Ericsson enhances ERION optical networking line

Ericsson enhances ERIONÔ optical networking line - Smaller footprint, added capacity for next generation network operators Today, at SUPERCOMM 2000, Ericsson announced an array of enhancements to its ERION dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) family of products, which targets next-generation operators serving metropolitan customers. The announcement includes the new ERION Metro-C compact DWDM solution and increased capacity for the ERION FlexRing system. The new and enhanced products represent the latest installments in Ericsson's strategy to introduce optical networking technology optimized for short- and medium-haul transport to meet the needs of today's competitive voice and data networks. The ERION Metro-C is a compact unit that offers the benefits of Ericsson's ERION Metro hub product with a lower cost of entry. It provides four channel drops (or two channels with protection) for cost-effective delivery of wavelengths to space-constrained customer premises and co- location environments. America Online, Inc., already a customer of the Ericsson ERION FlexRing system, is participating in lab trials of the new METRO-C system. "Today's market demands have created a strong pull for carrier-class optical products that can be deployed quickly and reliably," said Ola Persson, product manager for optical networking at Ericsson. "The Metro-C fits easily into business access networks and offers the feature flexibility needed for today's e-commerce and Internet-rich environments." ERION Metro-C significantly broadens the applications for optical networking in the metropolitan area because it is designed for locations where two to four optical channels need to be dropped, such as a business customer site. A typical application might include an ERION Metro system at a hub location connected by a fiber ring to Metro-C systems deployed at remote sites. This configuration allows carriers to provide broadband services like IP, ATM, SONET/SDH, ESCON and Gigabit Ethernet services on a single platform. At eight inches tall, the Metro-C can be placed in the same rack as an IP router or Gigabit Ethernet switch. In addition, the optional integrated power supply eliminates the need to maintain a dedicated direct current (DC) power system. ERION Metro-C will be commercially available in the third quarter of 2000 with general availability in Q4 2000. Ericsson's ERION FlexRing has also been upgraded. The capacity of the 2- fiber optical self-healing ring has been doubled to 80 Gbs. The ERION FlexRing supports both hub and mesh network topologies and is optimized for Metro Core networks with ring circumferences of up to 500 km. ERION Metro is designed for metro access networks with circumferences of up to 100 km. "With no two installations having exactly the same requirements in the metro space, the ability to offer the most flexibility possible in terms of cost, capacity, and ring capability is critical to success," said Mark Lutkowitz, principal analyst with Trans-Formation. "Ericsson is clearly moving in the right direction with its announcements today, especially in striving to better meet the initial cost points of a large number of customers." The ERION family of products also allows access to Ericsson's Packet Backbone Network (PBN) - an architectural model for next generation backbone network and portfolio of carrier-class IP and ATM data products. With PBN, service providers are able to configure highly scalable end-to- end multi-service networks with telecom-grade resiliency and serviceability. Ericsson is the leading communications supplier, combining innovation in mobility and Internet in creating the new era of mobile Internet. Ericsson provides total solutions covering everything from systems and applications to mobile phones and other communications tools. With more than 100,000 employees in 140 countries, Ericsson simplifies communications for customers all over the world. Read more at http://www.ericsson.com/pressroom FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Kathy Egan, Vice President, Ericsson Inc., Corporate Communications Phone: +1 212 685 4030; E-mail: kathy.egan@ericsson.com Gary Pinkham, Vice President, Ericsson Inc., Investor Relations Phone: +1 212 685 4030; E-mail: gary.pinkham@ericsson.com About DWDM and ERION DWDM technology provides many times the capacity of traditional Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) systems by making it possible to transmit multiple "colors," or wavelengths of light, over a single fiber. ERION, Ericsson's intelligent optical networking portfolio, provides a flexible, scalable and secure solution to the problems of increasing demand for bandwidth in long haul metropolitan core and access transport network architectures. More than 500 ERION systems are installed throughout the world for applications including IP, CATV, Gigabit Ethernet and SDH/SONET. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/06/06/20000606BIT00940/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/06/06/20000606BIT00940/bit0002.pdf