<A> <..If it's true LU is announcing they too will use Aware technology..>
[Sheesh, take an afternoon off and 2 weeks worth of Aware messages appear]
Don't know if LU's involvement in the consortium is necessarily indicative of using Aware (but it MIGHT be). FWIW, BEL (Bell Atlantic) and others are also joining in:
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<A> Consortium's Goal: Get Internet Into Homes Faster
By Joelle Tessler
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Intel Corp. (INTC) and Compaq Computer Corp. (CPQ) are leading a consortium to promote setting a standard by the end of the year for technology that will dramatically speed up Internet data transmission to PC users over home phone lines.
The idea behind the consortium is to set a single, open standard for "digital subscriber line" technology - or DSL, as it has come to be known - in order to remove the constraints posed by bandwidth limitations over home phone lines.
"They're trying to promote this because they want fatter pipes into homes," said Forrester Research analyst Brenden Hannigan. He added that the standard will, in turn, drive demand for richer software applications, as well as for personal computers, which should expand business for Microsoft, Intel and Compaq.
The consortium, which is to be formally announced sometime next week, also includes a number of telecommunications companies as well as networking and telecommunications-equipment makers.
According to The New York Times, which first reported on the consortium Tuesday morning, GTE Corp. (GTE) and all of the regional Bell operating companies other than Bell Atlantic Corp. (BEL) are participating.
Bell Atlantic told Dow Jones that it is "aware of the consortium." A company spokesman said "we've been in discussions with it, and the door is open for us to participate," but added that "we have not yet decided what we're going to do."
Industry sources said 3Com Corp. (COMS), Rockwell International Corp. (ROK), Lucent Technologies Inc. (LU) and Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN) also are involved.
Texas Instruments makes chips that go into modems made by U.S. Robotics, which was acquired by 3Com last year. And Rockwell, which along with Lucent is one of the biggest modem chip suppliers, makes chips that go into competing consumer modems, said Dataquest analyst Lisa Pelgrim.
Aware Inc. (AWRE), which provides the DSL technology and licenses it to the modem chip makers, is also said to be involved in the initiative.
Sources noted that the consortium is open for others to join.
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<A> Bell Atlantic Expects To Join Microsoft-Led Consortium
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Bell Atlantic Corp. (BEL) said it is in talks to join a consortium being formed to help speed up Internet data transmission.
In a press release Tuesday, Bell Atlantic said it agrees with the objectives of the consortium, and is finalizing plans to join the group before it is formally announced next week.
The other regional Bell operating companies are believed to have signed on to the project, which is led by Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Intel Corp. (INTC) and Compaq Computer Corp. (CPQ).
The consortium wants to set a single, open standard for digital subscriber line technology, or DSL, which boosts the bandwidth of standard copper telephone lines.
This would remove the constraints on Internet access currently posed by home telephone lines, the group's members maintain.
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