Ascend Extends Worldwide Leadership in Frame Relay with Multiservice Enhancements.ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 28, 1998-- Market-Leading Frame Relay A high-speed packet switching protocol used in wide area networks (WANs). Providing a granular service of up to DS3 speed (45 Mbps), it has become popular for LAN to LAN connections across remote distances, and services are offered by most major carriers. Switches Extend Multiservice Solutions with ATM and IP Modules, Enabling Revenue Generating Services Ascend Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :ASND ASND A Streetcar Named Desire (play) ), a leader in wide area networking (WAN) solutions for providers and users of the New Public Network, today announced new features for the company's market leading B-STDX(tm) 8000 and 9000 Multiservice Frame Relay WAN switches. Supplying increased capabilities for revenue-generating services and cost saving solutions, the B-STDX Multiservice switch (1) A network switch that not only handles data, but adequately supports the real time transmission of voice and video. (2) A network device that supports multiple switching and routing protocols. enhancements include a 12-port T1/E1 Asynchronous Transfer Mode See ATM. (communications) Asynchronous Transfer Mode - (ATM, or "fast packet") A method for the dynamic allocation of bandwidth using a fixed-size packet (called a cell). See also ATM Forum, Wideband ATM. ATM acronyms. Indiana acronyms. (ATM) Module, a 2-port 10/100 Fast Ethernet An earlier name for 100Mbps Ethernet. See 100Base-T. (networking) Fast Ethernet - A version of Ethernet developed in the 1990s(?) which can carry 100 Mbps compared with standard Ethernet's 10 Mbps. It requires upgraded network cards and hubs. Module for IP, support for carrier-class Frame Relay Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs), Frame Relay accounting and MultiLink Frame Relay (MLFR MLFR Multi Link Frame Relay ). According to Dataquest's 1997 year-end statistics for the WAN networking market, Ascend maintained the number one position in Frame Relay sales worldwide. In the recently released report, Ascend continued to lead the competition, with 38.3 percent revenue market share in Frame Relay, and increased its revenue in ATM by 247 percent. "In today's networking environment, the ability to support traditional Frame Relay and ATM services with new IP services is a key advantage for service providers," said Bob Sullebarger, director, Product Marketing, Core Systems Division at Ascend. "Supporting Multiservice capabilities with additional ATM and IP elements will enable our customers to offer high margin services that directly effect their bottom line. Being a leading provider of carrier-class Frame Relay WAN switching, Ascend is well positioned to extend that promise to deliver carrier-class ATM and IP services." Delivering the most widely deployed platform for Public Data Services with millions of ports installed, Ascend's multifunctional switches are installed in the core of the world's largest service provider's networks. In 1997, Dataquest, IDC, Vertical Systems Group, and Infonetics Research named Ascend's B-STDX the market-leading carrier class WAN switch for Frame Relay. With added functionality for the B-STDX 8000 and 9000 switches, Ascend continues to be the worldwide leader in Multiservice Platforms for increased revenue-generating capabilities with a low cost of operations. Cost effective ATM for Multimedia Support The 12-port T1/E1 ATM Module delivers excellent support for multimedia services, providing concentration of voice, video, and data over an ATM connection, which translates to cost-effective ATM connectivity to Ascend's installed base of customers worldwide. This module enables service providers to cost effectively offer T1/E1 ATM services on the large installed base of B-STDX Multiservice Platforms. Target applications for the 12-port ATM module include low-speed ATM access and low-speed ATM trunking. IP Support Extends Internet Services and QoS The 2-port 10/100 Ethernet module for IP connectivity requirements enables service providers to easily offer both Internet hosting services and value-added IP routing and Virtual Private Network (VPN (Virtual Private Network) A private network that is configured within a public network (a carrier's network or the Internet) in order to take advantage of the economies of scale and management facilities of large networks. ) services that are inherent in IP Navigator(TM). Ascend's Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS (1) (MultiProtocol Lambda Switching) The earlier name for GMPLS. See GMPLS. (2) (MultiProtocol Label Switching) A standard from the IETF for including routing information in the packets of an IP network. ) via the IP Navigator solution offers additional advantages with its software implementation for easy upgrade and the unique ability to offer absolute QoS for IP services. The 2-port Ethernet module applications include local connections to LAN (Local Area Network) A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. The "clients" are the user's workstations typically running Windows, although Mac and Linux clients are also used. devices, efficient aggregation of MAX TNT TNT: see trinitrotoluene. TNT in full trinitrotoluene Pale yellow, solid organic compound made by adding nitrate (−NO2) groups to toluene. access users into IP (MPLS) backbones, Web hosting services, and PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) The most popular method for transporting IP packets over a serial link between the user and the ISP. Developed in 1994 by the IETF and superseding the SLIP protocol, PPP establishes the session between the user's computer and the ISP using or Frame Relay access concentration into routed backbone networks. Frame Relay SVCs Enable Service Providers to Offer On Demand Services Ascend is the first WAN switch service provider vendor to support carrier-class Frame Relay Switched Virtual Circuit services, giving its service provider and enterprise customers the edge in delivering new Frame Relay services that support dynamic connectivity. Frame Relay SVCs allow service providers to offer new on-demand Frame Relay services that are optimized for applications such as voice over Frame Relay, videoconferencing and other intermittent applications. Flexible Billing Plans with Frame Relay Accounting The new NavisXtend(tm) Accounting Server allows service providers to bill Frame Relay services based on the amount of bandwidth the customer actually consumed on their SVC (1) (Switched Virtual Circuit) A network connection that is established at the time the transmission is required and disconnected when the session is completed. or Permanent Virtual Circuits or on the length of the SVC call. This technology opens up new possibilities for competitive billing plans that are more precisely tailored to end-user needs. Network Cost Savings with Multi-Link Frame Relay MLFR allows service providers to scale their backbone capacity in a cost-effective manner by bridging the gap between T1/E1 and T3/E3 trunking by bonding multiple T1/E1 links together. MLFR combines multiple physical links between two B-STDX switches creating a single greater capacity logical facility. Ascend's MLFR is a software-based solution, which requires no hardware upgrade to the B-STDX. MLFR allows service providers to extend their networks into new markets more easily, thus expanding their addressable Reachable. When something is addressable, it can be identified and manipulated independently of its surroundings. For example, screen pixels and RAM memory are addressable. Each of the screen's picture elements can be individually turned on and off, and each of the memory's bytes can be customer base. Service Providers Herald Scalable, Cost Effective B-STDX Multiservice Solutions "This announcement reaffirms that Ascend understands the realities of our business," said Daniel David, general manager of IPF (Itanium Processor Family) See Itanium. .NET. "We are getting tremendous value out of the B-STDX, and Ascend keeps adding features and functions to the platform that allow us to introduce new services which drive additional revenue for us." "We think that MLFR will play a key role for us. We've been looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a cost-effective way to extend our Frame Relay service into new markets that we don't currently serve, but were held back by the cost of DS3/E3 facilities. Ascend's new MLFR support allows us to capture this revenue without incurring a big jump in our recurring costs," said Mike Johnson, senior director, WAN Engineering of Intermedia Intermedia - A hypertext system developed by a research group at IRIS (Brown University). Communications, Inc. "MLFR also allows us to enhance our extensive network to network interface (NNI (1) (Network-to-Network Interface) In ATM networking, the interface between two ATM devices (typically ATM switches). In frame relay networking, the interface between two separate frame relay networks. Contrast with UNI. ) infrastructure already in place. Multiple T1 NNIs can now be enhanced to operate as a single High-Speed NNI as opposed to individual T1 pipes. This will prove extremely advantageous to our NNI partnerships and our own DSL DSL in full Digital Subscriber Line Broadband digital communications connection that operates over standard copper telephone wires. It requires a DSL modem, which splits transmissions into two frequency bands: the lower frequencies for voice (ordinary infrastructure." Complete Navis Network Management Ascend Navis service management products, NavisCore(tm) and NavisXtend(tm), are powerful network management applications that enable service providers to deliver newer, more competitive networking services to business and enterprise customers. Pricing and Availability MultiLink Frame Relay is available today at no cost as an integral component of B-STDX software. The 2-port Ethernet Module is $25,000 domestic/$26,250 international and will be available Q3, `98. The NavisXtend Accounting Server is $10,000 per license and is available today. The 12-port T1/E1 ATM Module is $30,000 domestic/$31,500 international and will be available Q3, `98. About Ascend Communications Ascend Communications, Inc. develops, manufactures, sells and services wide area networking solutions for telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers Internet service provider (ISP) Company that provides Internet connections and services to individuals and organizations. For a monthly fee, ISPs provide computer users with a connection to their site (see data transmission), as well as a log-in name and password. and corporate customers worldwide. Press and industry analysts please contact Stephanie Prentice, Alexander Communications, (404) 897-2300 or sprentice@alexandercom.com. Investors and financial analysts, please contact Kristina Graziano, (510) 747-2345 or kristina.graziano@ascend.com. For all other inquiries please call toll-free: 800/ASCEND4. For more information about Ascend and its products, please visit the Ascend web site at www.ascend.com, or send e-mail to info@ascend.com . Ascend is headquartered at One Ascend Plaza, 1701 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda, Calif. 94502; phone is 800/ASCEND4 and fax is 510/814-2300. The foregoing statements may contain forward looking statements that are based on current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from these expectations as a result of factors including, but not limited to, the Company's success in developing, introducing or shipping new products, competition, the mix of distribution channels employed, the Company's dependence on single or limited source suppliers for certain components used in its products, risks inherent in international sales, seasonality and general economic conditions. These and other factors are discussed in Ascend's 10-K, 10-Q and other filings made periodically with thONTACT: Alexander Communications Stephanie Prentice, 404/897-2300 sprentice@alexandercom.com or Ascend Communications Mike Robinson, 978/952-1576 michael.robinson@ascend.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS COMED TELECOMMUNICATIONS Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet with Hyperlinks to your home page. URL URL in full Uniform Resource Locator Address of a resource on the Internet. The resource can be any type of file stored on a server, such as a Web page, a text file, a graphics file, or an application program. : http://www.businesswire.com |
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