ADC Telecommunications and Cisco Systems Team to Provide Residential IP Telephony for Cable Networks
December 1, 1998
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE) New World
Voice-over-IP Telephony Made Available
Via 'Lifeline' Solutions
ADC Telecommunications, Inc. (NASDAQ:
ADCT; www.adc.com) and Cisco Systems,
Inc. today announced an alliance to
develop cable-based, Internet Protocol (IP)
telephony products.
Under the alliance, ADC will license Cisco
NetWorks Internet technologies to provide
high-speed Internet Protocol (IP)-based
communication functionality for ADC's
next-generation Homeworx(TM) product
line. Using Cisco NetWorks software, ADC
will develop a range of Data-over-Cable
Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS)/
International Telecommunications Union
(ITU) J.112-compliant, external network
interface units with network powering
options to provide lifeline
telephony-over-IP and advanced data
services operating on modern hybrid
fiber/coax (HFC) cable systems. In
addition, Cisco will develop extensions to
its family of Universal Broadband Routers
(uBR) using ADC's technology to support
lifeline IP telephony. As part of the Cisco
NetWorks program, Cisco will also support
ADC's development efforts with engineering
support, certification, Cisco NetWorks
branding and co-marketing activities.
"This alliance will enable ADC to provide IP
telephony products to our customers who
want to offer full-featured lifeline
telephony over coax that gives end-users
the service that they have come to
expect," said Vivek Ragavan, president of
ADC's Residential Broadband Group. "We
welcome the opportunity to combine these
technologies -- ADC's lifeline telephony and
Cisco's voice-over-IP developments -- to
offer the advantages of IP telephony
without compromising the features of
lifeline service."
"This alliance with ADC represents the
latest step in Cisco's commitment to be the
leader in the IP cable telephony arena,"
said Paul Bosco, general manager of Cisco's
Cable Products and Solutions Business Unit.
" Our relationship with ADC will allow us to
deliver end-to-end solutions that enable
the mass deployment of broadband packet
data, lifeline IP telephony and new video
services using ADC's products."
ADC's environmentally hardened, externally
mounted network interface unit is
scheduled to begin shipping in the second
half of 1999, and can be deployed at
residence or multiple dwelling unit (MDU)
demarcation points. This product and the
modified uBR will enable cable operators to
offer customers a complete, end-to-end,
lifeline telephony-over-IP solution with two
key benefits. First, the network interface
unit is powered by the network to ensure
that the telephone connection remains in
operation even in the event of a power
failure. Secondly, the IP telephony system
will offer competitive, enhanced features
such as call forwarding, call waiting,
conferencing and caller ID. This
functionality is not currently available in
other IP telephony solutions.
"This relationship represents a big step
forward for cable-based IP telephony," said
Jeff Turner, director of IP telephony for
MediaOne. "We at MediaOne are focused
on providing our customers with a true
choice of local telephone providers. This
ADC/Cisco partnership is all about solving
the missing piece of the puzzle for IP
telephony in terms of the specialized
equipment our industry needs to provide
highly reliable voice communications. "
The ADC Voice-over-IP (VoIP) and data
solution will be designed to interoperate
with the Cisco Universal Broadband Router
product family. The uBR provides cable
operators with a cost-effective, scaleable
interface between subscriber cable
modems and the backbone data network,
and enables them to deliver high-speed,
broadband access to the Internet. The uBR
product family is based on the carrier-class
stability and functionality of the industry
leading Cisco IOS(R) software, maximizing
the efficiency of the network bandwidth
utilization, and in turn allowing cable
operators to derive higher profits from the
same scarce network resources.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is the
worldwide leader in networking for the
Internet. News and information are
available at cisco.com.
About ADC Telecommunications
ADC Telecommunications, Inc. (NASDAQ:
ADCT) is a leading global supplier of voice,
video and data systems for telephone,
cable television, Internet, broadcast,
wireless and private communications
networks. ADC's systems enable local
access and high-speed transmission of
communications services from providers to
consumers and businesses over fiber-optic,
copper, coaxial and wireless media.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota,
ADC has approximately 8,000 employees
around the world and annual sales of $1.4
billion. For additional information, visit our
Web site at www.adc.com.
Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco
Systems logo are registered trademarks of
Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain
other countries. All other trademarks
mentioned in this document are the
property of their respective owners.
Cautionary statement under the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Any forward-looking statements contained
herein reflect management's current
expectations or beliefs. ADC
Telecommunications cautions readers that
future actual results could differ materially
from those in forward-looking statements
depending on the outcome of certain
factors, including the risks and
uncertainties identified in Exhibit 99 to
ADC's Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended October 31, 1997.
CONTACT: Lynne High Mark Borman | ADC
Telecommunications ADC
Telecommunications | (612) 946-3136
(612) 946-3338 | lynne_high@adc.com
mark_borman@adc.com | or or | Erin
Bergamo Randi Feigin | Cisco Systems, Inc.
Cisco Systems, Inc. | (408) 527-0600
(408) 527-1099 | ebergamo@cisco.com
rfeigin@cisco.com
[Copyright 1998, Business Wire] |
