SPRINT SELECTS TELIA TO EXPAND INTERNET BACKBONE TO EUROPE
Sprint awarded a multi-year, multimillion-dollar contract to Telia International Carrier for a 2.5 Gbps / 10 Gbps IP backbone that will link 11 European cities this year.  The network will provide a direct connection to Sprint's Tier 1 Internet backbone in the US.  The contract also allows Sprint the option to purchase dark fiber in order to further extend its network infrastructure in the region.  Sprint services are currently available in London.  http://www3.sprint.com/PR/CDA/PR_CDA_Press_Releases_Detail/1,1694,2218,00.html
Sprint, February 14, 2001

• Last week, Sprint unveiled plans to build a 10 Gbps backbone connecting key business centers in Europe.  As it builds out its own global IP network, Sprint will continue to provide global telecom services through agreements with its international partners. 

• Telia has previously announced fiber swaps with 360networks giving it fiber coverage spanning 14,000 km (8,700 miles) throughout North America, and equipment hubs in New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston.  Telia has also announced a major swap with Williams Communications, giving it access to 11,000 route miles of fiber on Williams Communications' US fiber network. 

• Last year, Telia announced that it is deploying Lucent Technologies' DWDM system in its US network.

• In January, Telia selected Ericsson’s AXI 580 IP Backbone Routers (Juniper Networks' M160 routers) for its US and European network.  Telia will also deploy Ericsson's AXI 520-4 IP Backbone Routers (Juniper Networks' M20) throughout its US network.
• Telia expects its wholly owned fiber Viking Network to cover 40,000 route miles and connect 25 countries in Europe and North America by the end of 2001.

KPNQWEST AND WICOM TO OFFER IP-BASED CALL CENTERS IN EUROPE
KPNQwest will host Wicom Communications' IP based call center solution in strategically located CyberCentres and deliver the application to call center customers as part of its package of IP-centric services.  The first pilot customer for this jointly managed solution is Competence Call Center AG of Vienna, the largest call center operator in Austria.  The call center is split between sites in Vienna and Linz and incorporates 205 workspaces.  Wicom is based in Espoo, Finland.  http://www.wicom.com/
Wicom, February 14, 2001

MFN LIGHTS UP NORTH AMERICAN LONG-HAUL OPTICAL BACKBONE
Metromedia Fiber Network (MFN) lit the first 10,000 route miles of its 18,000-route mile domestic long-haul optical backbone.  The network grids the country, connecting major Internet peering points with key cities on the East and West Coasts, through the Midwest and across the Southwest.  http://www.mmfn.com
MFN, February 14, 2001

• Last February, Metromedia Fiber Network awarded a contract valued at up to US$250 million over 3 years to Nortel Networks for its OPTera Long-Haul DWDM platform for creating an optical backbone linking major US cities.  
• In July, MFN announced plans to install 170 of Juniper Networks’ core M160 Internet backbone routers.  MFN is presently installing the Juniper boxes in all of its Internet Service Exchange (ISX) facilities as part of a global OC-192c upgrade.  

AT&T AND EXCITE@HOME TUNE SERVICES FOR CONTENT PROVIDERS
AT&T and Excite@Home signed a multi-year agreement to jointly provide dedicated Internet access services to content providers via both AT&T's coast-to-coast OC-192 backbone and Excite@Home's OC-48 IP backbone. The joint initiative will ensure high-availability via a managed multi-homing service delivering simultaneous connectivity to both backbones. The companies will also provide inter-backbone service level agreements including a 100% network availability performance objective for the multi-homed access services, and a single point of customer contact for the provider's content delivery needs.  The new offerings will be available in Q2 via AT&T's dedicated Internet access service in speeds of T-3, OC-3, OC-12 and OC-48.   http://www.att.com/press/item/0,1354,3668,00.html
AT&T, February 14, 2001

NEW FOCUS INTRODUCES WIDELY TUNABLE LASER FOR LONG-HAUL AND ULTRA-LONG-HAUL SYSTEMS
New Focus Inc. introduced a widely tunable laser that delivers 20 Milliwatts of optical power across the entire C-band, enabling tunability in long-haul and ultra-long-haul networks.  New Focus' PowerTune consists of a laser module that includes the high power laser, wavelength locker, power control and other control functions along with control electronics.  The company said its new product offers three to five times more power output than any other widely tunable laser technology announced to date.  http://www.newfocus.com
New Focus, February 14, 2001

• New Focus was founded by Dr. Milton Chang, formerly CEO of Newport Corp., Dr. Timothy Day, and Dr. Bob Ma, formerly with IBM’s Microelectronics Division.

QUANTUM BRIDGE AND CORNING FORGE FIBER-TO-BUSINESS ALLIANCE
Quantum Bridge named Corning Cable Systems as its preferred provider of passive optical network infrastructure solutions.  The companies will work to jointly market, support and deploy optical access solutions into the public network, especially in fiber-to-the-business (FTTB) applications.  http://www.quantumbridge.com  
Quantum Bridge, February 14, 2001

• In December, Quantum Bridge filed Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) papers for an initial public offering.  The company is based in Andover, Mass.
• Quantum Bridge Founder and CEO Anthony Zona previously developed SONET, ATM, HFC, and Switched Digital Broadband systems for Bell Laboratories and Lucent Technologies.

ATG BUILDS NEXT GEN TEST LAB WITH SPIRENT EQUIPMENT
Advanced TelCom Group (ATG), a facilities-based Integrated Communications Provider (ICP), has selected Spirent Communications' Abacus, Adtech, DLS, Net-HOPPER, SmartBits, and TAS testing solutions for use in its Network Architecture and Interoperability Laboratory (NAIL).  ATG's Santa Rosa, California lab is testing next-generation Voice over IP (VoIP), optical and routing technologies.  Active participants in the lab include Cisco Systems, Lucent Technologies, Nortel Networks, CopperCom, Quantum Bridge and Nokia.   http://www.spirentcom.com
Spirent Communications, February 14, 2001

SIERRA MONOLITHICS RAISES $14.2 MILLION FOR 40 GBPS CHIP DESIGNS
Sierra Monolithics, a privately-held developer of silicon germanium (SiGe) integrated circuits and modules for communications systems and other high performance analog and mixed signal applications, completed a first round of funding totaling $14.2 million for its development of 10 Gbps and 40 Gbps integrated circuits.  IBM expects to begin producing the optical networking chips using its silicon germanium process technology later this year. Lead investors include Storm Ventures and U.S. Venture Partners. IBM, developing advanced microchips with Sierra Monolithics, is also an investor.  The company is located in Redondo Beach, California.  http://www.monolithics.com
Sierra Monolithics, February 14, 2001

HUGHES ADDS TIVO SERVICE TO DIRECTV SET-TOP BOXES
Hughes Network Systems (HNS) introduced a set-top box for its DIRECTV satellite service that incorporates TiVo's Personal TV service.  The receiver provides access to more than 225 DIRECTV channels and allows viewers to selectively record up to 35 hours of programming on the TiVo disk. Users can see program listings up to 14 days in advance.    http://www.DIRECTV.com
Hughes Network Systems, February 14, 2001