|
Ascend ISPS launch massive upgrade to the Internet to support K56FLEX modems; Ascend ISPs to deploy 1 million-plus digital modems offering support for up to 10 million K56flex subscriber modems
Business Wire - June 02, 1997 09:07
FINANCIAL ASCEND-COMMUNICATIONS ASND CALIFORNIA COMED COMPUTERS ELECTRONICS INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA INTERNET V%BW P%BW
ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 1997--Ascend Communications, Inc., (NASDAQ:ASND) announced today that its new Series56 Digital Modems have been widely accepted by current and new Internet Service Providers (ISPs), which will deploy one million digital modems based on K56flex technology around the country by the end of the summer. Ascend began shipping its Series56 Digital Modem modules employing K56flex to ISPs in mid-May; already more than 500 ISP points-of-presence (POPs) in all major metropolitan areas of the U.S. are equipped with the new Ascend digital modems.
The majority of national ISPs are rapidly deploying Ascend's K56flex digital modems; TheOnRamp, Prodigy, EarthLink, Epoch, FlashNet, and MSN have announced massive upgrades to their networks to satisfy customer demand for K56flex. In addition, regional ISPs such as Erol's Internet, Inc., and Fuse Internet Access from Cincinnati Bell Telephone, are offering K56flex modem connections. Most of the national ISPs are deploying MAX TNTs, which can support up to 672 digital modems per chassis. In addition, the industry is rapidly migrating to "MegaPOPs," where thousands of digital modems can be concentrated onto high-speed T3 backbone networks.
In a massive upgrade program called GET FLEX, aimed at ISPs that already employ Ascend's MAX and MAX TNT WAN access switches, Ascend is swapping out all of its modems shipped since November 1996 and replacing them with its K56flex digital modems. The upgrade will take place over three to four months. During the same time, it is estimated that orders for the new K56flex modems for Ascend's MAX and MAX TNT will continue to grow, adding significantly to the installed base of K56flex ports. Since each Ascend Series 56 digital modem supports an average of 10 subscribers, ISPs will be able to support about 10 million K56flex subscribers when the upgrade program is complete.
The Internet Access Market
Ascend dominates the market for Internet access switches, according to a December 1996 Del'Oro Market Research report showing the company with 2.2 million installed digital ports, giving it a 79 percent market share in the digital concentrator market. U.S. Robotics has 162,000 installed digital ports, a six percent market share according to the report. As of May 1997, the Ascend installed base has grown to more than three million ports. Its anticipated deployment of one million modems employing the open, interoperable K56flex technology far outnumbers the 56K-capable ports that currently use U.S. Robotics' proprietary x2 56kbps technology.
"Such a rapid and complete upgrade to such a large installed base will create a massive K56flex upgrade in the Internet," said Maureen Lawrence, vice president of marketing at Ascend. "It wouldn't be possible without our ISPs, which have given our upgrade program overwhelming support. High-speed 56K access is expected to revolutionize Internet communications, and retailers now can assure their customers that K56flex modems can be supported by the vast majority of ISPs everywhere."
More than 1,000 ISPs to be Listed in K56flex ISP POP Directory
To help subscribers find the closest K56flex ISP POP in their area, Ascend has created the Ascend ISP POP Directory. As ISPs deploy Ascend K56flex modems in their existing and new MAXs, they can update the directory with the area code locations of their POPs. More than a thousand ISPs are expected to list more than 10,000 POPs that have Ascend K56flex modems by the end of the summer. Subscribers can reach the Ascend ISP POP directory at ascend.com
About Ascend Communications
Ascend Communications, Inc. is a leading, worldwide provider of remote networking solutions for corporate central sites, Internet Service Providers' points of presence, remote offices, mobile workers and telecommuters. Ascend develops, manufactures, markets, sells and supports products that utilize bandwidth on demand to extend existing corporate networks for applications such as remote LAN access, Internet access, telecommuting, SOHO connectivity and videoconferencing/multimedia access. Detailed information on Ascend products, news announcements, seminars, service and support is available on Ascend's home page at the World Wide Web site ascend.com .
Ascend is headquartered at One Ascend Plaza, 1701 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, CA 94502. Phone: 800/ASCEND4; Fax 510/814-2300; E-mail: info@ascend.com.
CONTACT: Gallagher PR
Kevin Gallagher, 510/747-2243
kevin@gpr.com |
