.........some more jucy stuff on the same subject.........by Flint..............over at RB board......
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Sorry folks, I can't stop extracting some gems from tha Bell Atlantic post. Heck if EPC and all that really live up to their promise some heads may roll in Bell Atlantic judging by this post:
Let's start with a para that got missed out in my first post: "The DWDM awards are the most eye-catching. CIENA will supply its MultiWave Firefly and MultiWave 1600 systems and Lucent will deliver its WaveStar OLS 40G 16-channel equipment to meet Bell Atlantic's DWDM requirements. According to Bell Atlantic's VP of network planning, Chuck Dunsey, the systems will eventually find their way into metropolitan areas, but he declines to predict when this will occur."
If you wanted to make a case for DWDN, this set of paragraphs is a good place to start. Try not to laugh when you reab about their adding a gazillion pieces of eqpt from 4 or 5 vendors just to "streamline the network". Try buying a
PC and see how multiple vendors can "streamline" your hairline!!! :-) Read on and enjoy...
"On the SONET end of the upgrade, Lucent will provide its DDM-2000 and FT-2000 equipment. Bell Atlantic also has the option of purchasing Lucent's recently announced WaveStar Bandwidth Manager product, according to Szelag. Meanwhile, Fujitsu will deliver its FLM150, FLM 600, and FLM 2400 add/drop SONET multiplexers and its flash-192 system. Combined, the equipment will provide OC-1, -3, -12, -48, and -192 transmission capacity (52 Mbits/sec to 10 Gbits/sec).
Despite the huge total price tag for the upgrade, buying the new SONET equipment "in bulk" provided Bell Atlantic with significant cost savings, says Dunsey. Thanks to the relatively low cost of the new equipment, the company will be able to provide benefits to customers beyond those now enjoying SONET service. "The reduction in the prices is going to permit us to take SONET deployment to areas where we haven't had the economic incentive to go before,"
Dunsey says. "The intent obviously at some point in time is to have the entire network be SONET-based across the 2400 central offices that we have at Bell Atlantic."
With the exception of the OC-192 equipment (Lucent's Bandwidth Manager and Fujitsu's FLASH-192), Bell Atlantic already has examples of its new SONET equipment in the network. Thus, rolling out the systems should happen quickly. Where the equipment will go and when depends on Bell Atlantic's needs. "The first priority is growth in those areas where we have an exhaust situation. And then after that, we would look at the modernization program. And then beyond that, obviously, introducing the SONET network into areas that we haven't installed it in the past. The
second and third priority aren't necessarily in order," Dunsey explains.
Tying it together
Bell Atlantic's new cache of crossconnect systems will include the wideband SONET-based TITAN 5500 from Tellabs and the DEXCS narrowband and IMTN broadband systems from DSC Communications. While the DSC equipment will come with its own element management system, the NM2100, Lucent's ITM network management software will provide overall network element management. Lucent has worked with all of its Bell Atlantic cohorts before in a network management situation, except CIENA. Szelag reports that the necessary negotiations between the two DWDM rivals has already occurred, and incorporating management of the CIENA systems should not prove problematic, despite the unique nature of the application.
"I think it will probably be the first time in the world where you have that many vendors in particular spanning into DWDM under a common network management structure," she says. "Which I think is very wise for Bell Atlantic to do because operationally, that is always a cost center - network management can suck up money real quickly. And this
should streamline their network a lot."
Yes indeed network management can suck up money real quickly. Imagine, there is a problem with this "streamlined" network. The SONET layer seems to be slowing things down - who you gonna call? Lucent? Tellabs?
Fujitsu? Ciena? Get the picture? Do you think anyone will fall on the sword for the other guys and say, "Well, my gear is slowing your network down. It is a piece of sh*t. The other guys are making the good stuff." What do you think they'll each say instead? What if you were BEL, would that help you and your streamlined network? WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!!!!
Here's where the difference between this order by BEL and the Gigamux order by MediaOne rings very clear - VIDEO!!! As in streaming video!!! How many tried the CC on RealAudio. I think, and it was SUUUUUUUUPERB!!! Imagine doing it on video via the Net! MediaOne is imagining it happening. In addition to sending cable TV content and movies via cable set-top boxes they are anticipating bandwidth due to video over the web. Intel and co have cameras available for under $99 already in the market. It is happening folks. But here's what the guys at BEL think - try not to laugh...
"According to Edwards, the upgrade aims to make Bell Atlantic better able to meet the expanding data networking needs of its customers. "If you look at where we are in terms of providing customers with what they need, you're seeing a huge demand for data services, both in business and the residential area," he says. "At the same time, we're seeing increased competition for data services. So it's imperative that we build a bigger, faster, stronger, more reliable network to meet the needs of our customers - and at the same time to be more competitive."
While the company has plans to expand into other service areas - both within its home region and outside - the upgrades will initially boost voice and data delivery. "I think it's more Internet and online types of applications, as opposed to something like video," Edwards says. "I mean, sure, we do have plans to eventually get into the video
and the whole entertainment area. But I think that those, frankly, are priorities that are a little lower than, for example, providing capability for our customers who want to use data-intensive applications like the Internet."
1. Internet applications are going to be video intensive.
2. He's still stuck on the Voice network model that is rapidly going obsolete.
3. What are they thinking????
Scott, please take a look at this and see if these guys have changed their plans since. I would not be surprised if they have. I hope they have. Goooooooo FIBR!!!!! |
