To All:
It comes as no surprise to me that the recent slide in price has brought about a lot of anxiety on the part of many that frequent this thread. This morning I received a note via Email that really put things into perspective.
It stated, "As I watched yesterdays erosion of price, it is the following excerpt from the Cyclone press release, that I take solace." He went on to say state that what gives him the most reassurance is the part about Rockwells 56k chip requires a channel bank on one end of the circuit, then remarks, "that should translate into a lot of channel banks, right?"
This is the FTEL news release about the CYCLONE:
Franklin Cyclone, its new product developed in conjunction with StarComm Products has completed a design upgrade to take advantage of the new 56,000 bit per second modem chip set introduced by Rockwell.
Franklin joins U. S. Robotics, Hayes and other leaders in the modem industry who have announced similar intentions to utilize the new technology.
The Cyclone combines Franklin's D-Mark channel bank with StarComm's V.34 28,800 bps modems, eliminating redundant SLIC functions for each of the 8 modems as well as the D-Mark's 8 port Analog Voice card. The addition of the new 56k chip will increase the Cyclone's speed capability to 56,000 bps which will be the next state-of-the-art benchmark.
The new Rockwell chip requires a channel bank on one end of the circuit; by contrast the typical V.34 modem is a point to point device which requires a modem on both ends of the line. The Cyclone can receive a T1 Telco circuit with the packets of the new 56k chip embedded and connect it directly to the Franklin D-Mark channel bank. The output then looks just like the output of a 56k digital modem on a DB25 connector.
Phil Sutter, StarComm President said, "We are very pleased with the way the new Rockwell specs complement our Cyclone design. StarComm has always been very active in providing communications solutions for Internet Service Providers (ISP). The timing of this latest technological step forward couldn't be better for us."
Frank Peters, Franklin's President & CEO, adds, "This keeps us in the forefront of the industry for the combined modem/channel bank product. Even more importantly, the new product will significantly reduce the cost for a high speed line. This translates into major savings for ISP's!"
End of excerpt. All character highlight and emphasis was mine.
Now as I have been saying over the past few weeks, "In lieu of news forthcoming, staying abreast of Franklin's partners and alliances will be key in following your investment."
Over the past week there was an article that stated, Rockwell is in line to receive the nod for the standardization the industry is crying for, in the race to establish a platform for 56k technologies. US Robotics lashed back with a program of free upgrades and the promise of compatibility in the event that they are not the standard on which the industry settles on. Lucent and many other leaders are quickly lining up behind Rockwell's Flex56 chip as the "defacto, numero uno" technology to bet their chips on.
It is my understanding that Cyclone has entered into an expanded beta program, resulting in a growing list of potential major clients testing the Cyclone. According to the company, we are nearing the end of beta testing, and should be ready to start distributing the product into the market within weeks.
While contemplating that, also read the following Rockwell announcement and pay particular attention to the last one third of release. I feel it adds tremendous justification to the technology that Franklin is developing, not only for the present , but also the future of where this industry is heading. Rockwell is a leader in their industry, and they have placed a lot of emphasis in their future plans, that by coincidence or design, mirror a lot of what Franklin is doing.
Read the following and tell me they aren't going down the same path:
(COMTEX) Rockwell Network Access Division to unveil Internetworking
Rockwell Network Access Division to unveil Internetworking roadmap at
NetWorld + Interop; Rockwell previews semiconductor system solutions
that define a comprehensive silicon roadmap for next-generation
multi-service access boxes and other internetworking equipment
NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. (April 30) BUSINESS WIRE -April 30, 1997--The
recently announced Network Access Division of Rockwell Semiconductor
Systems will be unveiling at NetWorld + Interop next week a
comprehensive internetworking strategy that combines ATM Segmentation
and Reassembly (SAR) silicon with key physical- and link-layer parts
for such applications as frame relay over ATM, ISDN D-channel
signaling, X.25 and LAN/WAN data transport.
Rockwell will preview at NetWorld + Interop several new products that
are now sampling to more than 30 key customers and will be released
into volume production in the second half of 1997. These products join
a single-chip xDSL device that was released last month, and are part of
a growing family of network access chips that will also include
complementary products in the high-speed LAN and WAN markets.
The new internetworking silicon to debut at NetWorld + Interop
-- A single-chip ATM SAR controller that fully supports all
industry-standard traffic-management services including Available Bit
Rate (ABR) specifications that were finalized late last year. The
company's second-generation Bt8233 ServiSAR chip uses five
coprocessors, a proven, programmable on-chip traffic scheduler, and a
write-only PCI control and status architecture.
This unique design minimizes host traffic congestion while optimizing
ATM service guarantees even in the most demanding networks. The Bt8233
cuts PCI bus loading in half for improved throughput, and can isolate
network congestion at each connection using independently controlled
SAR data buffers on the host.
An ideal solution for ATM routers, hubs, switch control modules and WAN
service access muxes, the Bt8233 is the first SAR controller to combine
the programmability typically associated with software-based devices,
the cost advantages of single-chip integration, and the convenience of
a fully supported, off-the-shelf solution.
n A multichannel synchronous communications controller (MUSYCC tm)
n device that formats and deformats up to 128 High-Level Data Link (HDLC)
n channels in a single CMOS integrated circuit. The Bt8474 interfaces to
n four independent serial data streams (such as T1/E1 signals), and
n transfers data to system memory across the popular 32-bit Peripheral
n Component Interconnect (PCI) bus at rates up to 33 MHz using a linked
n list of buffer descriptors.
n
n Each serial interface can operate up to 8.192 Mbps, and various data
n rates are supported for different applications by configuring logical
n channels as any combination of DS0 time slots. This allows the Bt8474
n to support ISDN hyperchannels (Nx64 Kbps) or any number of bits in a
n DS0 for sub-channeling applications (Nx8 Kbps). The Bt8474 also
n supports the common channel Signalling System 7 (SS7) standard, and
n provides a comprehensive, high-density solution for processing HDLC
n channels for internetworking applications.
n
n Applications range from frame relay, ISDN D-channel signalling,
n B-channel call termination, inverse multiplexing and X.25 packet
n switches to Signaling System 7 (SS7), DXI and LAN/WAN data transport.
n
n -- A fully integrated multiprotocol primary rate interface transceiver
n for T1/E1 WAN access. The single-chip Bt8370 combines all of the
n functionality of a short- and long-haul physical line interface and
n full-featured T1/E1 framer circuit, and offers a universal transceiver
n solution for such popular services as frame relay, ISDN primary rate,
n ATM and Switched Multi-Megabit Data Services (SMDS).
n
n It handles all T1/E1 framing in the same chip, provides two full-duplex
n HDLC controllers for facility data links and LAPD/SS7 signalling, and
n includes all necessary jitter attenuation without the need for a
n crystal. An on-chip programmable clock rate adapter eases system bus
n interfacing by synthesizing standard clock signals from the receive or
n transmit line rate clock, for such applications as frame relay signal
n conversion where the Clock Rate Adapter (CLAD) must convert a 1.536
n Mbps signal from a LAN router into a 1.544 Mbps signal for the CSU. -0-
n
n Together, Rockwell's newly expanded family of network access silicon
n provides designers with a broad portfolio of components for
n next-generation multi-service network access boxes.
n
n "There is a whole new generation of multi-service network access boxes
n that must incorporate a wide variety of system silicon solutions at all
n layers of the network OSI model," said Raouf Halim, vice president and
n general manager for Rockwell's Network Access Division. "Rockwell's
n goal is to provide as complete an offering as possible, including such
n technologies as 56Kbps central-site modems, T1/E1 and xDSL at the
n physical interface level, ATM for connection to the Internet backbone,
n all the necessary protocol controllers on multiple channels, and
n high-speed network interface devices for attaching to the LAN and WAN."
n
n The Bt8233, Bt8370 and Bt8474 sampling now. Pricing and availability
n will be released when the products are launched in the second half of
n 1997.
n
n Rockwell Semiconductor Systems, based in Newport Beach, comprises the
n Multimedia Communications Division (MCD), the Wireless Communications
n Division (WCD), the Network Access Division (NAD), and the Digital
n Infotainment Division. MCD is the world leader in facsimile and PC
n modem devices and is one of several strategically interrelated
n businesses for the company in the personal communications electronics
n marketplace.
n
n WCD offers total system solutions for advanced cordless telephony and
n global positioning systems receiver engines. NAD offers a broad line
n of high-bandwidth communications and networking devices. The Digital
n Infotainment Division focuses on products for the digital consumer
n electronics information and entertainment markets.
n
n Rockwell is a global electronics company with leadership market
n positions in industrial automation, semiconductor systems and avionics
n and communications, with projected fiscal 1997 sales of approximately
n $8 billion and 44,000 employees. In March, Rockwell announced plans to
n spin off its automotive components business. That transaction is
n expected to be completed in September, 1997.
n
n --30--KM/np* CB/np
n
n CONTACT: The Benjamin Group Inc.
n Carolyn Fromm or Lisa Thielmann
n
n 714/245-7500
n cfromm or lthielma@oc.tbgi.com
n
n or
n Rockwell Semiconductor Systems
n
n Eileen Algaze
n 714/221-6849
n eileen.algaze@nb.rockwell.com
n
n URL: www.NB.ROCKWELL.COM
n
n KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
n
n INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED TRADESHOW PRODUCT
n REPEATS: New York 212-752-9600 or 800-221-2462; Boston 617-236-4266 or
n
n 800-225-2030; SF 415-986-4422 or 800-227-0845; LA 310-820-9473
n Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet
End of Story
Well, there you have it. Conjecture may be interwoven and implied, but one thing is clear, Franklin and Rockwell are walking to the beat of the same drummer. And it clearly states in Franklin's press release that Rockwell's approach to the 56k platform of modem technology, lends itself well to Frankllin's product line.
It is no secret that Franklin, Starcomm, and Rockwell have been collaborating on the new product line. My question is, to what degree, and with Rockwell in Franklin's and Starcomm's backyard, isn't this a natural distribution channel for both the D-mark and Cyclone, if nothing else it sure makes for the perfect beta test site.
RB |
