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Ascend Introduces New Carrier-Class xDSL Concentrator and Multi-Port SDSL Customer Premise Router
Business Wire - October 06, 1997 07:59
%ASCEND ASND %CALIFORNIA %TELECOMMUNICATIONS %COMED %PRODUCT %TRADESHOW V%BW P%BW
At Networld + Interop
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 1997
End-to-End xDSL Solution Includes High Density DSLTNT for the Central Office and SDSL Router That Delivers 1.54 Mbps Data Rate
Ascend Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASND) today announced two new members of its MultiDSL family, the new carrier-class DSLTNT and a new SDSL-based DSLPipe router. This end-to-end xDSL solution is designed to enable carriers and other service providers to move quickly to meet the demand for high speed access services.
The core of the offering is the DSLTNT, a DSL central office concentrator that supports a wide range of DSL services -- including IDSL, SDSL, RADSL-DMT and RADSL-CAP -- as well as a complete suite of traditional data services. The DSLTNT also combines the highest port density of any remote access concentrator with the low power consumption required by carriers. For the customer premise site, service providers can offer the new DSLPipe-2S, an SDSL router that bonds two SDSL lines together for up to 1.54 Mbps bandwidth. The DSLPipe-2S may also be used to provide 768 Kbps over a single SDSL line.
"DSL is a hot technology, but it is also a new market for us," said Mike Henry, president of MegsINet, Inc., Chicago, Ill. "It is extremely important to have a flexible platform so that we can adapt our services as market demand evolves. The DSLTNT provides all the services we need, but with an excellent plug-and-play modularity that gives us the flexibility we need."
"Without question, Ascend has the broadest DSL solution in the industry," says John Morency, Director of the Network Industry Practice of the Registry, Inc., a Newton Mass.-based IT consultancy. "This announcement should certainly serve to solidify that position. The DSLTNT is a comprehensive all-in-one platform for the service provider, and the DSLPipe-2S is a great solution for businesses who want high speed access without having to pay for big T1 pipes. Ascend is doing an excellent job responding to these end-to-end requirements with complete solutions."
To help carriers move new xDSL services into the market more quickly, Ascend is offering a special bundled discount program that enables service providers to deploy a complete end-to-end xDSL solution for as low as $875 per port. The "YellowJacket" program, which runs from now until December 15, 1997, bundles the CPE and COE devices (DSLPipe and DSLTNT) for a discounted price. For example, service providers can purchase an end-to-end SDSL solution for $875 per port and an end-to-end ADSL solution for $999 per port.
"Ascend has been a major proponent of DSL technology, and they're making it easier and more attractive for service providers to deploy the technology with announcements like this," says Kieran Taylor, Broadband Consultant, TeleChoice, Inc., Verona, N.J. "They've packaged the equipment extremely well with an all-in-one xDSL concentrator and a DSL CPE device for customers. Then they've added a great discount program to get service providers started. It should be a very effective strategy."
"Because DSL technology is relatively new and no other vendor has delivered a complete solution, carriers can only keep up with demand by pulling together their own solutions using multiple products from different vendors, which is messy, costly, and hard to manage," says Ashok Dhawan, general manager for high speed access products at Ascend. "Ascend's strategy is to deliver a fully integrated and comprehensive DSL solution -- and the DSLTNT and DSLPipe-2S are proof of that commitment."
Benefits of the end-to-end DSL solution
The DSLTNT dramatically reduces the cost and complexity of offering DSL services; carriers and ISPs can replace banks of DSL modems, Ethernet switches and costly routers at the central office with one compact, multiservice concentrator. The DSLTNT shares the same robust software of the industry-leading MAX TNT, and has the low power consumption required by carriers for central office installations.
The DSLPipe-2S completes the end-to-end solution. Ascend is the first vendor to offer a router-based DSL solution capable of supporting T1-equivalent bandwidth that service providers can sell to their corporate customers. This CPE router provides full security, including support for industry standard PAP and CHAP authorization and authentication protocols, remote provisioning and management, as well as the ability to consolidate IP/IPX and Frame Relay traffic over the same line. The DSLPipe-2S supports 768 Kbps over a single pair of copper wires and, using MultiLink PPP or MultiLink Protocol Plus, bonds two lines together for a full 1.54 Mbps throughput up to 12,000 feet.
About the DSLTNT
The DSLTNT is designed and optimized around carrier requirements, featuring a compact size, low power consumption, high density, support for existing authentication and billing systems (including RADIUS and TACACS+), and complete flexibility in mixing and matching DSL technologies and network service types.
A standard 7-foot rack supports either 1,344 IDSL ports, 1,440 SDSL ports, 540 RADSL-CAP ports, or any mix of services. Carriers have similar flexibility on the network side through a complete suite of plug-in network cards, including DS3, HSSI, T1, E1, Serial WAN, 10Base-T Ethernet and 100-Base-T Ethernet. With one platform, carriers can deliver DSL services to corporate users, ISPs, and home office/telecommuters.
The DSLTNT also supports a wide variety of Virtual Private Network (VPN) protocols, including L2TP, PPTP, ATMP, FR Direct and IP Direct. This enables carriers to offer VPN services to corporate customers. Carriers can also use VPN technology to segment their own networks to resell bandwidth to smaller ISPs.
About the DSLPipe-2S
The DSLPipe-2S has two SDSL ports, one Ethernet port and one console port. The DSLPipe-2S supports Frame Relay PVC (Permanent Virtual Connection) and IP/IPX routing.
The DSLPipe-2S is the newest member of Ascend's DSLPipe family, which includes the DSLPipe-S for SDSL and the DSLPipe-C for RADSL-CAP.
Pricing and Availability
The DSLTNT is available now. For information about Ascend's special YellowJacket program, offering bundled xDSL packages at discount prices, see the Ascend web site at www.ascend.com . Standard U.S. pricing is as follows: the base chassis, with ADSL support, lists for $8,900. The RADSL-DMT module will be available Q4, 1997. Ascend is also offering the RADSL-CAP modules at a reduced price, $4,995 for a 6-port card (previous price was $8,250). The DSLTNT features softkey upgradability to SDSL and IDSL.
The DSLPipe-2S will be available October, 1997. Price is $1,650 (U.S.).
The DSLTNT and the DSLPipe-2S will be available for international customers by Q4 1997.
About Ascend Communications
Ascend Communications, Inc. develops, manufactures and sells wide area networking solutions for telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers and corporate customers worldwide. For more information about Ascend and its products, please visit the Ascend web site at ascend.com, or e-mail info@ascend.com.
Ascend is headquartered at One Ascend Plaza, 1701 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda CA 94502. Phone 800/ASCEND4; Fax 510/814-2300.
CONTACT: Gallagher PR
Kristi An, 510/747-2721
kan@ascend.com
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