ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 30, 1997--Ascend Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASND) today announced a major
deployment of MAX TNT WAN access switches by PSINet, Inc., one of the world's largest Internet Service Providers. PSINet
focuses on delivering fast, reliable, and secure Internet access to corporations and institutions, and the carrier-class MAX TNT WAN
access switches will expand the ISP's capacity by 40,000 ports.
PSINet supports more than 21,900 customers through 350 POPs worldwide and provides a full spectrum of Internet and intranet
services. PSINet is also a leader in ISDN-based-Internet access, with ISDN connections accounting for about 25 percent of its Internet
traffic. The ISP will be using the multiprotocol MAX TNTs for both analog and ISDN access applications, adding them to its
growing installed base of several hundred MAX 4000 WAN access switches and GRF 400 high performance routers.
"PSINet is expanding rapidly throughout North America, Europe, and Japan, and the high port density and low price per port of
Ascend's MAX TNT lets us increase the capacity of our POPs dramatically while minimizing space requirements and equipment
costs," said Pete Wills, PSINet executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Our corporate and wholesale customers look to
PSINet to incorporate leading-edge technologies to enhance their business Internet capabilities. Our relationship with Ascend
continues to benefit both companies and our customers. Ascend's commitment to evolving standards, such as the proposed ITU-T
56Kbps standard, allows us to quickly take advantage of new capabilities with full confidence in future support."
The MAX TNT carrier-class WAN access switch supports a wide range of WAN services, including regular POTs and cellular
dialup, ISDN BRI and PRI, frame relay, and T1 leased lines. Multiple access methods can be supported in a single switch by mixing
and matching hot-swappable access modules. This modular card system allows service providers to design a solution that satisfies the
specific application and bandwidth requirements of every customer. Each shelf in the MAX TNT WAN access switch supports 16
modules, which can be added or removed without bringing the system down. Redundant, load-sharing power supplies further ensure
that the switch is always available.
ISPs, carriers and major network providers can use the MAX TNT WAN access switch to build high-density, multi-service network
infrastructures and tunnel virtual private networks for individual customers across the Internet's shared IP environment. With VPNs,
companies can use the Internet as if it were their own private network, setting up secure remote-access networks without the cost of
long-distance phone connections or leased lines.
"The MAX TNT uses the same familiar Ascend software and access modules as other MAX products, giving service providers a
single, highly scalable platform for network expansion," said Bernie Schneider, vice president for strategic business development.
"When used in concert with Ascend's GRF 400 high performance router, the MAX TNT WAN access switch provides ISPs with a
MegaPOP infrastructure that can produce packet-forwarding rates of up to 2.5 million packets per second."
About PSINet Inc.
PSINet Inc. is a leading provider of turnkey corporate Internet and intranet access, wholesale access services to the
telecommunications and ISP industries, electronic commerce solutions and Web hosting services throughout the United States and
abroad. PSINet manages one of the world's largest and most advanced fast-packet networks, which provides state-of-the-art,
high-speed Internet access ranging from dedicated high-speed circuits to ISDN to high-speed modem dial-up. PSINet backs up its
state-of-the-art network with the industry's original service guarantee, employing automatic back-up systems and crediting service
for outages.
Headquartered in Herndon, VA, PSINet has offices throughout the U.S. and subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, and Europe, including
Belgium, Germany, and the U.K. For more information contact PSINet by phone at 703/904-4100, by email at info@psi.com or by
accessing their Web site at psi.net .
About Ascend Communications
Ascend Communications, Inc. develops, manufactures and sells wide area networking solutions for telecommunications carriers,
Internet service providers and corporate customers worldwide. For more information about Ascend and its products, please visit the
Ascend web site at ascend.com, or e-mail info@ascend.com . Ascend is headquartered at One Ascend Plaza, 1701 Harbor
Bay Parkway, Alameda, California 94502. Phone: 800/ASCEND4; Fax: 510/814-2300; E-mail: info@ascend.com .
CONTACT: Gallagher PR
Shannon Malliet, 510/747-2254
smalliet@ascend.com
Michael Binko, 703-904-4285
binkom@psi.com
|
