Eight Times as Many Consumers Can
Access High Speed Internet Services Using
Lucent Technologies' New Chip Set
Consumers Can Receive Such Services with No Disruption to Telephone
Service
ALLENTOWN, Pa., April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Lucent Technologies' (NYSE: LU - news)
Microelectronics Group, the world leader in communications semiconductors, today announced
chips for telephone service providers that give them the ability to simultaneously provide high
speed Internet and voice services to eight times as many consumers as is possible with systems
typically deployed today. Lucent's chips go into telephone company central office equipment
called digital line cards (approximately 8-1/2 by 11 inches in size).
''The flexibility inherent in Lucent's central office solution provides both traditional and
non-traditional service providers with a cost-effective end-to-end solution for immediate
deployment,'' said Shannon Pleasant, a senior analyst with Cahners In-Stat Group, a market
research firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona. ''Lucent's focus on enabling high-density solutions
based on standardized Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) 'Lite' addresses what is
expected to be the highest growth opportunity for the mass market.''
Lucent's chips, parts of the company's WildWire(TM) offering, are designed to deliver
compatible ADSL ''Lite'' services at up to 1.5 megabits per second -- 25 times faster than
today's fastest analog modems. Using Lucent's chips and a single standard telephone line,
consumers will also be able to more easily and quickly receive these high speed Internet
services with no disruption or quality reduction to their telephone voice services.
Using the Lucent chips, phone companies can deliver the combined services using one digital
line card. Enabling such voice and data capabilities typically requires the use of an additional
piece of central office equipment, which increases network equipment costs and size.
Lucent, which pioneered ADSL technology through its Bell Labs research and development arm,
is using its digital signal processor (DSP) and analog line card communications technologies,
along with its system-on-a-chip, software, and networking expertise, to produce this
comprehensive solution.
This new solution is compliant with G.992.2 (G.Lite), the pending International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) standard for 1.5 mbps ADSL ''Lite'' services expected to be
ratified in June 1999. Because the DSP chip is software programmable, it can be easily
upgraded to comply with future enhancements of G.992.2. Lucent also plans to make the chip set
compatible with all PC and telephone central office equipment that complies with the G.992.2
standard.
''Lucent now has the first end-to-end G.992.2 DSL 'Lite' voice and data solution,'' said Carlos
Garcia, general manager with Lucent's Microelectronics Group. ''Lucent is extending its
WildWire DSL technology from one end of the communications network -- the PC -- all the way
to the other end -- the central office switch. The result is a major opportunity for consumers to
access the Internet at much higher speeds through more interoperable DSL services.''
Lucent's latest WildWire solution is targeted for use within various types of telephone equipment
deployed today, including integrated ADSL and voice central office gear, Digital Subscriber
Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs), as well as digital loop carriers.
Lucent is building all of the digital and analog communications components, as well as
developing in-house all of the associated software, for enabling widespread deployment of
ADSL ''Lite'' services. By providing this one-stop shop hardware and software offering, Lucent
can quickly and easily optimize the entire system, as well as provide faster and improved
customer support.
ADSL ''Lite'' technology uses regular phone lines that extend from homes all the way to the
telephone company's central office. The technology does not require costly and time-consuming
installation of voice/data splitters at consumers' homes.
According to Cahners In-Stat Group, ADSL ''Lite'' is expected to represent more than 40 percent
of the North American xDSL market in the year 2000, and ADSL ''Lite'' subscribers in North
America will exceed half a million by that year.
Lucent's WildWire central office solution is expected to be available in sample quantities this
quarter and in production quantities in this year's fourth quarter. The chip set solution is priced at
$65 per line in quantities of 10,000.
For more product information, customers may call the Microelectronics Group Customer
Response Center, 1-800-372-2447, Dept. N02 (in Canada, 1-800-553-2448, Dept. N02; fax
number 1-610-712-4106 (especially for callers outside of North America) or write to Lucent
Technologies, Room 30L-15L-BA, 555 Union Boulevard, Allentown, Pa. 18103.
Lucent's Microelectronics Group designs and manufactures integrated circuits and optoelectronic
components for the computer and communications industries. More information about Lucent's
WildWire technology can be found at lucent.com.
Lucent Technologies designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks,
communications systems and software, data networking systems, business telephone systems and
microelectronic components. Bell Labs is the research and development arm for the company.
For more information on Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J., visit its web
site at lucent.com .
SOURCE: Lucent Technologies |
