Westell Technologies (ticker: WSTL, exchange: NASDAQ) News Release - Monday, August 07, 2000
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Westell Joins in Industry Initiative to Accelerate Mass DSL Deployment With Software & Interoperability Standards
AURORA, Ill., Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Westell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: WSTL) through its Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) Business Unit, today announced it has joined with other leading Digital Subscriber Line equipment suppliers in support of the OpenDSL(TM) initiative, a collaborative industry effort to simplify the installation and accelerate interoperability of DSL technology.
(Photo: newscom.com )
By eliminating the complexity and generating universal interoperability among equipment vendors, the OpenDSL initiative promises to dramatically lower the cost of provisioning DSL service for providers and enable customers to self-install a DSL modem in a plug-and-play process as simple as today's analog modems. As a result, providers will deliver DSL services more quickly, easily and affordably.
Other market leaders joining Westell in driving the OpenDSL initiative include 3Com, Cisco Systems, Intel, Texas Instruments and systems integrator KPMG International.
The OpenDSL initiative has two main objectives: to develop standardized open software specifications that will automate the configuration of customer premise equipment and network elements, and ensure true plug-and-play interoperability between DSL modems and routers from different equipment manufacturers. To reach these objectives, the OpenDSL initiative also includes a third-party testing program, enabling vendors to test and certify their equipment for standards compliance and interoperability.
Westell's involvement in the OpenDSL movement continues the company's long-standing history of supporting and assisting in the development of industry standards. Westell is participating in the OpenDSL initiative as well as other standardization efforts such as those sponsored by the ADSL Forum.
"We believe the ADSL Forum and the OpenDSL initiative are driving toward the singular goal of standardizing and automating DSL deployment to produce accelerated market growth of the technology," stated Mike Santiago, Vice President and General Manager, CPE Business Unit.
"Westell has always supported industry standardization, which ultimately produces better, more affordable solutions for customers," he said. "Our objective in embracing these standardization efforts is to produce a blueprint to address the key issues of complexity, cost and interoperability that are limiting the full potential of the DSL market."
"Westell is uniquely positioned to support any standards that emerge from industry efforts such as the ADSL Forum and the OpenDSL initiative," said Santiago. The company's WireSpeed(TM) ADSL modems are based on Westell's innovative Flex Architecture, allowing customers to keep their products in compliance with evolving standards with a simple firmware upgrade that can be downloaded via the Internet.
For further information on the OpenDSL initiative, go to www.opendsl.org.
About Westell
Westell Inc.'s CPE business unit provides value-added end-points to the broadband network through multiple channels including carriers, Internet Service Providers and e-commerce. Westell Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, is a holding company for Westell, Inc. and Conference Plus, Inc. Westell, Inc. manufactures and licenses DSL systems and value added CPE, and manufactures telecommunications access products. Conference Plus, Inc. is an Applications Service Provider managing and hosting audio, video, IP conferencing and support services. Additional information can be obtained by visiting Westell's Web site at www.westell.com.
"Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
Certain statements contained herein are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks include, but are not limited to, product demand and market acceptance risks (including the future commercial acceptance of Westell's ADSL systems by telephone companies and other customers), the impact of competitive products and technologies (such as cable modems and fiber optic cable), competitive pricing pressures, product development, excess and obsolete inventory due to new product development, commercialization and technological delays or difficulties (including delays or difficulties in developing, producing, testing and selling new products and technologies, such as ADSL systems), the effect of Westell's accounting policies, the effect of economic conditions and trade, legal, social, and economic risks (such as import, licensing and trade restrictions) and other risks more fully described in Westell's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2000 under the section "Risk Factors". Westell undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. SOURCE Westell Technologies, Inc. |
