Atmosphere Networks Announces New Module for Backhaul Applications Linking Last-Mile DSL to Optical Networks.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 2000

Atmosphere's Customers Receive Huge Cost Savings From

Efficient Service Aggregation and Port Consolidation

Atmosphere Networks, the leader in providing onramps to the high-speed optical network, today announced a new module that adds significant capabilities to its FSN 1200 Full Service Node platform.

The high-density OC3c/STM1 ATM UNI tributary module provides critical aggregation capabilities for carriers delivering DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) services.

Increasingly, residences and small businesses are choosing DSL for high-bandwidth access to the Internet. However, the current upstream trunks from DSL systems tend to be grossly underutilized and have an adverse impact on the cost of the SONET transport network required to backhaul DSL traffic to a central site and on the number of expensive hand-off ports consumed on the carrier's subscriber management infrastructure. With Atmosphere's new modules, carriers can significantly reduce their cost of deploying DSL services by providing both bandwidth-efficient transport and cost-effective port consolidation.

"Our new module provides carriers with an essential cost-efficient approach to deploying DSL services," said Rob Newman, president and CEO, Atmosphere Networks. "The module is another vivid example of how Atmosphere understands the complexities of delivering data solutions to a market where everyone else is still stuck in the talking phase."

Customers See Payoff

"ExOp's ability to deploy leading-edge applications cost-effectively is a major factor in our success in growing our customer base," said Tom White, president, ExOp Missouri, Inc, a local telephone exchange company (LEC) and Atmosphere Networks customer. "The ability of Atmosphere's FSN 1200 to perform aggregation and shaping of our DSL traffic has dramatically increased our bandwidth efficiency and significantly reduced our cost structure. The efficiencies and cost reductions enabled by Atmosphere Networks' solution far exceeds the cost of deploying their platform."

New Module Saves Carriers Money

Atmosphere's high-density OC3c/STM1 ATM UNI module provides concentration of DSL traffic onto the FSN 1200 optical transport ring, then aggregate them into a relatively small number of handoffs into the data backbone. Through vastly more efficient use of bandwidth on the ring and through port concentration into the subscriber management system, Atmosphere can dramatically lower carriers' network costs.

In a typical DSL service deployment, DSL Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) and/or Next Generation Digital Loop Carriers (NGDLCs) are installed in central offices, remote locations. Each of these DSL systems multiplexes the data traffic from its subscribers into an ATM OC3c uplink to a subscriber management system (SMS) -- but these uplinks may only be carrying as little as 5 Mbps of traffic. Given the high cost of each SMS port, this underutilization places a significant burden on DSL service delivery costs. Using Atmosphere's FSN 1200 as a port concentrator can reduce this burden by 90% or more.

Where SONET transport is used to provide resilient backhaul of DSL traffic between the DSL systems and the SMS, an even greater saving can be achieved, since Atmosphere's service-aware SONET solution only transports actual DSL traffic rather than providing a clear channel pipe. Hence one OC12c Atmosphere ring can support as many DSL service delivery locations as multiple traditional OC48 TDM SONET rings.

About the Module

The high-density OC3c/STM1 ATM UNI tributary module for the FSN 1200 lets a carrier connect ATM-based devices -- such as Atmosphere's NTU 300, ATM switches, routers, service access multiplexers, DSLAMs and NGDLCs -- to a Full Service SONET/SDH access ring. The high-density OC3c STM1 ATM UNI module provides four 155.52 Mbps ports. Connections on each port can be shaped to a specific contracted service rate, allowing a large number of sub-rate links to be multiplexed onto an over subscribed transport ring. Sophisticated traffic management capabilities such as early packet discard (EPD) ensure high performance during traffic congestion.

The FSN 1200 Full Service Node

Atmosphere's FSN 1200 is the industry's first platform providing multiservice optical access and enabling the delivery of a diverse range of flexible voice and data services. The FSN 1200 innovatively blends SONET with an intelligent multiprotocol layer. As a result, carriers can replace SONET ADMs, 3/1/0 digital cross-connects and service access multiplexers with a single optical access platform that enables flexible packaging of voice and data services, uses less space, consumes less power and eliminates multiproduct management hassles.

About Atmosphere Networks

Founded in 1997, Atmosphere Networks is the leading player in providing the onramps to the optical network. Atmosphere enables telecommunications carriers to take full advantage of optical networks' capacities and offer their customers the most flexible voice-and-data service packages. With Atmosphere(tm) products, carriers can boost their competitiveness, revenues and market share while lowering their network costs by up to 75 percent, while enterprise customers can mix and match the voice, Internet and other data services they demand.

The privately held company is backed by Benchmark Capital, Foundation Capital, Institutional Venture Partners (IVP), Bowman Capital, Volpe Brown Whelan & Company and other venture firms with proven track records in funding successful networking companies. For more information on Atmosphere Networks, visit the Web site at www.atmospherenetworks.com.

Note to Editors: Atmosphere Networks is a trademark of Atmosphere Networks, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners.