Jenna, have you heard of FCM (Formerly FTEL) Franklin Telecom? They have 18,000,000 shares float. They are making money and they seem to be really beat down in share price. Here's more information. I'd like to know your opinion on them........
May 25, 1999
During the last two months we have been digesting the ongoing design, installation and maintenance of the largest single VoIP network in the world. I would like to take a moment and talk about this installation and its value to our company as a strategic marketing tool. Regardless of how our customer ultimately resolves the challenges of their business plan model and the many other legal, organizational and management challenges that all businesses must successfully resolve, the network is unparalleled in the world of VoIP. This, in my opinion, is of great strategic value to our company.
I have recently taken to challenging my colleagues at Lucent, Nortel, Cisco and any other competitior to point to an installation the size and scope of that which we have built todate for our customer. The network spans the entire U.S. and currently encompasses more than 10 major markets. Encompassing the use of both Frame Relay and ATM technology to enable data "cloud" connectivity, the network supports over 300 nodes and some larger number of Primary Rate ISDN telephone line interfaces. The nodes that are installed can be expanded to 96 ports per node with nominal change to the installed equipment. I would share that this network is planned to expand significantly, on a monthly basis, well into the next century.
One of the most significant contributions to the state of the art is the use of the Franklin Authentication, Mapping and Billing Server throughout this network. At a time in which the rest of the industry is trying to figure out how a "Gatekeeper" works, how to configure an "H.323 call controller" or how to do billing on a VoIP network, we have put it all together and made it work. Our billing and gatekeeper solution now serves more VoIP nodes that any other competitor in the market. As we have stated in the past, we are prepared to support Interoperability at a number of different levels: Inow (e.g. Interoperability Now), H.323 and MGCP. (The fact is, we are "INow" and they are "I Will be").
Our "FNET" division has also played a role in the development of this network and in the development of our equipment sales to other customers. To enable rapid network implementation and to assure call coverage throughout the country, (in fact, throughout the world), we handle all "off net" call completion for this customers network. In fact, we offer all Franklin Tempest users the ability to connect with FNET to achieve "off net" call handling anywhere in the world that they do not already have a node on their own network. This enables our customers to achieve call completion from their network to any other telephone in the world. Currently we are handling 100's of thousands of minutes a month for Franklin equipment owners connected to FNET. (Much like the Internet, you become FNET by connecting to it).
We have dramatically demonstrated the vitality of our technology, vertically integrated from the mother board to our own DSP and real time, LINUX call handling software. More than Marketing hyperbole, this network is a testimony to what we have accomplished during the last nine months. This network was in large part designed, developed, installed and is currently maintained by Franklin Telecommunications. (a company formally know as Tri-Serve did the actual teleco line ordering) To the best of my knowledge we are the only company out there prepared to do it all! Design, develop, manufacture, configure, install, maintain and manage the network, built on technology developed at Franklin Telecommunications.
As this network continues to grow, other equipment vendors will become involved and I suspect that, as our customers management team matures, they will take over most of the network operating responsibilities that we currently perform. We will continue to supply equipment to this customer and we will continue to be a prime technology resource to this customer, offering custom product development, software licensing and new product options. The fact remains that we are a demonstrated and proven technology leader and that fact is of growing importance in a world of hype and misinformation.
As a result of this network, we as a company are coming up on the radar screens of individuals and companies looking for this technology around the world. We are involved with a number of programs that have the potential of creating VoIP solutions that are even larger than the one we have been talking about here. We have in fact shipped product into strategic network situations in Latin America, Europe and in the Pacific Rim. Our product programs continue to mature and we have a host of powerful new product solutions that we will be introducing throughout the remainder of the calendar year.
Many of you are aware that I have taken on more operating responsibilities and now hope to show similar progress as I turn my attention to FNET, a key strategic asset for Franklin Telecom. We have made tremendous strides and in the development of our company and we are all very proud of the work we have done. Let's try to look past the current headlines and nasty speculations of the 'bulletin board" manipulators and other naysayers. We have performed and I expect that sooner, or later, the market will recognize what we are doing and our stock price will more appropriately reflect our value.
I look forward to meeting you all at our annual shareholders meeting on June 18, 1999.
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