FTTH Council Appoints 2004 Leadership

The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council voted in its new leadership for 2004. The appointments include:

Michael DiMauro, FiberCore Systems Inc. -- President

Leonard Ray, Corning -- Vice President/President-Elect

Douglas Dowling, Tyco Electronics -- Secretary

Dana Bisaro, Zero dB -- Treasurer

Jay Fausch, Alcatel -- Board Member

Russ Gyurek, Cisco Systems, Board Member

Wes Rosenbalm, Bristol Virginia Utilities, Board Memberhttp://www.ftthcouncil.org

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Microcell Chooses Nortel Networks as Core Network Equipment Supplier

Microcell Telecommunications selected Nortel Networks as its exclusive supplier for GSM and UMTS core wireless network equipment through 2006. The contract represents a value of approximately US$50 million and gives Nortel Networks exclusivity for provisioning GSM MSC (Mobile Switching Centre), HLR (Home Location Register) and call server products. It will also allow deployment of a 'live' 3G wireless network, enabling a service showcase in Montreal using technology based on the UMTS standard.

Microcell supplies Personal Communications Services (PCS) in Canada under the "Fido" brand name. http://www.nortelnetworks.com http://www.fido.ca

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Comcast Cable Selects Motorola BSR 64000 CMTS/Router Platform

Comcast Cable has chosen the Motorola Broadband Services Router BSR 64000 as part of the company's continued expansion of high-speed data and future PacketCable-based voice services. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The Motorola BSR 64000 CMTS is a carrier-class broadband services router and CMTS designed for large-scale deployment of DOCSIS 1.1/2.0 and PacketCable based services and applications. It includes MPLS and VPN capabilities for delivering commercial services. http://www.motorola.com

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CWA Receives Final Court Approval for $100M Financing

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court granted final approval for the $100 million debtor-in-possession (DIP) credit facility being provided by Cable and Wireless plc to Cable & Wireless USA, Inc. and Cable & Wireless Internet Services (CWA). The company said the new credit facility would supplement its other sources of liquidity.

On 08-December-2003, in CWA and certain of its affiliates filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a condition to the proposed sale of substantially all of the CWA assets to an affiliate of Gores Technology Group, LLC. http://www.cwusa.com

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XO Bids for Cable & Wireless America

XO Communications submitted a bid for the assets of Cable & Wireless USA Inc. and Cable & Wireless Internet Services, Inc., jointly known as Cable & Wireless America (CWA). Details about XO Communications' bid were not released. http://www.xo.com

• In December 2003, Cable and Wireless plc will exit its US businesses by filing a Chapter 11 process for its Cable & Wireless America (CWA) operations and selling the assets for $125 million to Gores Technology Group. CWA is a provider of complex hosting and IP solutions for global enterprises. The companies said the Chapter 11 process would facilitate the sale by creating a substantially lower cost base, primarily through the elimination and renegotiation of certain lease and other contractual commitments. Cable and Wireless plc, which said its intention was to exit the its US businesses for the least cost, will continue to be a provider for international communications to and from the US.



• In June 2003, Cable & Wireless announced a major restructuring and plans to withdraw from the U.S. market. Earlier in the year, Cable & Wireless had been optimistic that it could continue to build its business serving multinational enterprises and other carriers in the U.S. However, Cable & Wireless concluded that "there is not a long-term viable business model," as its U.S. operations continued to consume cash and had had limited interaction with the rest of the Cable & Wireless group.

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