering 155 Mbps SONET or 100 Mbps.  The company is based in Orlando, Florida.