Ascend Announces Second-Generation IDSL, Ships Rate Adaptive DSL; Voice (POTS) and Fax Added to IDSL; RADSL Provides High-Speed Data Transmission for Internet Access, Remote Office Connectivity Applications.

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 3, 1997--Ascend Communications, Inc., (NASDAQ:ASND) today introduced its second-generation IDSL (ISDN DSL) technology, which is the first to support both voice and data over IDSL facilities. Ascend also announced that it is shipping its Rate Adaptive Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (RADSL) card for its MAX TNT central office equipment (COE) and a corresponding DSLPipe-C for customer premises (CPE). Both products are members of Ascend's MultiDSL family, the first and only fully integrated multi-service platform with a wide range of DSL technologies. These new products further consolidate Ascend's position as the industry leader in offering a comprehensive, end-to-end line of xDSL solutions.

Ascend's second-generation IDSL makes it possible to support analog voice and fax over single pair copper wire facilities at a speed of 128 Kbps. There is no charge for the new software for existing IDSL customers. Support of analog voice and fax for the faster 768 Kbps SDSL (Single Pair HDSL) service will be available later in 1997.

Ascend's new RADSL products let telephone companies, competitive access providers, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer their customers a high-speed turnkey solution using the existing network infrastructure. RADSL can transmit data downstream from the CO to the subscriber at 7.0 Mbps and transmit data upstream at 1.0 Mbps over distances up to 10,000 feet. Speeds of 1.0 Mbps upstream and 2.5 Mbps downstream can be achieved over distances up to 12,000 feet.

Voice, Fax Now Supported by IDSL

Ascend's new second-generation IDSL offering will enable telephone companies, competitive access providers, and alternative carriers to enhance their Internet access offerings for existing customers. In addition it will allow competitive access providers and alternative carriers to expand into voice markets. This software upgrade is available for Ascend's IDSL line cards for the MAX 4002, MAX 4004 and the Pipeline 25 and Pipeline 75 CPE products. No new hardware is required.

"Demand for our Multi-DSL products has been overwhelming, which only confirms how important this new technology is to solving the enormous challenges and opportunities of Internet access," said Richard Sekar, product manager for high speed access products at Ascend. "Without question, our customers are interested in adding voice and fax to their IDSL services. This next-generation IDSL technology will enable telephone companies, competitive access providers and alternative carriers to address many more market applications. We have met our goal to be the first to bring this capability to the marketplace and, at the same time, to protect our customers' investment in the first generation technology."

RADSL Perfect for Noisy Loops, High-Speed Applications

The RADSL line card is a plug-in option for the MAX TNT. RADSL, an implementation of Asymmetric DSL (ADSL) that employs the Carrierless Amplitude Phase (CAP) modulation technique, lets the MAX TNT optimize data rates appropriate to a line's length and noise characteristics. Ascend expects to introduce RADSL products based on the Discrete Multi Tone (DMT) modulation technique later this year. Each RADSL-CAP card supports six ports. One 14-inch MAX TNT shelf can support up to 15 cards or 90 ports, while an eight-foot rack with six shelves can support up to 540 RADSL ports. At the customer premises, the router-based DSLPipe-C provides a RADSL connection to the CO and provides a connection to the Ethernet LAN.

"Our RADSL solution is perfect for noisy local loops and for high-speed applications, including Internet access and telecommuting, that require large bandwidth from the Internet in the downstream direction but relatively small bandwidth in the upstream direction," said Ashok Dhawan, general manager of high speed access products at Ascend.

"We're delighted to be able to offer our customers this new high-speed RADL service," said Timothy Roberts, president at Skyscape Communications, Inc. "This announcement confirms the status of the MAX TNT as a true multi-service DSL platform that offers IDSL, SDSL, RADSL-CAP, and RADSL-DMT as well as high port density."

MultiDSL Is First Multi-Service Offering

The products announced today are part of Ascend's fully integrated, multi-service MultiDSL offering that enables services providers to offer a wide range of DSL technologies including IDSL, SDSL, RADSL-CAP and RADSL-DMT on a single platform. MultiDSL is available on Ascend's MAX 4002, MAX 4004 and MAX TNT WAN access switches. The MAX protects users' investment by continuing to offer all traditional services as well, such as Frame Relay, T1, analog, and ISDN. The MAX WAN access switch also makes the most of scarce and expensive co-location space at the CO, delivering the highest port density in the industry, with up to 540 RADSL-CAP ports, 1,440 SDSL ports, or 1,340 IDSL ports per 8-foot rack.

Price and Availability (U.S. Only)

The IDSL voice upgrade for the MAX 4002 and MAX 4004 is available now. Support for the second-generation IDSL technology will be available for the MAX TNT in the second half of 1997. There is no charge for the software for existing IDSL customers.

The 6-port RADSL line card for the MAX TNT is available now for $8,250. The DSLPipe-C is also available now for $1,750.

About Ascend Communications

Ascend Communications, Inc. is a leading worldwide provider of remote networking solutions for corporate central sites, Internet Service Providers' points of presence, remote offices, mobile workers and telecommuters. Ascend develops, manufactures, markets, sells and supports products that utilize bandwidth on demand to extend existing corporate networks for applications such as remote LAN access, Internet access, telecommuting, SOHO connectivity and videoconferencing/multimedia access. Detailed information on Ascend products, news announcements, seminars, service and support is available on Ascend's home page at the World Wide Web site http://www.ascend.com .

Ascend is headquartered at One Ascend Plaza, 1701 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, California 94502. Phone: 800/ASCEND4; Fax [phone]; E-mail: [e-mail] .

CONTACT: Shannon Malliet

Gallagher PR

510/747-2254

[e-mail]