Company Press Release
Westell Announces Agreement with Fujitsu for British
Telecommunications' Interactive Services
Market leaders to provide advanced Digital Subscriber Line technologies for
introduction of high-speed interactive data services
AURORA, Ill., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Westell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:WSTL) today
announced it will be providing Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line systems (ADSL) for the
next phase of development for British Telecommunications' (BT) high-speed interactive
network. Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe Limited (FTEL) will use Westell's
SuperVision(R) Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) to provide a turnkey
ATM system solution and ADSL network for BT. The network will enable very high-speed
access to the Internet and video-rich server-based content.
Director of Broadband Systems Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe Limited, Peter Smith said,
''This agreement represents an important step not only for Fujitsu and Westell, but also for our
customers. Together we will provide fully managed end-to-end solutions capable of delivering
tomorrow's services over a broadband network.''
Westell's ADSL technology will run over existing BT copper telephone lines at speeds up to 50
times faster than is currently possible using conventional modems. POTS (Plain Old Telephone
Service) will be maintained, as telephone calls can be made simultaneously with high-speed
internet and data applications. ''We are delighted to be working with FTEL and are excited
about the near and long term opportunities for our partnership,'' said Rob Faw, Chief Executive
Officer for Westell, Inc.
As part of this next phase, BT recently announced that it is inviting companies in the service and
content provider industries to take part in a London-based ADSL trial, which is scheduled to
begin in 1998. In addition to offering services direct to customers, BT announced it would also
be giving independent service providers their first opportunity to participate, and is currently
talking to them about their requirements. The announcement by BT builds on their interactive
television trials in East Anglia and Westminster, which successfully demonstrated a sustainable
market for interactive services. Westell previously provided ADSL systems for the interactive
television trial.
The Westell SuperVision DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) is a flexible platform that
supports either CAP or DMT and consolidates individual DSL access line interfaces into a
single high-speed interface to the switching network, reducing the cost to service providers for
full-scale deployment of multimedia services such as high-speed Internet access,
video-on-demand and remote LAN access. The SuperVision interface consolidation also
reduces equipment costs, saves space and enhances availability by reducing the potential points
of failure in the network.
SuperVision supports 18-21 DSL central exchange office line modules in a single shelf and is
scaleable to support up to seven shelves per network interface. The DSL line modules are rate
adaptive and will operate at speeds ranging from 640Kbps to 8.192Mbps downstream and
272Kbps to 1.088Mbps upstream. Service providers have the flexibility to offer a different rate
to each customer, and through SuperVision's management system, these rates can be selected or
changed at anytime.
SuperVision architecture is modular driven to support multiple network interfaces and multiple
DSL line types, and has the capability to support CAP Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Lines
(RADSL) and DMT Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Lines, giving network operators the
flexibility to configure their SuperVision shelf according to their customers' needs and network
services requirements. Through this modular approach, Westell is able to supply service
providers with a cost-effective and powerful technology over copper telephone lines. As new
technologies emerge, modules can be added or upgraded without affecting the other modules.
SuperVision provides SNMP agents which allow SNMP based element management systems,
such as Westell's AccessVision(R) to provide feature-rich element management capabilities.
Westell Technologies, Inc. is a holding company for Westell, Inc., Conference Plus, Inc. and
Westell WorldWide Services, Inc.
Westell, Inc. is a leading world-wide innovator and manufacturer of xDSL systems and
telecommunications access products, with corporate headquarters in Aurora, Illinois. Westell's
xDSL products are currently in use or trial by more than 100 customers in over 30 countries
world-wide, including Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, Bell Canada, BT, GTE, MCI, Quebec
Telephone, SBC, Saskatchewan Telephone, Telecom Italia, US West and leading Internet
service providers. In addition to developing and manufacturing xDSL and non-DSL data and
telecommunications products, Westell, Inc. has established technology relationships with
leading telecommunication, software, computing and semi-conductor companies such as
Atlantech Technologies, ATML, DSC Communications, GlobeSpan, Lucent Technologies,
Microsoft, Motorola and others.
Conference Plus, Inc., is a multi-point telecommunications service bureau specializing in audio
teleconferencing, multi-point video conferencing, broadcast fax, and multimedia teleconference
services.
Westell WorldWide Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Westell Technologies,
provides engineering, installation and network management services to leading network
providers as well as turn-key equipment and service solutions to enterprise customers and
service providers.
Westell Technologies, Inc. and Amati Communications Corporation recently announced the
signing of a definitive merger agreement. Closing of this transaction is subject to various
regulatory approvals and shareholders' vote. The closing is anticipated to take place in January
1998.
Additional information can be obtained by visiting Westell's Web site at
westell.com.
SuperVision is a registered trademark of Westell Technologies, Inc. AccessVision is a
registered trademark of Atlantech Technologies, Inc.
SOURCE Westell Technologies, Inc. |
