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Technology Stocks : Newbridge Networks -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Peppe who wrote (6801)	10/2/1998 11:43:00 AM
From: pat mudge	Respond to of 18016

There's also abundant food for thought for network equipment vendors, particularly old guard suppliers that now find themselves in direct competition with data networking equipment suppliers, especially Cisco (the main supplier of data network equipment to AT&T and BT). Whether the joint venture will actually be implemented is a different question. For a range of reasons, the effort could fail. Regulators might dismember it, customers might rebel at yet another twist in the long history of alliance making, and the two principals may fail to overcome the political infighting and analysis paralysis that have dogged many previous telco alliances. Peppe -- Excellent article and I can't argue with anything said. Since BT is installing ATM --- CSCO's BPX mentioned as were hybrid solutions --- it indicates they're not scuttling the technology any time soon. The conference call made it clear traditional data solutions haven't always worked and haven't always been reliable. Now, Quality of Service matters. Their goal is to bring WAN into the 21st century. This involves ATM, remote access, and VPDN. Their customers are primarily the multinationals who need help building the backbone. They want to go beyond Frame Relay. ISPs and service providers need efficient networks and "ATM is cost effective." Bandwidth requirements are growing at phenomenal rates. WAN data want variable bit-rate solutions. Strategy: the network infrastructure needs to be compatible. Will move from FR to higher. Will build hybrid networks from frame to ATM, compatible with domestic networks. Using BT's Cell-Stream. In Europe they're using partners' infrastructures. They must integrate. Speaking of Europe's regional structure, he said BT and partners had announced a fiber-based network and that Concert would ride on top of that. They have 7000 km of fiber owned by BT and alliance partners, 14 POPs all fiber-based, 160 Kbps for each fiber pair --- can support ATM. Speaking of national structures, each will build its own fiber-based infrastructures, in some cases all the way to the building. Goals of launch: to reach 13 countries, 11 immediately and adding HK and Switzerland by end of year. Extend to 25 countries beyond that. They also have 10 more asking for service but with regulatory challenges that must be overcome. Concert is advertising that this is the first global managed ATM solution. They have it now and have customers already signed up. Long explanation of public Internet versus private use of it. Their service is called Concert Internet Plus. They set up a secure path across the public Internet. [Discussion of firewalls, encryption, and security management.] Packet prioritization will be available next year. "The difference between Internet and Concert Internet Plus is a "safe haven" owned end-to-end by Concert. Integrated within each country. Have end-to-end management of whole network. Packet priority will be insurance. When? "It's being trialed now. Available in January 99. How many customers will migrate from frame to ATM? Frame 1300, top end, 100 to 150 trialing ATM in next 12 to 18 months. How do you compete against WCOM? "We're not a regional service but a global managed service." Communications Week asked about VPDN roaming capabilities and I fell sound asleep. :) I've called the host, Brian Muys, to ask if he can shed light on other vendors involved. What's clear is that present infrastructures aren't adequate and action is being taken to change them. We know already NN is working with both BT and AT&T, so whether they're mentioned or not doesn't mean they won't get business or that equipment already in place in any given country won't need NN's expertise to connect to the newer system. You can rest assured I'll ask Mr. Muys if Cisco is the only vendor involved. Later -- Pat