Alcatel's Digital Cross-Connect Blurs SONET Network Boundaries; Alcatel's 1631 Manages Unlimited Number of SONET Ring Interconnections and Eliminates Compatibility Issues.

Chicago--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 27, 1999--

Alcatel (NYSE: ALA) announces today its 1631 SX LMC, the industry's highest density digital cross-connect, offers an advanced new feature set which allows it to transcend traditional cross-connect functionality and become a SONET Ring Manager. This distinct evolution on the 1631 is unique to Alcatel and offers the company an opportunity to resolve a pressing network level challenge in the telecommunications industry i.e. managing the proliferation and interconnection of rings throughout the network. It gives carriers the benefit of effortlessly expanding their network boundaries and managing an unlimited number of SONET interconnections free of compatibility issues.

Building on features released in May, which touted the ability to double voice network capacity due to 2,688 STS-1 equivalents, this announcement further establishes Alcatel as an innovator of optical solutions for the network of today and tomorrow. By having the ability to manage an unlimited number of SONET rings, the infrastructure that carries all of the data/Internet traffic, carriers can effortlessly provision their network to handle new growth instantaneously without the concern of network limitations or boundaries.

"Alcatel has been aggressively building on the 1631 functionality because carriers need simple solutions that resolve complexities and increase their network capacity," said Carey Parker, Senior Director, Alcatel. "In particular, the Universal Bay, is a marquee feature that simplifies several deployment and administrative issues. Another key benefit is managing an unlimited number of SONET interconnections. Alcatel's 1631 SONET Ring Manager(TM) will give carriers a significant advantage for turning up new traffic."

The Alcatel 1631 SONET Ring Manger features the Universal Bay, which brings unprecedented versatility and scalability. It allows DS-3's, STS-1s, OC-3s and OC-12s to be housed within the same bay. Furthermore, the Universal Bay eliminates complex administrative issues, minimizes planning risks and reduces equipment and training costs.

For carriers facing the challenge of managing the explosive increase in network traffic, the 1631 SONET Ring Manager teams with the Alcatel 1690 OADM to provide even greater network efficiencies. By combining these two products into one solution for enterprise DWDM deployments, carriers leverage the capabilities of the 1690 and the 1631 to increase the capacity of current fiber and manage traffic more effectively.

The 1631 Ring Manger enables carriers significantly decrease network congestion and minimize the provisioning required to integrate into the customer's network. This results in faster service deployment.

By providing network interfaces at signal levels up to OC-12, the 1631 performs many of the functions that were traditionally exclusive to a broadband cross-connect system. However, the increasing demand for wideband cross-connect capacity is causing wideband digital systems to emerge as the "do-all" components in the networks of many carriers. With 30 percent more capacity than the nearest competitor, DS3-equivalent ports, the 1631 Ring Manager has become the industry's "do-more" system.

For information on the 1631 SONET Ring Manger stop by Alcatel booth No. 200 at NFOEC '99 in Chicago, September 27-30. The 1631 with the new ring manager functionality is available in October.

Alcatel builds next generation networks, delivering integrated end-to-end voice and data solutions to established and new carriers, as well as enterprises and consumers worldwide. With 120,000 employees and sales of EURO 21.3 billion ($25.0 billion), Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on Internet: http:/www.alcatel.com. For more information, visit Alcatel at http://www.alcatel.com or the US Web site at www.usa.alcatel.com.