Sorry, don't know Ellis Betensky.
Here is some news from Alcatel (ALA), the French company that has been getting killed as of late due to the French market.
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Tuesday June 10 9:01 AM EDT
Company Press Release
LCI International Inc. selects Alcatel as provider of telecommunications equipment for new LCI Network with capacity of over 150 gigabits
RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 1997--
State-of-the-art fiber optic network linking Chicago to Fort Worth to Los Angeles
LCI International of McLean, Va. -- a rapidly-growing telecommunications provider -- today announced the selection of Alcatel Network Systems (a division of Alcatel Alsthom, NYSE: ALA) for this SONET (synchronous optical network) project.
LCI will build the network concurrently in two segments: Chicago to Fort Worth and Fort Worth to Los Angeles, with completion scheduled for later this year.
LCI designed this network as a 16-channel dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) system using Alcatel's superior flat-gain optical
amplifier technology. These channels, combined with Alcatel's DWDM system, provide the network to expand to well over 150 Gbit/s. DWDM
enables carriers to offer multiple communications channels over a single strand of fiber.
``We won this contract because we delivered in several key areas. We are able to provide the complete, turn-key network solution LCI needs -- including SONET bidirectional rings, DWDM transport, and full network management -- with guaranteed end-to-end performance,'' said Joe Bass, Alcatel VP/GM for Lightwave Products and Optical Networks. ``LCI also chose Alcatel because of our stability and because we will make the necessary investments to assure the continued evolution of its network.''
``These new services provide LCI with the latest in optical technology, enabling us to take advantage of sub-second span switching, SONET bi-directional rings and centralized remote control of the network monitoring and provisioning capabilities,'' said Michael R. Perusse, vice president of LCI's network systems engineering. ``This agreement will result in expanded network services to accommodate LCI's continued growth and will provide our customers with improved service quality and network availability.''
Alcatel bases its DWDM system on its flat gain 1610 OA optical amplifier, which provides exceptional performance by carrying up to 16 OC-48 rate and OC-192 rate channels over 600 kilometer spans of standard, non-dispersion shifted fiber without electrical regeneration. In addition, the 1610 OA's flat gain characteristic provides optimum spacing between DWDM channels to minimize, if not eliminate, the ``four-wave mixing'' phenomenon -- a real WDM ``killer.'' These features give Alcatel customers maximum use of their installed fiber plant.
LCI also is receiving Alcatel 1648 SM SONET OC-48 rate add/drop multiplexers (ADM) and regenerators and the Alcatel 1320 NM network
management system, which provides full visibility and control of the entire network from a central location.
The Alcatel 1648 SM is a high-capacity OC-48 line rate (2.4 Gbit/s) transport system that supports electrical and SONET interfaces up to 622 Mbit/s (OC-12). The 1648 SM supports all of the industry standard configurations from a single hardware platform, including: terminal, add/drop multiplexer, repeater, unidirectional ring, four-fiber bidirectional ring and optical hub. The 1648 SM can be initially configured as a true linear ADM, eliminating the need for back-to-back terminals, and later upgraded to four-fiber, bidirectional line-switched ring (BLSR) capability with no hardware changes and no service impact.
The Alcatel 1320 NM brings integrated network management to reality by providing consistent element management of lightwave transport
systems and digital cross-connect systems from a single platform, as well as by implementing powerful network-level applications that enable users to concurrently manage a collection of network elements providing end-to-end connectivity. Release 3.1.2 features complete monitoring and provisioning of Alcatel's 1603/12 SM, 1648 SM, and 1610 OA transport elements, and Alcatel's 1631 SX digital cross-connect system. This release includes the Ring Manager application, enabling management of connections through unidirectional or bidirectional line-switched rings.
Release 4.0 of the 1320 NM adds support for the Alcatel 1630 SX and 1633 SX cross-connect systems, extending the set of network elements
managed to include the complete Alcatel transport and cross-connect product lines. This release also includes the Path Manager and Web
Interface components. The Path Manager application enables management of connections through interconnected rings, and the Web Interface
feature enables remote access to the 1320 NM's complete event management capabilities via any web browser.
Alcatel's activities in North America include the design, manufacture and service of a full line of voice, data, video and multimedia
telecommunications products -- such as ATM switching systems, digital cross connects, DSL systems, fiber optic transmission systems, optical
amplifiers, microwave radios, wireless communications switches, video codecs, and network management systems. The global operations of
Alcatel make it one of the world's leading communications equipment manufacturers. Alcatel is part of the Alcatel Alsthom group, which
maintains its headquarters in Paris. Alcatel Alsthom trades on the New York Stock Exchange as ALA.
LCI International Inc., provides a full array of worldwide voice and data transmission services to businesses, residential customers and other carriers through its fiber-optic network. LCI International Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., with offices in more than 45 locations, including national network control and customer service centers, and regional operations in various locations throughout the United States. |
