Alcatel Reports Q1 Sales of EUR 2.96 Billion, Soft Markets

Alcatel reported Q1 sales of EUR 2.961 billion, down 31.1% year over year and down sequentially by 34.3%. Loss from operations was registered at EUR 161 million and net loss at EUR 461 million, or a diluted loss of EUR 0.39 per share ($0.43 per ADS). Alcatel cited seasonality and currency exchange issues for the weaker performance. It also noted that carrier markets continue to be soft, and the economic and geopolitical environmental may add a few points to the 15% degradation it had previously predicted for 2003. The non-carrier market is better but for the same reasons may be a few points off from the expected stagnation. Overall Alcatel still expects the market in the second half of 2003 to be comparable to last year, at a constant exchange rate. Nevertheless, Alcatel anticipates that its restructuring programs will enable it to reach an operating breakeven target for the full year. Some highlights for the quarter:

• Revenue for fixed communications equipment decreased sequentially by 34.5% to EUR 1.317 billion. DSL sales were strong worldwide, but were offset by the weakness in the carrier data market. Optical networks decreased substantially, particularly terrestrial transmission where the good performance in traditional cross connects was offset by the continuing depressed WDM long-haul market, especially in the US.
• 
  
  Revenue for mobile communications decreased sequentially by 37.8% to EUR 798 million. Sales were hit by the temporary unavailability of color screens coupled with pricing pressures on mature monochrome models.
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  Revenues for private communications decreased sequentially by 28.4% to EUR 952 million, primarily due to declining space revenues in light of delivery schedules and soft underlying market conditions.
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  Gross margin improved to 29.7%, compared to 27.3% for Q4 2002.
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  Alcatel ended the quarter with 76,000 employees, down from 119,000 in Q4 2000. The company estimates it will have 60,000 employees at the end of this year.
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  Alcatel is targeting a breakeven point at quarterly sales of around EUR 3 billion per quarter at year end.

http://www.alcatel.com

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SpectraLink Offers 802.11b Wireless Phones

SpectraLink announced an 802.11b NetLink Wireless Deskset priced at $499 and incorporating a speakerphone, large display, and special feature keys. A docking station version will be priced at $299. In the docking station configuration, the user has the option of using the NetLink Wireless Deskset's traditional wired handset or the NetLink Wireless Telephone handset to roam throughout the enterprise.
http://www.spectralink.com

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Transparent Networks Ceases Operations

Transparent Networks, a start-up that was developing a 3D MOEMS (micro-opto-electronic-mechanical-system) mirror array switch, is ceasing operations and will liquidate its assets. The company's intellectual property includes optical signal processing and MEMS-based technology. A buyer is being sought. Transparent Networks was based in Milpitas, California.
http://www.transparentnetworks.com

• In March 2002, Transparent Networks previewed its 3D MOEMS mirror array integrated with high-voltage high-density VLSI electronics. The single chip array includes 1200 mirrors and could be scaled for use in optical switches with up to 18,000 ports. Transparent Networks' first product implementation allows field scalability of the optical switch from 8 to 1,024 bi-directional protected ports. The design would allow carriers to deploy the switch with a small number of active ports and then add more ports based on demand.
• 
  
  In February 2002, Transparent Networks secured $20 million in second round venture funding for its work in intelligent photonic switching systems. The company raised $30.2 million since its inception in June 2000. Transparent Networks is headed by Dr. Janusz Bryzek, who is considered one of the pioneers of the MEMS industry.

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Marvell Targets Gigabit Ethernet Switching for SMBs and SOHOs

Marvell is extending its Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switch silicon to target the Small-to-Medium Size Business (SMB) and SOHO market segments. Marvell is introducing a single-chip Prestera-DX GbE packet processor solution for 24-, 16- and 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switches. The Prestera-DX devices achieve non-blocking performance and high integration by combining all of the Gigabit MACs, the packet buffer memory, a powerful switch engine, and SERDES in each port into a single chip. The Prestera chip supports enterprise-class QoS features as well as a Virtual Cable Tester technology that can detect cable problems. Marvell estimates that an unmanaged, 24-port Gigabit Ethernet built with its Prestera chip could have a street price of $600, placing the per-port cost of Gigabit Ethernet switching at around $25. The company noted that many PC motherboards and even notebooks now include Gigabit Ethernet as a standard feature.


For the SOHO market, Marvell is also introducing 5-port and 8-port integrated GbE switch silicon solutions. Marvell's new Link Street devices enable construction of a complete three-chip 5-port/8-port GbE switch with triple-speed 10/100/1000 Mbps support. The company said the advance of technology and the increase in the number of multiple-PC households and small offices would drive GbE into the SOHO market.
http://www.marvell.com/

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Project MESA to Define Standards for Wireless Public Safety Networks

Project MESA, an international partnership project between the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), adopted an accelerated work plan to complete technical specifications for public emergency response networks by as early as the end of 2004. Project MESA said it recognized that completely new thinking in the field of radio technology and wireless networking is required to meet the advanced needs of users. The Project's work to date has involved the definition by the public safety organizations of their initial user requirements for future networks. These requirements include a self-establishing, self-healing broadband network operating in excess of 2 Mbps. A typical network of this sort would enable, for example, remote patient monitoring, the sending of a video shot from a helicopter to fire services personnel on the ground, or the use of robots to assist in the rescue of people from hazardous or inaccessible areas, or in the defusing of explosive devices.
http://www.projectmesa.org/http://www.tiaonline.org/

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Apple Launches the iTunes Music Store

Hoping to create the next great consumer application, Apple launched its iTunes Music store, an online service that lets customers download music for $0.99 per song, including the rights to burn songs onto an unlimited number of CDs for personal use, listening to songs on an unlimited number of iPods, playing songs on up to three Macs and using songs in any application on the Mac. The iTunes Music Store features over 200,000 songs from music companies including BMG, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal and Warner. Apple also introduced its third generation iPods, which hold up to 7,500 songs on a 30GB drive. A version of iTunes for Windows is expected by year's end.
http://www.apple.com

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Wanadoo tops 1.6 million broadband customers

As of 31-March-2003, Wanadoo had 8.786 million Internet access customers in Europe, including 1.613 million subscribers to ADSL and cable broadband service. Wanadoo added 251,000 new customers during Q1, of whom 239,000 signed up for broadband service. Broadband users represented 18.4% of the total Wanadoo user base. The Wanadoo portal service delivered 2.408 billion Web pages in March 2003, up 60% compared to a year earlier. Wanadoo, a subsidiary of France Telecom, is expecting revenue growth of 25 to 30% for 2003.
http://www.wanadoo.com

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Marconi Launches Multiservice IP VPN Solution

Marconi introduced a new multiservice IP VPN solution that uses Ethernet over MPLS with the IETF "Martini" draft standard on its ASX and TNX line of multiservice switch-routers. Marconi's solution supports multiple differentiated Ethernet services, such as VoIP, packetized video and real-time data transport simultaneously over the same Ethernet port. At the same time, Marconi's multiservice switch-router platform could also concurrently support Frame Relay, private line and ATM services. The solution is provided using a new four-port 10/100 Ethernet port card that plugs into Marconi's ASX and TNX multiservice switch-routers, either directly or through a network module carrier card for the ASX-4000 40 Gbps multiservice switch-router. Marconi's multiservice IP port card solution offers QoS guarantees using a standards-based implementation of IETF 802.1Q VLAN mapping and IETF 802.1p priority mapping on an MPLS Label Switch Path (LSP) or ATM Virtual Circuit (VC). Marconi said its solution is targeted for service provider deployment in multi-tenant, resale or Managed Network Services (MNS) markets.
http://www.marconi.com

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IDT Builds Octal Transceiver for High-Density Line Cards

IDT (Integrated Device Technology) introduced its new SuperJET family of J1/E1/T1 transceivers, including a monolithic octal density device designed for next-generation universal line-card designs in communications systems. IDT's new SuperJET transceivers, which integrate and expand upon its universal line interface unit and framer functionality, provide configuration flexibility, jitter performance and signaling support across octal, quad, dual and single densities. The IDT SuperJET devices target J1/E1/T1 interfaces in access concentrators, wireless base stations, integrated MSPPs, synchronization networks and broadband access equipment.
http://www.idt.com

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TI's Single-Chip ADSL Integrates Line Driver

Texas Instruments announce the integration of a complete ADSL router, including the 12V line driver, on a single chip. The chip is implemented in a 130nm copper CMOS process. By including the line driver, communications processor, power management and hundreds of passive components on a single device, TI estimates that it reduces the total system chip and passives count by up to 50% over competitive solutions. TI said its advanced process technology allows it to mix and match digital, analog, RF and memory components on a single device.
http://www.ti.com/dsl

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Occam and VocalData partner on IP Centrex Solution

Occam Networks and VocalData have created a joint solution enabling carriers to offer hosted IP telephony services. Occam's Ethernet & IP-based broadband loop carrier, which streamlines the access network by integrating the functionality of several types of network equipment, resides in the service provider network and acts as a voice gateway for VocalData's VOISS solution. VocalData's VOISS system can be configured to deliver hosted PBX, IP Centrex, business trunking, residential services, and enhanced applications such as conferencing, unified messaging and a Web portal.
http://www.occamnetworks.com
http://www.vocaldata.com

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Court Approves ICO's Globalstar Acquisition

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved the sale of Globalstar's assets to ICO Global Communications for an investment of $55 million. ICO will receive a 54% equity stake in the new operating company. The remaining equity will be distributed to Globalstar's creditors, which include Loral Space & Communications, Qualcomm Incorporated and holders of Globalstar L.P. bonds. It is estimated that $4 billion has been spent thus far on Globalstar and its mobile satellite communications network. ICO Chairman Craig O. McCaw said he believes that Globalstar can deliver useful services for governments, corporations and communities around the world. Most recently due to demand, Globalstar has expanded its service coverage in the Middle East. ICO is also currently deploying its own medium earth orbit MSS constellation (at 10,000 kilometers vs. Globalstar's 1,400 kilometer orbit) to provide global voice and data communications. ICO has contracted with Boeing and Lockheed/ILS to construct and launch its satellites.
http://www.ico.com

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Celite Introduces DSL Headend for In-building Ethernet

Celite Systems, a start-up based in Austin, Texas, introduced its DSL Headend technology for multi-dwelling units. The Celite box would enable local exchange carriers and building owners to deliver broadband services to an entire apartment or condominium complex, office high rise, hotel or other multi-dwelling unit with one installation process at the telephone equipment room. Celite runs Ethernet over existing building wiring, without requiring line splitters or filters. DSL lines are multiplexed for the trunk back to the network.
http://www.celitesystems.com

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Agere Offers Two New Integrated VoIP Phone Chips

Agere Systems introduced two new VoIP chips for residential and enterprise IP phones. The new devices include both dual and single Ethernet-port system-on-a-chip solutions. The VoIP chips support wide-band codecs for enhanced voice quality, three-way teleconferencing, and full-duplex speakerphone capability with self-adaptive Acoustic Echo Cancellation. Both single-chip solutions couple Agere's DSP 1600 core with an ARM940T microcontroller, allowing manufacturers to use the same software for a range of IP phone designs. Agere said its IP Phone chips are also compatible with its WaveLAN wireless networking components. The single port device is offered at approximately $12 in quantities of 50,000. The dual-port device is priced at approximately $18 in production quantities of 50,000.
http://www.agere.com

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Nortel Networks Announces Visitor-Based Networking for Hotels, Convention Centers

Nortel Networks introduced a package of integrated network solutions for hotels, convention centers, airports and other enterprises looking to provide travelers and mobile PC workers with temporary connectivity needs. Nortel Networks said its Visitor-Based Networking could help hotels turn their IT costs into a profit center. The line-up includes elements from Nortel Networks Passport, Shasta and Baystack product lines, as well as its new wireless LAN portfolio. A special visitor-based Internet portal enables users to access the service and create member accounts without loading software clients.
http://www.nortelnetworks.com

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Sprint and Nortel Chosen for Mandalay Resort Network

The Mandalay Resort Group, which owns 16 hotels and casinos -- including the Mandalay Bay, Excalibur and Circus Circus, selected Nortel Networks and Sprint to build a seamless network across four states. Sprint has deployed Nortel Networks' Optical Ethernet solution, including Passport 8600 Routing Switches, as well as its Shasta 5000 Broadband Service Node, the Passport 8000 Ethernet Switch series, WLAN-Access Point 2220, WLAN-Security Switch 2250 and the Baystack portfolio of Ethernet switches. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.nortelnetworks.com
http://www.sprint.com

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MCI Issues Monthly Operating Results, Comments on CAPEX Trend

MCI recorded $2.03 billion in revenue for February and $2.1 billion for March. Operating income was $44 million in February and $84 million in March. MCI's capital expenditures for February were $36 million, including $18 million for PP&E and $18 million for related software. Capital expenditures for March were $51 million, including $18 million for PP&E and $33 million for related software. The company said it is comfortable with the projected capital spending levels on its core IP backbone, and that it would try to gain efficiencies by consolidating legacy networks, eliminating redundant systems and standardizing its billing systems.
http://www.mci.com

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Jury Rules in Favor of CIENA in Patent Case vs. Corvis

A jury of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware issued its verdict in favor of CIENA in its litigation against Corvis Corporation for patent infringement. Corvis' CorWave system was found to infringe on CIENA's patent titled "WDM Optical Communication System With Remodulators." CIENA plans to move for an injunction prohibiting sales of infringing products.
http://www.ciena.com

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IPv6 Forum Creates Acceptance Standard With 'IPv6 Ready' Logo

The IPv6 Forum launched a logo branding program called "IPv6 Ready" to designate products that have passed a set level of interoperability. The IPv6 test and conformance bodies providing the certification include the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Lab, the TAHI Test Event, the ETSI IPv6 Plugtest, IRISIA and Connectathon. IPv6 products have been shipping for some time and the new logo program is expected to reinforce that message in the market.

http://www.ipv6forum.com

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Air Force Command and Control Network Expands with net.com's Promina

Network Equipment Technologies was awarded a $5 million contract by General Dynamics Decision Systems for expansion of the United States Air Force's voice, video and data command and control network. The USAF's Theater Deployable Communications (TDC) Integrated Communications Access Packages (ICAP) Program network, which is currently composed of net.com's Promina 400 platforms, is being expanded by another 40 Promina 400 nodes and will additionally incorporate a Promina 800 node at each of five larger sites. The TDC ICAP network nodes are all transit-case mounted for easy mobility. Within 30 minutes of landing in deployed areas, USAF technicians are able to establish communications with Internet gateway, secure IP, and voice (NAPR, SIPR and DSN) services.
http://www.net.com

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Multiservice Switching Forum Plans Interoperability Events

The Multiservice Switching Forum (MSF) announced plans for a global interoperability event to take place next year. Global MSF Interoperability (GMI) 2004, which will be conducted simultaneously in Europe, North America and Asia, will demonstrate a deployable and operationally ready IP telephony network with Network Management, enhanced QoS and security features. The Forum plans to unveil physical architecture scenarios for GMI 2004 later this year. The MSF also elected its new leadership for two year terms. The new board of directors includes Mark Carroll of Cisco Systems, Chris Daniel of Leapstone Systems, Brian Down of Marconi Communications, Ken Rambo of Qwest Communications and Roger Ward of BT. Rich Seager of NG Technologies and Avri Doria of ETRI were elected chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Technical Committee. Neil Anderson of Spirent Communications was elected chair of the Marketing, Awareness and Education (MAE) Committee and Scott Yagel was elected vice chair.
http://www.msforum.org

• The Multiservice Switching Forum (MSF) is a global association of service providers and system suppliers committed to developing and promoting open-architecture, multiservice switching systems. A Multiservice Switching System (MSS) is a distributed switching method -- frame, cell or packet-based -- designed to support voice, video, private line and data such as ATM, Frame Relay and IP services using all types of access technologies. The MSF Implementation Agreements (IAs) define the requirements of the interfaces between components of a MSS.

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RouteScience Releases Version 3.0

RouteScience released version 3.0 for its PathControl platform, which optimizes a company's multiple ISP links by providing real-time performance measurements of paths across the Internet to end users. Using these performance metrics and customer preferences for ISP link costs, RouteScience's PathControl platform determines the best ISP path for end-users and can then automatically update the organization's edge routers with the best path routing information. The new software can dynamically discover and measure performance from end to end, or from the data center to intermediate points near end users whenever full end-to-end performance measurement is not possible. Its PathControl platform can now show per prefix bandwidth utilization as well as generate detailed billing cycle reports for month to date usage, projected billing tiers, and total cost savings. The company said this extension of its measurement technology will accelerates the deployment of IP route optimization for all IP application traffic.
http://www.routescience.com

• In July 2002, Google selected RouteScience's PathControl platform to enhance the performance and lower the bandwidth costs of its popular search engine. The companies said the RouteScience platform would help avoid Internet brownouts that result from excessive latency and loss.
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  RouteScience is led by Herb Madan, who previously was Vice President and General Manager, Service Provider Line of Business at Cisco Systems, and CEO and Co-Founder of Netsys Technologies (acquired by Cisco in 1996). The company's founding team also includes Jim McGuire, previously Senior Director of Engineering, Service Provider Line of Business at Cisco Systems and Co-Founder of Netsys, and Joel Evanier, previously Director of Enterprise Sales at Cisco Systems and Vice President of Sales at Netsys. The company's technical team also includes Mike Lloyd, who was the principal architect for the MPLS VPN provisioning system at Cisco Systems, and a senior engineer on BGP and other routing simulations.

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Xelerated Demonstrates 4x10Gpbs Network Processor

Xelerated, a start-up based in Burlington, Massachusetts, announced the availability of its X10q-e Network Processor, a high-performance processor aimed at switches for enterprise backbones and metro Ethernet. The company describes its core technology as a "data flow processor" built in a .13 micron process. The chip architecture is optimized for the efficient movement of data, eliminating the need for complex inter-processor interconnects as well as redundant data and instruction storage. This allows 200 data flow processors and ten I/O processors to fit on a single, low-cost chip providing unparalleled cost/performance. The 200 data flow processors are organized in a synchronous pipeline with each processor executing a single instruction. This makes them appear to the programmer as a single 80 BOPs processor with a fully deterministic execution time. An X10q reference design system running at 4*10 Gbps is being demonstrated this week at NetWorld+Interop in Las Vegas.
http://www.xelerated.com

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Net2Phone and HNS Announce VoIP via Satellite Service

Net2Phone and Hughes Network Systems (HNS) have jointly developed an integrated capability to deliver Net2Phone's VoIP service over HNS' DIRECWAY broadband by satellite service. The companies said this is the first integrated satellite VoIP solution with bandwidth prioritization to be offered to enterprises and consumers globally. HNS has integrated Net2Phone's VoIP telephony interface into its Voice Appliance terminal, which will operate over the DIRECWAY satellite service worldwide. HNS will market the integrated Net2Phone capability through its value-added reseller distribution channels.
http://www.hns.com
http://www.net2phone.com

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Broadcom Introduces Multiprotocol Mapper

Broadcom introduced a low- power, variable-rate transceiver/mapper device for developing single linecard solutions that feature a host of transmission protocols and speeds from the same physical link. The chip provides interfaces at data rates ranging from 155 Mbps up through 2.666 Gbps. The services supported by the device include telecom services at OC-3, OC-12 and OC-48; datacom services at Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps); and Fibre Channel services (1- and 2- Gbps). Broadcom said the multi-protocol capabilities make its new mapper well-suited for Multi-Service Provisioning and Switching Platformshttp://www.broadcom.com

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Cisco Introduces Wireless IP Phone

Cisco Systems introduced three new IP phones, including a model that operates over 802.11b WLANs. The Cisco Wireless IP Phone 7920 is targeted for use by employees in hospitals, warehouses, retail stores, universities and other highly mobile work environments. The phone is priced at $595 and is expected to ship next month. Cisco also introduced two entry-level, wireline IP phones priced on par with digital PBX phone sets ($165 and $130).
http://www.cisco.com

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Foundry Networks Announces Next Generation, 10GbE Enterprise Switch

Foundry Networks introduced its BigIron MG8 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) switch, one of the first in a series of 10-Gigabit Ethernet products powered by its fourth generation Terathon ASIC chipset. The BigIron MG8 is a high performance Layer 3 backbone switch optimized for high-density Gigabit Ethernet and 10GbE deployments, including enterprise backbones, converged campus networks, supercomputing clusters, grid computing and storage networks. The platform offers 1.28 Tbps of total non-blocking switching capacity and wire-speed forwarding in all thirty-two (32) 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports for a total of up to 480 million packets per second of Layer 2/3 switching performance per system. It also features a 40-Gigabit capacity per slot, allowing for higher density modules and a path to 40 Gigabit connections in the future. Three BigIron MG8 systems fit in a standard seven-foot rack, for up to 96 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports. Foundry's Terathon ASICs includes an implementation of RFC 3176 to enable wire-speed traffic monitoring on every port. Pricing is as follows: AC system $54,995; management module $14,995; 4-port 10GbE modules $64,995; Long Reach (LR or 10 km) XENPAK optic $4,995; Extended Reach (ER or 50km) XENPAK optic $11,995.
http://www.foundrynetworks.com

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Foundry Debuts Terabit-Capacity 10 Gigabit Ethernet Router for Metro and ISP Nets

Foundry Networks introduced a new 10 Gigabit Ethernet Router with up to four Terabits of switching capacity and 1.5 billion packets per second of routing performance per rack. The new NetIron 40G router offers 40-Gigabits of capacity per slot, allowing for higher density modules and a path to 40 Gbps connections in the future. The NetIron 40G provides a density of up to 256 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 32 10GbE ports in each 13 rack unit high system; and 768 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 96 10GbE ports per 7 foot rack. Route processors perform hardware based low latency routing for up to 512,000 IP routes in each interface module. Foundry claims the platform is capable of 1.5 billion packets per second of IP routing performance per rack. Additional capabilities include:

• Internet-grade BGP scalability features such as confederations and route reflection clusters
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  Support for 4,000,000 BGP routes and 500 BGP peers
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  BGP route flap dampening for network stability
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  MBGP extensions for multicast support
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  Route filtering capabilities including Cooperative Filtering for efficient BGP route distribution
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  OSPF route summarization for internal and external routes to improve scalability
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  MD5 authentication to secure the routing domain and block bogus route advertisements
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  A complete IS-IS implementation including support for Level 1 and Level 2 adjacencies, and integration with other routing protocols for best route selection and route redistribution
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  Foundry's Metro Ring Protocol (MRP) and Virtual Switch Redundancy Protocol (VSRP) for SONET-like protection in high-speed 10 GbE based metro networks
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  Support for Super VLAN aggregation and up to 2,000,000 system MAC addresses
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  Product availability is slated for Q3. Pricing is as follows: DC system $44,995; Management module $19,995; 4-port 10GbE modules $94,995; Long Reach (LR or 10 km) Xenpak optic $4,995; Extended Reach (ER or 50km) Xenpak optic $11,995.

http://www.foundrynetworks.com

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XO Names Grivner as CEO

XO Communications named Carl J. Grivner as its new CEO, replacing Daniel Akerson, who resigned in January. Grivner most recently served as Chief Operating Officer at Global Crossing. Prior to joining Global Crossing in June 2000, Grivner served as CEO of Worldport Communications and before that he served as CEO, Western Hemisphere, of Cable & Wireless PLC. He has also worked for AFC and Ameritech.
http://www.xo.com

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Alcatel Announces Frame Relay-to-Ethernet VPN Service Interworking

Alcatel introduced Frame Relay to Metro Ethernet Service Interworking capability, enabling service providers to offer Ethernet access through their widely-deployed Frame Relay networks. The capability allows carriers to offer switched VPN services to their customers with the choice of
mixing Frame or cell relay with Ethernet access to the same VPN. For example, a corporate head office might wish to upgrade to metro Ethernet access at 200 Mbps rates while preserving its existing Frame Relay VPN to all its remote locations. The Alcatel Service Interworking is delivered as a software upgrade feature on the Alcatel 7670 Routing Switch Platform (RSP). The new software maps the Ethernet VLAN IDs into Frame Relay DLCI / ATM VCI parameters. While recommending its own OmniSwitch metro Ethernet solution, Alcatel said the new Service Interworking capability would be able to support any standard Ethernet VLAN implementation. The metro Ethernet equipment could use any type of underlying optical transport infrastructure.
http://www.alcatel.com

• In Q4 2002, Alcatel shipped its 1,000th 7670 Routing Switch Platform unit. The Alcatel 7670 RSP is currently deployed by over 80 service providers worldwide. Alcatel has announced 22 carrier customers for the 7670 including, SBC, Bell Canada, Telus, Cable & Wireless, British Telecom, France Telecom, Deutsche Telecom, Telecom Austria, Belgacom, Hanaro, One-Net, China Telecom (Guangdong, Anhui, Hubei, Guangxi provinces) and others.

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Wipro to provide Home Gateway solution for Intel Net Processor

Wipro Technologies announced a Home Gateway software solution optimized for and integrated with Intel's IXP425 network processor. The Wipro Home Gateway middleware solution could be used in a home CPE for sharing a broadband Internet connection, home files and device sharing, in-home wireless LAN connectivity, IP Telephony (VoIP), VPN connectivity, video on demand, and for home security and home video surveillance applications. Wipro is also working on multimedia streaming capabilities that would let home users enjoy music or video files on various devices throughout the home. For instance, video files stored on a PC might be wirelessly streamed to a TV set in another room. The multimedia streaming capabilities would be supported by industry standard quality of service mechanisms in the home gateway. The Wipro Home Gateway software, currently ported to the Intel IXP425 network processor platform, is in line with Wipro's strategy to make available its Home Gateway middleware over multiple silicon platforms, including those from Motorola, Toshiba, IDT and others. Wipro also plans to support the newly announced Intel IXP420, Intel IXP421 and Intel IXP422 network processors, offering OEM solutions for DSL routers, CableHome gateways, IADs, wireless access points and Home and SOHO gateways.
http://www.wipro.com/homenet

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MPLS/Frame Relay Alliance Plans Interoperability Demo

The MPLS/Frame Relay Alliance will conduct a live demonstration of Frame Relay and ATM over MPLS and Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS) interoperability at SUPERCOMM 2003, scheduled for June 3rd to 5th in Atlanta. In addition, the MPLS/Frame Relay Alliance members will demonstrate multi-vendor interoperability of Fast Re-Route (FRR), Layer 2 pt-to-pt Ethernet Services, and Layer 3 RFC 2547-bis VPN operation.
http://www.mplsforum.org

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Sprint Announces Frame Relay over DSL Services

Sprint introduced a Frame Relay over DSL (FRoDSL) service aimed at enterprise customers. Sprint FRoDSL is an end-to-end connection-oriented layer 2 protocol utilizing DSL as a way of gaining inexpensive access from the customer's premise to Sprint's Frame Relay network. In addition, Sprint FRoDSL leverages the service delivery and trouble resolution processes associated with Frame Relay.
http://www.sprint.com

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