Pirelli, Williams And Ascend Announce Successful Trials
25 June 1998
Pirelli, Williams And Ascend Announce Successful Trials Of ATM Optical Networking
COLUMBIA, S.C., June 24 -- Pirelli Cables and Systems,
Williams Network and Ascend Communications, Inc. announce
successful trials employing Pirelli's DWDM technology to increase the capacity
of fiber optic networks to carry multisource ATM traffic.
The combination of technologies from Ascend, the leading provider of wide
area network (WAN) solutions for network service providers, and Pirelli, the
leading provider of optical solutions for network service providers, promises
a cost-effective and efficient solution to enhancing the quality and bandwidth
capacity of current ATM data networks.
"We have completed testing between the Ascend GX 550 and Pirelli OMDS in
our Tulsa-based network laboratories," Wayne Price, manager network
development, Williams Network, said.
"Williams can directly connect the ATM switches into the optical network
that will provide a lower cost, higher reliability network architecture. We
have a reputation as a technology innovator, and are now raising the bar
again."
Neal Stoker, director of marketing for PC&SNA's Telecom Systems Division,
added, "The successful demonstration that Pirelli's T-31 OMDS 1632 system is
transparent to ATM traffic opens the door to numerous possibilities for
customer cost-savings and shorter turn-up times.
"Optical multiplexing technology allows the customer to increase network
capacity without the cost of adding fiber and without the wait that
installation of new fiber entails. Cost objectives for rack space, powering
and fiber usage are optimized. Ascend, Williams Network and Pirelli understand
the needs of the networks of the future and have combined to provide a future-
proof bandwidth solution," he added.
Jeff Kiel, director of product marketing, Ascend Communications, Inc.,
said, "New network architectures based on connecting ATM directly to fiber
will allow service providers such as Williams to build networks without the
need for costly and unnecessary legacy SONET equipment. This joint testing
proves that these networks can be built in this way today."
Stoker explained that Pirelli's optical multiplexed carrier facility
represents a more cost-effective solution than conventional SONET. Pirelli's
scaleable T31 OMDS 1632 system will interface directly to the optical ports of
Ascend's ATM core switch.
The laboratory trials proved interoperability compliance with error free
(transparent) transmission of ATM traffic at varying data rates (OC-3 to
OC-48).
Pirelli introduced its T-31 OMDS 1632 system earlier this year as the
highest capacity wavelength division multiplexing system available for
metropolitan applications.
The system features a 32-channel platform that can be upgraded
incrementally from 2 to 32 channels as demand for bandwidth dictates.
Consequently, the OMDS 1632 gives a communications provider a system with low
initial cost that can be upgraded with a short turn-up time - typically less
than two days - and without the high fixed costs and service disruption
normally associated with adding capacity. The system installs on Pirelli's
market-proven T-31 platform.
The OMDS 1632 system also has the unique capability to drop/add up to four
channels, a vital feature for applications in which concentrated data streams
need to be routed for high-volume users.
Williams , through its subsidiaries, is the nation's largest-
volume transporter of natural gas and provides a full range of traditional and
leading-edge energy and communications services. In addition to its national
wholesale multimedia network, its communications enterprises include
nationwide single-source business communications systems integration;
international video satellite and fiber-optic transmission; multipoint video-
and audio-conferencing; satellite business applications; enhanced fax
services; interactive technical training, on-demand distance learning and
Internet and telemarketing services. Company information is available at
http://www.twc.com, http://www.wilcom.com and http://www.willtales.com.
Ascend Communications, Inc. develops, manufactures, sells and services wide
area networking solutions for telecommunications carriers, Internet service
providers and corporate customers worldwide. For more information about Ascend
and its products, please visit the Ascend web site at http://www.ascend.com, or send
e-mail to info@ascend.com.
Pirelli Cables and Systems North America is headquartered in Columbia,
S.C. With facilities in Lexington and Abbeville, S.C., Colusa, Calif., Surrey,
British Columbia, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, and Prescott, Ontario, it
provides fiber optic cable and photonics equipment for the communications
industry and energy transmission and distribution cable for the utility and
commercial building industries.
Pirelli Cables and Systems is a global manufacturer of communications and
power cables and systems. With 15,000 employees, 51 plants, research and
development centers in Italy, the United States, Canada, France, Great Britain
and Brazil, and total sales of more than $3.5 billion, Pirelli ranks among the
world leaders. The company is increasingly focusing its R&D and manufacturing
resources and competencies on leading edge technologies, based on optical
fibers and photonics for communications networks and superconductivity for
power transmission.