Thanks, James.
That was silly of me, I should have looked at their Web site myself.
But the primary example cited (QWST) still reflects laboratory testing, whereas what I really should have asked was if there were any live Chromatis networks working out there today.
I find the Antec purchase intriguing. Perhaps ANTC is seeking to begin marketing alternative fiber architectures to selected operators? Maybe even for commercial, enterprise and other non-residential purposes?
I'd like to know more about ANTC's motivation here. Anyone? And yes, I'll go to their Web site for more information this time, too. smile
FAC (more:)
Okay, here's the scoop on ANTC's "next generation" cable network architecture, mentioning Chromatis. It appears that they will leverage additional lambdas for high-speed Internet access, and on-demand forms of video services, but they are sticking with the basic hybrid fiber/coaxial model (HFC), for now. I suppose that a block diagram of what they are doing would be worth a million words right now. Here's the full Antec release below, which appears to be identical to the one you posted from Chromatis' site. Enjoy.
FAC
ps - maybe someone would venture a definition, or description, of just what it is that a "next generation cable network" is made of?
----------
ANTEC AND CHROMATIS NETWORKS SIGN MULTI-YEAR DEAL TO BUILD NEXT-GENERATION CABLE NETWORKS
ANTEC to Market, Distribute and Support Chromatis? Metropolis Multi-Service Optical Transport Products to North American Cable Market
DULUTH, GA AND HERNDON, VA - May 1, 2000 ? ANTEC (NASDAQ: ANTC), a leader in the hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) broadband transport industry, and Chromatis Networks, Inc., the leading developer of next-generation optical transport solutions for carriers? metro networks, today announced a three-year, multi-million dollar agreement whereby ANTEC will be the exclusive provider of Chromatis? Metropolis? products in the cable market. As part of the relationship, ANTEC plans to make an equity investment in Chromatis Networks, Inc. and will work jointly with Chromatis to develop advanced cable applications for the Metropolis family of Chromatis products.
"ANTEC is an ideal partner to take Metropolis into the cable market due to its long-standing relationships in the cable industry and its in-depth knowledge of what it takes to build next-generation cable networks," said Bob Barron, CEO of Chromatis Networks. "As the first true multi-service optical transport platform available in the market, Metropolis enables cable operators to expand into new services such as video-on-demand, high-speed Internet, cable telephony and IP telephony without expensive network overbuilds and service downtime."
Under the terms of the agreement, ANTEC will market and distribute the Metropolis product line to cable service providers throughout North America. ANTEC?s technical and design staff will be trained on the Metropolis product suite in order to design, install and support metro and regional networks where the Chromatis system will be used. ANTEC has already placed purchase orders for Metropolis in excess of $5 million to meet initial customer requirements.
"Chromatis? next-generation optical transport products along with our market-leading Cornerstone? Super Access voice, data and IP products and full line of ANTEC optical, outside plant and powering products, solidifies ANTEC?s position as a premier supplier to HFC operators looking to expand their systems into multi-service networks," said Bob Stanzione, President and CEO of ANTEC. "We intend to be the leading provider of convergent products to the cable industry and our agreement with Chromatis will help us achieve this goal."
ANTEC and Chromatis are currently working on advanced cable applications, such as integrated video, cable telephony and IP/data networks, as well as high-capacity data transport, and will develop a Multi-Service Integration Lab at ANTEC?s headquarters in Duluth, Georgia.
Metropolis Product Family
Chromatis? flagship Metropolis product is a Multi-Service Optical Transport system that provides cable operators with a single, integrated platform with which they can deliver a full range of video, voice and data services over a protected and scalable optical metro network. Metropolis eliminates the need for separate overlay networks to deliver each incremental service and enables greater leverage of an operator?s capital expenditures across multiple revenue-generating services. In addition, Chromatis? MetroviewTM network management system allows all cable services to be managed and provisioned from a single platform, reducing staffing requirements and streamlining operations. Metropolis enables cable operators to quickly and more profitably roll out a host of new broadband residential services such as digital video, cable modem, video-on-demand, cable telephony and IP telephony services, as well as CLEC and enterprise services to business customers.
Using Metropolis, HFC operators can quickly and easily increase network capacity between headends to over 80 Gbps via Chromatis' award-winning Selective Wave Division Multiplexing (SWDM?) technology. For example, if additional capacity is needed to support a new video-on-demand service, the cable operator only needs to add an additional optical module into each Metropolis node and can immediately begin delivering these new services across the existing network. As a result, the business case is greatly improved, and the cost of the existing network is amortized over a greater number of revenue-generating services.
ANTEC and Chromatis will showcase the Metropolis product family at the National Cable TV Association?s (NCTA) Cable 2000 trade show, booth 3943, in New Orleans from May 8 ? May 10, 2000.
About Chromatis
Chromatis Networks (www.chromatis.com) develops and manufactures next-generation optical transport solutions that provide carriers with dramatic improvements in the cost, efficiency, scale, and management of multi-service metro networks. Chromatis? flagship Metropolis product family is the first integrated optical transport solution in the market and represents the most complete, scalable and manageable metro solution available. All Metropolis products incorporate Chromatis? award-winning SWDM? technology, allowing service providers to scale network capacity quickly and cost effectively by using Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology on an as-needed, where-needed basis.
Founded in 1998, Chromatis is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, and is led by a seasoned team of executives with wide experience in transmission systems and data networking from companies such as Nortel, Cascade, Ciena, 3Com, US Robotics, Scorpio Communications, Newbridge Networks, and ECI Telecom. The company has received more than $50 million in funding to date from leading venture capitalists including Crosspoint, ComVentures, Jerusalem Venture Partners, Soros Private Equity, Chase Capital, Lucent Venture Partners, and Eucalyptus Ventures.
About ANTEC
ANTEC Corporation (www.antec.com) is an international communications technology company serving the broadband information transport industries. ANTEC specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of products for hybrid fiber-coax broadband networks, as well as the design and engineering of these networks. Arris is a joint venture formed in 1995 by ANTEC and Nortel Networks. Cornerstone voice, data and IP telephone products are developed and produced through Arris. Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, ANTEC has sales offices in Europe, Asia/Pacific and Latin America; a major office in Denver, Colorado; and manufacturing facilities in Juarez, Mexico, El Paso, Texas and Rock Falls, Illinois.
Forward looking statement: Certain information and statements contained in this press release constitute forward looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, and business of ANTEC. Statements that are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about the markets in which the Company operates and management?s beliefs and assumptions regarding these markets are forward looking statements. Any statements that are not statements about historical facts are forward looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act") provides a "safe harbor" for forward looking statements. These Cautionary Statements are being made pursuant to the provisions of the Act and with the intention of obtaining the benefits of the terms of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Act. To comply with the terms of the "safe harbor," the Company cautions that any forward looking statements made are not guarantees of future performance and that a variety of factors could cause the Company?s actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in the Company?s forward looking statements. Several factors that could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include: the impact of rapidly changing technologies; the impact of competition on product development and pricing; international growth and global economic conditions including foreign exchange and interest rate fluctuations; the ability of ANTEC to react to changes in general industry and market conditions including regulatory developments, rights to intellectual property, market trends and the adoption of industry standards; consolidations within the telecommunications industry of both the customer and supplier base; and the impact of any latent Year 2000 issues. These factors are not intended to be an all-encompassing list of risks and uncertainties that may affect the operations, performance, development and results of the Company?s business. Additional information regarding these and other factors can be found in ANTEC?s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In providing forward looking statements, the Company is not undertaking any obligation to update publicly or otherwise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact:
Margaret Anderson
ANTEC Communications
(678)473-8337
margaret.anderson@antec.com
Kristin Hazard
Gallagher Public Relations
510-749-6800
kristin@gpr.com
Jim Bauer
ANTEC Investor Relations
678-473-2647
jim.bauer@antec.com Lou Martinage
Chromatis Networks
703-689-2958
lmartinage@chromatis.com |
