Allied Telesyn Lowers Cost of Fiber Network Connectivity; Price Reduction on Fiber-Optic Adapters Will Enhance Adoption of Fiber-to-the-Desk.

BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 21, 1997--Allied Telesyn, the world leader in fiber Ethernet adapter cards today announced price reductions of up to 21 percent on its line of fiber-optic Ethernet adapters.

These price reductions are part of an overall Allied Telesyn campaign designed to promote the benefits and use of fiber-optic technology to deliver higher-speed, higher-quality connectivity in computer network applications through the Fiber-to-the-Desk (FTTD) initiative. In a related announcement, Allied Telesyn detailed a new program to provide free fiber network design software and fiber product rebates for its resellers.

The price reductions cover both ISA and PCI fiber Ethernet adapters: -0-

Adapter Card        Old List    New List     Percent Reduction

AT-2450FT,
10mbps, PCI         $349.00     $289.00            21%

AT-1500FT PnP
10mbps, ISA         $298.00     $259.95            11%
-0-

According to Chuck Berman, director of product marketing: "Fiber- optic technology can deliver significant performance advantages over conventional copper cable today, advantages which will be even more significant as the need for network bandwidth continues to increase. This price reduction focuses on reducing the cost of fiber end- points, making fiber more competitive with copper solutions and even more compelling a choice as a network transport media. This demonstrates Allied Telesyn's clear commitment to moving the fiber industry forward and promoting the FTTD industry initiative."

Fiber-optic Ethernet technology offers significant advantages over copper wire. Estimates show that as much as 80 percent of currently installed category 5 cable may be incapable of supporting 100mbps traffic due to installation related issues. This significant issue could seriously impact the future network performance of many companies. Today's fiber can support network speeds exceeding 1Gbps, resulting in a true future-proofed network.

Fiber-optic solutions are immune to many of the conditions that can reduce the performance and reliability of a copper-based network. Fiber-optics can deliver major advantages in the areas of distance and investment protection. At 100 mbps, for example, fiber cable runs can be as long as 412 meters, allowing network designers to enjoy multiple design options and more centralization of network resources. Centralization of hardware reduces maintenance and support costs while improving overall network reliability.

Allied Telesyn International, incorporated in 1987, is a worldwide leader in Ethernet LAN connectivity components and solutions, including network adapter cards; intelligent stackable hubs and switches; access switches for ATM networks; and media products such as transceivers, fanouts, repeaters, and unmanaged hubs. ATI is a TIA/EIA member company and a participant in OIDA. Allied Telesyn also offers a full line of network management software for Windows, Macintosh, and major UNIX platforms as well as RMON solutions. The Company is committed to providing the lowest cost of network ownership through competitive pricing, high reliability, and comprehensive product support and service.

Allied Telesyn has sales offices throughout the world. Its main North American offices and facilities are located in Sunnyvale, California and Bothell, Washington. In Canada, Allied Telesyn has sales offices in Toronto, Ontario; Laval, Quebec; and Vancouver, B.C.

Detailed information on Allied Telesyn and its products is available on its website at http://www.alliedtelesyn.com . -0-

Note to Editors: FTTD is a registered trademark of Anixter.

CONTACT: Allied Telesyn

Andrea Clement, 206/481-3784

[e-mail]

or

A&R Partners

Nicolet Gibson, 415/363-0982

[e-mail]