IOLON DEBUTS ITS MEMS-BASED WIDELY TUNABLE LASERS
iolon, a start-up based in San Jose, California, introduced a MEMS-based tunable external cavity laser (ECL) designed for long haul, ultra long haul, and metro core optical networks.  iolon's Apollo is a miniature external cavity laser that tunes using micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) actuators, micro optical components, and advanced servo controls. The MEMS actuator rotates a mirror to retroreflect back into the laser cavity a particular frequency of light that is diffracted off a high-pitch grating.  The device delivers 20mW output power and is continuously tunable across the entire C-Band.  http://www.iolon.com
iolon, March 8, 2001

• Last week, iolon announced $53 million in new venture funding for its development of tunable optical devices.  The funds will be used to ramp volume production of the company's first product, a widely tunable, high-powered laser, which iolon began sampling with select customers late last year. Investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Optical Capital Group; Boston Millennia Partners, Corning Innovation Ventures, Doll Capital Management, Goldman Sachs, Integral Capital Partners, J. & W. Seligman, Banc of America Securities, CIBC World Markets, Credit Suisse First Boston, CrossBridge Venture Partners, Kalkhoven Petit and Levin Ventures, SSB Page Mill Capital Partners, Techno-Venture and Wit SoundView.
• iolon is headed by John Clark, who formerly was VP and GM of the Opto-Electronics Unit of Scientific-Atlanta.

CIDRA INTRODUCES TUNABLE BANDPASS FILTER
CiDRA introduced the first digitally programmable filter module that enables precise routing and monitoring of individual DWDM channels in optical networks.  The 50GHz tunable filter can scan or set to any wavelength within the entire C-band using a digital command.  The device could be used as a monitoring and transmission diagnostic tool by network operators for verifying system performance for installation and maintenance applications.  http://www.cidra.com./news/pr_03082001.html
CiDRA, March 8, 2001

• Last June, CiDRA raised $100 million in venture financing to ramp-up its manufacturing capacity as well as accelerate its product development activities.  Since its founding in 1996, CiDRA has raised a total of $152 million.  Investors include Amerindo Investment Advisors, HRLD Ventures, Optical Capital Group, First Reserve, Cisco Systems, MSD Capital, Scudder Technology Fund; Putnam Investment; Morgan Stanley Dean Witter; Infosys Technologies Limited, Connecticut Innovations, Inc., and Teknoinvest Management AS.  The company is based in Wallingford, CT.
• CiDRA's components/modules are based on a proprietary fiber and Bragg grating packaging technology that permits accurate tuning of wavelengths.  Applications will include tunable DWDM channel filters, channel analyzers, tunable fiber lasers and reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers.
• CiDRA is led by Kevin Didden, formerly Manager of Technology Application for the United Technologies Research Center.
• In October, CiDRA filed SEC papers for a forthcoming IPO.

ABILENE INTERNET2 BACKBONE SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDS ITS REACH
Abilene, a nationwide Internet2 network, will significantly expand its high-performance connectivity to institutions such as elementary schools, secondary schools, community colleges, museums and libraries.  The new policy will provide the expanded access through partnerships with Internet2 universities and regional networking organizations.  The first new participants include the Washington K-20 Education Network in Washington State, the Oregon Public Education Network (OPEN), Net.Work.Virginia Next Generation, MOREnet in Missouri and MichNet in Michigan.  State networks in Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma and Rhode Island are expected to be approved for access to Abilene in the near future.  http://www.internet2.edu/abilene/
Abilene, March 8, 2001

• Internet2 is a consortium of over 180 universities working in partnership with industry and government to develop advanced network applications and technologies.  Internet2 wants to create a next generation Internet for the national research community as well as the broader Internet population.  http://www.internet2.edu/ 

LIGHTSCAPE NETWORKS LAUNCHES METRO AND REGIONAL SOLUTIONS
Lightscape Networks, one of the companies resulting from the reorganization of ECI Telecom, introduced its new corporate identity.  The company's single shelf XDM optical networking platform is optimized for aggregating multiple low rate services, such as IP, ATM and SONET/SDH to a single wavelength.  Add-drop and optical multiplexers are integrated in the multi-service platform.  Lightscape Networks, which began operating independently as of the start of the year, has an established customer based in Europe and Asia Pacific, including Deutsche Telecom, NTL, D2 Vodafone, China Telecom, Unicom and Bezeq.  Sales in 2000 totaled almost $260 million.  An entry into the US market is planned this year.  http://www.lightscapenetworks.com/
Lightscape Networks, March 8, 2001

ECI Telecom first announced plans to split itself into 5 companies last August in a move designed to boost shareholder value.  ECI Telecom’s spin-offs are:

• Lightscape Networks encompasses optical networking solutions.  http://www.lightscapenetworks.com/
• Enavis Networks, which is the company's Transport Networks group and was formerly a division of Tadiran Telecommunications, which merged in 1999 with ECI Telecom.  Key product lines include the T::DAX global digital Cross Connect, the T::MSA multiservice data aggregator, the A::DAX next generation bandwidth manager, and the T::NMS network manager.  http://www.enavis.com
• Access Solutions (copper-based broadband access) provides ADSL/xDSL, Digital Pair Gain and HDSL extension products.  http://www.ecitele.com/access/index.htm
• InnoWave Fixed Wireless Access Solutions provides microwave radios with capacities of 100-155 Mbps.  http://www.innowave-ws.com/
• NGTS IP solutions for advanced networks covers High Concentration Network Optimizers, VoATM Media Gateways and Digital Circuit Multiplication Systems.   http://www.ecitele.com/solutions_compression.htm

BELL LABS CREATES PLASTIC SUPERCONDUCTORS
Researchers from Lucent Technologies' Bell Labs have created the first plastic superconductors.  The experiment, which was reported in today's issue of Nature, found that thin films of the plastic polythiophene became superconducting at minus 455 degrees Fahrenheit.  The scientists believe that possible applications could be found in quantum computing and superconducting electronics.  http://www.lucent.com/press/0301/010308.bla.html
Lucent Technologies, March 8, 2001

TELIA SELECTS CISCO SYSTEMS FOR NEW WHOLESALE IP SERVICES
Telia named Cisco Systems as its equipment supplier of choice for all new IP services.  Under the strategic relationship, the companies will work together on wholesale IP VPNs, virtual ISP service, wholesale streaming, Content Distributed Network and wholesale dial services.  Both companies will be actively involved in marketing these solutions.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.cisco.com
Cisco System, March 8, 2001

• 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.  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.
• 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.

QUALCOMM AND MOTOROLA SIGN CDMA2000 1X EV AGREEMENT
QUALCOMM entered into a cdma2000 1xEV design transfer agreement with Motorola for the development and design of cdma2000 1xEV infrastructure modem card equipment.  cdma2000 1xEV, based on QUALCOMM's High Data Rate technology, provides a spectrally efficient 2.4 Mbps peak rate in a standard 1.25 MHz channel bandwidth for fixed, portable and mobile applications.  http://www.qualcomm.com/cda/pr/view/0,1800,551,00.html
QUALCOMM, March 8, 2001

HATTERAS NETWORKS SECURES $28 MILLION FOR BROADBAND/OPTICAL ACCESS
Hatteras Networks, an early stage start-up based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, secured $28 million in second round funding for its development of a broadband and optical access system.  Product plans have not been disclosed.  Investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, Columbia Capital, and ComVentures.  http://www.hatterasnetworks.com
Hatteras Networks, March 8, 2001