Ascend Announces Strategic Contract for Award-Winning MAX TNT Wan Access Switches
MAX TNT With Its V.90 Compliant Series 56K(a) Digital Modems and NavisAccess(TM)
Network Management Enables Revolutionary Internet Shopping Program From AIM Smart
ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 1998-- Ascend Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASND - news), a leader in
wide area networking (WAN) solutions for providers and users of the Public Network, today announced a contract with Klein
Technologies, Inc., (KTI) to supply key technology components for a nationwide free Internet service dubbed ''SmartAIM Shopper
Pavilion(TM).''
Designed to enable e-commerce capabilities in shopping malls, this service will allow true micro marketing to target regional
demographic groups.
This new service, announced separately today in a press release from AIM Smart Corporation (OTC BB:AIMS - news)
aim-smart.com, will place Internet Service Provider (ISP) Points-of-Presence (PoPs) in as many as 500
major malls around the country.
With an initial value of up to $8 million, this contract calls for KTI to purchase Ascend's award-winning MAX TNT(TM) Wan Access
Switches with V.90 compliant Series56 digital modems and NavisAccess network management software.
''We are excited to be working with KTI to enable this revolutionary new marketing concept that AIM Smart is rolling out,'' said Kurt
Bauer, vice president of product management for Ascend's Access Switching Division.
''This innovative application is a perfect example of why the MAX family is the leading remote access solution in the industry. Through
our powerful True Access(TM) Operating System and NavisAccess network management we offer customers the ability to create a
wide variety of applications, with maximum flexibility in both design and deployment.''
Nationwide Network, Managed by NavisAccess
The ''SmartAIM Shopper Pavilion'' PoPs will consist of MAX TNTs, with Series56 digital modems and NavisAccess management
control. Ascend's NavisAccess network management software will provide KTI's network managers with critical features needed to
monitor and maintain the Internet services.
By deploying NavisAccess on Windows NT in a client/server configuration, KTI will be able to manage the network from multiple
consoles, while all data is maintained on a central NavisAccess server.
NavisAccess also allows KTI to generate over 40 reports on service utilization and network status to monitor bandwidth utilization both
historically and in real-time, and to automatically monitor and update device configuration files.
Each ''SmartAIM Shopper Pavilion'' is an ISP that is remotely controlled from both the central Network Operations Center (NOC) at
KTI's headquarters in Vienna, Va. and the RADIUS Server in Goodrich, Minn.
KTI's NOC monitors, troubleshoots, and measures the performance of Ascend equipment, and the RADIUS Server provides user
log-in authentication. The monitoring universe is divided by the East Coast and West Coast, and is sub-divided by states. As the
network grows, and more units are deployed, central U.S. will be added.
''We are pleased to be working with Ascend on this project,'' said Richard Klein, chief executive officer of Klein Technologies, Inc.
''We evaluated several vendors, but only Ascend could provide the combination of state-of-the-art, network-tested hardware and
software tools, such as NavisAccess that we needed to get the job done. Ascend's solutions will also enable us to provide additional
Internet innovations, such as high-speed access and voice over capabilities, for future value-added offerings.''
Initial plans call for as many as 550 major malls to be equipped with ''SmartAIM Shopper Pavilion'' mall Internet PoPs. Currently there
are over 300 malls under rollout contract with AIM Smart. At 500 malls free Internet service will be offered to 25 million U.S.
households, through the national AIM Smart ISP network.
About the MAX family of WAN Access Switches
According to Dell'Oro Group, the MAX and MAX TNT WAN Access Switches lead the industry with over 40 percent of the analog
modem ports deployed worldwide.
In addition, Ascend was the leader in both revenue and ports for the Remote Access Concentrator market in Q1 1998, according to
market research firm Dataquest. The MAX and MAX TNT are critical components of Ascend's ''best-of-breed'' solution set for
service providers.
As a stand-out in the data networking industry, Ascend provides a complete set of solutions, including enterprise connectivity, service
provider access, and core systems, as well as technologies and solutions that provide end-to-end quality-of-service (QoS), security,
and network management. These ''best of breed'' capabilities allow service providers to build and manage revenue-generating
services over existing and new infrastructures.
About Ascend Communications
Ascend Communications, Inc. develops, manufactures, sells and services wide area networking solutions for telecommunications
carriers, Internet service providers and corporate customers worldwide.
Press and industry analysts, please contact: Christine Andrews, Alexander Communications, 415/923-1660 (ext. 138),
candrews@alexandercom.com. Investors and financial analysts, please contact: Kristina Graziano, 510/747-2345,
kristina.graziano@ascend.com; or all other inquiries please call toll-free: 800/ASCEND4.
For more information about Ascend and its products, please visit the Ascend Web site at www.ascend.com, or send e-mail to
info@ascend.com. Ascend is headquartered at One Ascend Plaza, 1701 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, CA 94502; phone is
800/ASCEND4 and fax is 510/814-2300. |
