EL PASO GLOBAL NETWORKS SELECTS CISCO IP+OPTICAL FOR ENTRANCE INTO BANDWIDTH COMMODITY SERVICES
El Paso Corporation, one of the largest natural gas companies in the world, is building and acquiring fiber assets throughout the US with the goal of offering “liquid” bandwidth services.  El Paso Global Networks selected Cisco Systems for an end-to-end IP+Optical infrastructure network that will ultimately reach 34 metropolitan areas.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.epenergy.com/elpasoglobalnetworks/
Cisco Systems, February 21, 2001

• Last July, Broadwing Communications signed a network construction services agreement with El Paso Global Networks to build a multiple duct and optical fiber system between Los Angeles and Houston, primarily along a portion of El Paso’s rights-of-way.  As additional consideration for its construction services, Broadwing will have access to multiple ducts of the project.
• Earlier this week, Dynegy, a leading provider of energy in North America and Europe, announced plans for a new optical mesh network for wholesale bandwidth service.

Some other energy companies with national/international network plans include.

• Williams Communications operates a 33,000-mile fiber backbone. http://www.williamscommunications.com/
• Enron is developing a "Pure IP" infrastructure that combines national fiber network, IP/DWDM routers, a proprietary InterAgent middleware control layer and a distributed server architecture developed in alliance with Sun Microsystems.  http://www.enron.net/index2.html
• Dominion Telecom, a subsidiary of one of the largest producers of energy in the US with extensive assets in oil, natural gas and electricity, expects to have more than 900,000 fiber miles and 9,000 route miles within the next 24 months.  The company has signed fiber leases with Level 3, Williams and Metromedia Fiber Network (MFN) and announced deployment of Alcatel's 80-channel DWDM platform.  http://www.dominiontel.com
• Aerie Networks has already secured access to 14,958 miles of rights of way across the continental US from 12 energy pipeline and communications companies.  Its network architecture calls for 432-fiber count cable to be installed throughout its planned long-haul routes.  Aerie investors include BP Amoco, Buckeye Partners, CMS Energy, Explorer Pipeline, Kinder Morgan, Marathon Ashland Pipe Line, National Fuel Gas, Plantation Pipe Line, PG&E, Sempra, Sun Pipe Line and TEPPCO, among others.  http://www.aerienetworks.com   

DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AND FRANCE TELECOM TO SELL SPRINT STAKE
Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom will sell their shares in Sprint in a public offering.  The companies initially will sell 152 million shares.  http://www3.sprint.com/PR/CDA/PR_CDA_Press_Releases_Detail/1,1694,2224,00.html
Sprint, February 21, 2001

• Earlier this month, Sprint unveiled plans to build a 10 Gbps backbone connecting key business centers in Europe.  It subsequently 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. 
• Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom each own 10% of Sprint.

CHINA'S HENAN TELECOM TO DEPLOY CISCO'S DYNAMIC PACKET TRANSPORT
Henan Telecom, a subsidiary of China Telecom, will deploy Cisco Systems' Dynamic Packet Transport (DPT) to combine IP routing with the capacity of optical rings.  Henan Telecom also uses Cisco 12000 series Internet routers and Catalyst 6509 switches in its metro and IP backbone networks.   Financial terms were not disclosed.  Cisco Systems said over 150 service provider customers are using its DPT products and that nearly 10,000 Cisco DPT ports have been shipped.  http://www.cisco.com
Cisco Systems, February 21, 2001

• DPT is based on the Spatial Reuse Protocol (SRP), a Cisco-developed MAC-layer protocol that utilizes a dual counter-rotating, ring-based network topology, where both rings carry data and control messages, concurrently, to maximize bandwidth. For each data packet the correlating control packet is sent on a counter-rotating ring.  Instead of the timeslots and provisioned connections used in TDM structures, DPT employs statistical multiplexing to maximize the ring's carrying capacity.
• Cisco has submitted SRP to the IEEE 802.17 Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) Working Group for consideration as an industry standard.
• Cisco Systems announced its Dynamic Packet Transport (DPT) architecture for packet optimized metro optical networks in February 1999.   

DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AIMS FOR 2.6 MILLION T-DSL CUSTOMERS BY YEAR'S END
As of February 15, Deutsche Telekom had sold 800,000 DSL lines.  About 300,000 customers now have broadband access.  Deutsche Telekom said it is currently working on integrating other suppliers in order to improve installations.  It targets 2.6 million T-DSL customers by the end of 2001.  Deutsche Telekom plans to invest around DM 2.2 billion to expand its T-DSL network over the next two years.  http://www.telekom.de/dtag/presse/index/0,1014,E,00.html
Deutsche Telekom, February 15, 2001

OFTEL SETS TERMS FOR LOCAL LOOP UNBUNDLING IN THE UK
OFTEL, the official regulator for the UK telecom industry, published terms and conditions for local loop unbundling.  The document ensures that contracts under which BT supplies unbundled local loops are fair and reasonable.  The prices for the use of the local copper loop itself were determined last December, and the method for allocating space for local loop unbundling at BT exchanges was decided last November.  http://www.oftel.gov.uk/competition/anf0201.htm
OFTEL, February 21, 2001

• The European Parliament and Council adopted the Regulation on unbundled access to the local loop on December 18, 2000.

MOTOROLA TO ACQUIRE BLUE WAVE SYSTEMS FOR TELECOM DSPS
Motorola agreed to acquire Blue Wave Systems, a developer of high performance digital signal processors (DSPs), for 6.5 million common shares, which is expected to have a total value between $135 million and $165 million.  BlueWave offers a unique software environment, which it claims speeds up DSP application development by five-fold.  Its specialized DSP microprocessors are widely used for translating analog and digital signals and to handle media compression.  Blue Wave has operations in Carrollton, Texas and in Loughborough, England.  http://www.motorola.com  http://www.bluews.com/
Motorola, February 21, 2001

INTEL ENHANCES ITS NETWORK PROCESSOR FAMILY
Intel introduced a faster network processor and more robust software tools for its Internet Exchange Architecture.  The third version of the Intel IXP1200 Network Processor features faster embedded processors (core speed of 232 MHz) and buses.  A new Microengine C Compiler engine and software developer kit help to streamline development of networking equipment.  Separately, Intel introduced a single-chip, wire-speed, 24-port 10/100 plus two-port Gigabit, Layer 2/3/4 switch/router solution for OEMs of telecom equipment.  The device is designed for extended-temperature ranges and severe environments.  http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20010220NET.htm
Intel, February 21, 2001

ALCATEL'S OPTICAL GATEWAY CROSS-CONNECT TO USE I-CUBE SWITCH IC
Alcatel's new Optinex 1680 Optical Gateway Cross Connect (OGX) will use a crosspoint switch chip from I-Cube Inc. to provide sub-lambda aggregation functions.  I-Cube's crosspoint architecture connects 320 input/output buffers in one-to-one or one-to-many connections.  Alcatel's 1680 OGX converges optical, cross connect, lightwave, and data product functionality.  I-Cube is a privately held company based in Campbell, California.  http://www.icube.com
Alcatel, February 21, 2001

3COM SUPPLIES 150,000 ADSL DEVICES TO TELEFONICA
3Com will supply 150,000 ADSL devices to Telefonica for use in its Internet access services in Spain and Latin America.  The products include a small business router with a 4-port Ethernet hub, and a PCI-bus ADSL modem for home users.  http://www.3com.com/news/releases/pr01/feb2001a.html
3Com, February 21, 2001

• As of February 12, 3Com had shipped 1.2 million two-way external DOCSIS-compliant cable modems to date to AT&T Broadband, Time Warner, Cablevision Systems, Charter, NTL Communications, TV Cabo, TVA Brazil and others.

GET2NET LAUNCHES INFRARED INTERNET ACCESS FOR PDAS
Get2Net announced the launch of its new PDA-compatible Infrared NetStation, which provides free, out-of-office Internet access for handheld devices.  The Get2Net kiosks, which have been installed at the Newark Airport, JFK Airport, and the New York's Jacob C. Javits Convention Center, allows Palm PDA users to download/upload email and update news content subscriptions.  Get2Net plans to extend its infrared PDA service to its other locations at airports and other transportation hubs across the country.  The service is supported through strategic partners, including United Airlines, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Denver International Airport and Bradley International Airport http://www.get2netcorp.com
Get2Net, February 21, 2001

ERICSSON SIGNS $325 MILLION GSM/GPRS WITH TAIWAN'S FAREASTONE
Ericsson signed a $325 million agreement to upgrade and develop FarEasTone's GSM/GPRS mobile network in Taiwan during 2001.  The contract covers Ericsson's Mobile e-Pay and Safetrader, MPS3.0 (Mobile Positioning System), GSM on the Net and WAP3.0 applications.  The new GPRS network will be two to four times faster than WAP via basic GSM.  http://www.ericsson.se
Ericsson, February 21, 2001

SOLINET SYSTEMS NAMES EX-CISCO, NEWBRIDGE EXEC AS CEO
Solinet Systems, a start-up developing core optical networking technology, named Scott Marshall as President and CEO.  Marshall previously served as Cisco Systems' Group Vice-President of the Service Provider Access and New World Carrier Services Groups. Prior to Cisco, Marshall was Executive Vice-President of Research & Development for Newbridge Networks.  http://www.solinetsystems.com
Solinet Systems, February 21, 2001

• Solinet Systems was founded in May 2000 by a group of senior design engineers formerly with Nortel Networks and Lucent Microelectronics.  The company is based in Ottawa, Canada.
• The company has raised initial funding from Bessemer Venture Partners, Worldview Technology Partners and Altamira Financial Services.  

VMANAGE RAISES SEED FUNDING FOR BROADBAND NETWORK MANAGEMENT
VManage, an Israeli start-up company developing a broadband network management platform, received $1.3 million in seed funding from ADC Ventures.  VManage will offer a common platform for unified management of a wide range of element types using a single scalable software package.  http://www.adc.com  http://www.vmanage.com/
ADC, February 21, 2001