VERIZON CHOOSES LUCENT FOR GLOBAL OPTICAL-DATA NETWORK
Verizon Communications selected Lucent Technologies for its new global optical and data network. The contract covers both the optical transmission systems - including Lucent's WaveStar TDM 10G (OC-192/STM-64), WaveStar OLS 400G, WaveStar BandWidth Manager and next-generation bandwidth management systems – and data networking equipment, including its GX 550 Multiservice ATM switch and PacketStar PSAX Multiservice media gateways.  The first phase of deployment will link New York to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and Milan operating by Q2. Links between New York and Toronto and between Hawaii, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Sydney are already operating and will be part of the new network.  Financial terms are still under discussion.
http://www.lucent.com/press/0201/010212.coa.html
Lucent Technologies, February 12, 2001

• Last week, Verizon unveiled its plans to build a global network, noting that 40% of all international long-distance traffic in the US originates in its service territory.  By routing international calls over its own global network rather than via other carriers, Verizon estimates it could save more than $300 million in transport costs over five years.  Verizon will also use the network to offer wholesale capacity to other carriers and will resell a variety of Genuity's Internet products such as Web hosting and Internet access.  FLAG Telecom and Metromedia Fiber Network will provide key fiber routes for the network.

GLOBAL NAPS COMPLETES MIGRATION FROM CIRCUIT-SWITCHED TO ALL-PACKET NETWORK
Global NAPs, a CLEC whose networks spans the US eastern seaboard, replaced the last of its Class 4 circuit switches with Convergent Networks' ICS2000 broadband switch, completing a migration from a circuit switch network to a next-generation packet-based architecture.  Global NAPs has deployed more than 30 ICS2000s around several core Marconi ASX-4000 ATM switches.  The installation acts as a distributed, high-capacity "virtual" switch, connecting to Global NAPs' own SS7 network through a single access point provided by Convergent Networks' ICSG signaling gateway. The virtual switch configuration could scale to hundreds of thousands of DS-0s, or subscriber ports, in a distributed and reduced footprint as compared to traditional circuit switches.  The ICS2000 broadband switches currently carry more than two billion minutes of traffic per month for Global NAPs, including nearly 75% of all dial-up Internet traffic in New England.  http://www.gnaps.com   http://www.convergentnetworks.com/rel020701.html
Convergent Networks, February 12, 2001

• Global NAPs is also deploying Sycamore Networks' SN 8000 network nodes and optical network management system to scale its backbone services.  Global NAPs currently handles dial-up calls for Internet service providers such as Mindspring, MSN, Netcom, Prodigy, WebTV and Ziplink. It also serves Internet-bound calls for other local carriers such as GTE.
• Convergent Networks' ICS2000 provides interworking and adaptation between traditional TDM and packet switched networks. It supports more than 18,000 simultaneous subscribers in a single chassis when used to provide dial-up Internet access service.
• Convergent Networks has also outlined plans for adding VoDSL capabilities to its platform using DSP-based feature modules.  These will enable the ICS platform to receive ATM-based voice and data traffic originating from customer xDSL integrated access devices (IADs) via a DSLAM.  When combined with a softswitch, the platform would allow carriers to deploy IADs at the customer premise to efficiently concentrate voice/data over local loops.
• In September, Convergent Networks filed SEC papers for an IPO.

TELSEON DEPLOYS RIVERSTONE SWITCH ROUTERS IN 20 US MARKETS
Telseon has now deployed Riverstone's RS line of switch routers in 20 US markets to deliver is scalable metro Ethernet access service.  The Riverstone products support OSPF, BGP-4, IS-IS, advanced hardware based rate limiting and traffic shaping features as well as metro optimized MPLS.  Other Riverstone customers include British Telecom, Genuity, MCI WorldCom, MAE West Ames, EarthLink, NTT and Telefonica.   http://www.riverstonenet.com/news/press/20010212.shtml
Riverstone, February 12, 2001

• In September, Riverstone filed a registration statement with the SEC for a pending IPO.   The company is one of the four spin-offs from Cabletron Systems.
  

• Cabletron Systems is an investor in Telseon.

BT IGNITE CHOOSES ADVA FOR "METROWAVE" DWDM SERVICE
BT Ignite, British Telecommunications' new broadband IP business, awarded a three year contract to ADVA Optical Networking for its FSP-II optical access platform.  The 32-channel DWDM platform will be used for a Short Haul Data DWDM service known as "MetroWave".   Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.advaoptical.com/
ADVA Optical Networking, February 12, 2001

• ADVA's FSP-II is a 32-channel DWDM system supporting rates up to 2.5 Gbps. The DWDM system supports Gigabit Ethernet, packet over SONET, ESCON/FICON, ATM and Fiber Channel. 

CACHEFLOW MOVES TO NEW CONTENT-SMART DELIVERY ARCHITECTURE
CacheFlow introduced a new content delivery architecture that enhances distribution and tracking functions with the ability to communicate between caching devices, adapt to usage patterns and personalize content.  CacheFlow uses patent-pending algorithms and extensible protocols to integrate storage systems, publishing environments, billing and reporting systems and network monitoring and tracking systems. Key advantages would include policy-based control over distribution of static, streaming, and secure content.  http://www.cacheflow.com/news/press/2001/ciq_release.cfm
CacheFlow, February 12, 2001

SS8 NETWORKS INTRODUCES ITS SIGNALINGSWITCH FOR SS7, SIP AND H.323
SS8 Networks announced availability of a signaling switch for large-scale IP telephony using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), H.323 and SS7 protocols.  The SS8 SignalingSwitch, which functions as an IP Signaling Transfer Point (IP-STP) to intelligently route signaling traffic within and between global IP telephony networks, combines SIP Proxy server, Redirect server and SIP registrar functions with H.323 Gatekeeper features.  By offloading call routing and service logic functions, the platform enables carriers to increase call processing capabilities across existing Gateways and Soft Switches, while also providing a foundation for intelligent network services.  In addition to traditional IN functionality such as 8xx, 9xx, LNP, CNAM, Prepaid Calling, and Postpaid Calling, the SS8 platform also provides a range of value-added applications including One Number Services, Unified Communications, Voice VPN, IP call center, Conferencing and fixed-mobile integration.  http://www.ss8.com/news/release.cfm?ID=55
SS8 Networks, February 12, 2001

• Level 3 Communications selected SS8 Networks' SignalingSwitch for participation in its (3)Works network, an IP telephony initiative being built to provide an open interoperability testing environment for next-generation intelligent network services.
  
• In November, SS8 Networks secured $25 million in second round funding.  Investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), the Woodside Fund, ONSET Ventures, CDP Sofinov and CIT Venture Capital.  SS8 Networks is headquartered in San Jose, California and has an R&D facility in Kanata, Canada.  
  
• SS8 Networks was co-founded by Henry H. Wong, who previously was co-founder and CEO of XaQti Corp. (a network processor designer acquired by Vitesse in May 99), co-founder of Cnet Technology Inc. and founder of Combinet (ISDN access routers, acquired by Cisco Systems in Aug 95) – and Sharon Chen, previously founder and President of IP Communications, Inc., a Voice over IP gateway startup.

3COM'S NEWEST IP PBX OFFERS PALM DIALING, EXPANDS TO 600 USERS
3Com introduced a new SuperStack 3 IP PBX featuring an enhanced call processor and a newly designed gateway at its core.  The solution uses an organization's data network to deliver multi-site communications, unified messaging, computer telephony integration, contact center, browser-based administration and day-to-day business telephony to 10/100 phones.  The phones are also available with a built-in infrared port, as well as software that integrates Palm dialing applications. A 200-station system with unified messaging and 200 10/100 phones will cost $140,000.  The system could scale to network multiple locations with up to 600 users per site.
http://www.3com.com/news/releases/pr01/feb1201b.html
3Com, February 12, 2001

COMPAQ TO PROMOTE CISCO'S ENTERPRISE IP TELEPHONY
Compaq will promote Cisco's AVVID (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data) enterprise IP telephony solutions.  Compaq Global Services will provide full life cycle services for the Cisco gear and ensure the transition from legacy PBX systems to IP telephony.  In addition, Compaq is deploying the Cisco AVVID IP Telephony solution at two of its North American locations, as well as a full installation at its UK site in the first half of this year.  http://www.cisco.com
Cisco Systems, February 12, 2001

SPIRENT ANNOUNCES CHANNELIZED BIT ERROR RATE TESTING CAPABILITY
Spirent Communications introduced channelized Bit Error Rate Test (BERT) capability on its Adtech AX/4000 system.  Currently, the OC-192 and OC-48 test modules allow powerful SONET/SDH Layer 1 transmission performance analysis on optical cross-connects, switches, ADM, and DWDM systems. The introduction of the channelized capability allows multiple, independent test streams to be generated, analyzed and reported upon simultaneously in real time.  An OC-192 concatenated, channelized, POS and BERT module is available now. A Channelized OC-48 BERT will be available in Q2.  http://www.spirentcom.com/news/pressreleases/scratetesting.asp
Spirent Communications, February 12, 2001

W. L. GORE, AGILENT AND MITEL SEEK STANDARD FOR PARALLEL OPTICS
W. L. Gore & Associates, Agilent Technologies and Mitel signed a Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) to standardize the package, and optical and electrical interfaces for their respective next-generation parallel fiber optic modules.  The agreement would ensure multiple international sources that are compatible with other components within their systems.  The parallel fiber optic modules, which are designed for terabit switch/router links as well as very short reach OC-192 and Infiniband connections, include transmitters and receivers featuring 12 channels at 1 - 2.7 Gbaud/channel for an aggregate bandwidth of 12 - 32.4 Gbaud.  http://www.gore.com
W. L. Gore & Associates, February 12, 2001

MASSANA SIGNS TSMC FOR ITS GIGE-OVER-COPPER SILICON
Massana, a developer of custom signal processing compilers and processing algorithms, signed TSMC to manufacture its forthcoming line of gigabit Ethernet-over-copper chips for switches, routers, network interface cards (NICs) and network attached storage (NAS) applications.  The company's new 1000BASE-T Ethernet DSP soft core incorporates all of the digital blocks for full IEEE 802.3u and 802.3ab compliance.  Massana is based in Palo Alto, California, with design centers in Dublin, Ireland and in Madrid, Spain.  http://www.massana.com
Massana, February 12, 2001