Clear Communications Provides Solution For On-Demand Networks; Will Help Carriers Eliminate Sonet Drop-and-Continue Provisioning and Maintenance Problems.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 1998--Clear Communications today announced an enhanced and powerful version of its Clearview(R) CircuitView(tm) software, designed to assist carriers in rolling out state-of-the-art "on-demand networks." On-demand networks are designed to provide high-availability access to asynchronous transfer mode transmission (ATM) of both asynchronous (time-independent, such as file transfers, e-mail) and isochronous (time-dependent: voice and video) applications. The objective is to make bandwidth as pervasive and reliable as electricity, so that businesses and consumers can simply "plug in" to the network whatever applications they want at any time. An example of this effort is Sprint's interactive on-demand network (ION).

However, wholesale carriers have hit a major snag when rolling out underlying SONET facilities to support on-demand networks: their inability to provision the supporting facilities in a timely manner. Dual-interconnected SONET rings, particularly "drop-and-continue" rings, are a significant problem. This is due primarily to the wholesale carriers' design and inventory systems, such as Bellcore's workhorse Trunk Inventory and Record-Keeping System (TIRKS), which provide facility descriptions that are very difficult for technicians to read and understand.

As a result, field reports indicate that it is now taking as long as 45 days or more to provision a single drop-and-continue ring set. The number of "held" orders (orders behind schedule) has reached unacceptable levels. According to wholesale carriers, it is not uncommon for between 40 and 50 percent of all provisioning work on drop-and-continue circuits to consist of rework. Retail carriers are complaining that these delays in provisioning facilities is retarding revenue generation from end-user customers. And the same complexity that makes provisioning difficult - the inability to visualize the complex circuit layout easily -- suggests that major maintenance issues lie ahead.

Enhanced CircuitView

Wholesale carriers providing on-demand network services to their retail counterparts now have the newly enhanced CircuitView software solution at their disposal to reduce the complexity, error-generation and time delays associated with drop-and-continue provisioning. This new software enables carriers to:

-- turn each WORD document into an intuitive circuit picture;

-- translate each vendor's specific equipment notations into readily understandable information; and,

-- provide the technician with easy-to-understand pictorial depictions of items such as path direction, test head and cable locations, with English-language notes for detailed circuit data, and enough room available to make additional notes.

The new CircuitView application was designed by RBOC (Regional Bell Operating Companies) provisioning and maintenance technicians. "To make sure we were on the right path, Clear sat down with technicians to discuss the problem in-depth and map out possible solutions," said David Miller, vice president at Clear. "Both groups said that a major problem for them was visualizing the circuits. They were thrilled by the prospect of being able to turn WORD documents into pictures."

According to Miller, Clear's newest CircuitView capability will be sold to the wholesale carriers -- not to on-demand network retailers like Sprint. "The idea is to relieve the pain all the way down the value chain, starting with the LECs (local exchange carriers)," Miller noted. "CircuitView reduces the time and cost of ring provisioning, allows the retailers to speed revenue generation, and provides more timely delivery to the end-users. And if a problem develops in the network, it'll be found and corrected much more quickly."

The benefits of the new CircuitView software for provisioning include: eliminating directional - "East" and "West" errors; eradicating any confusion with drop and continue versus "normal" (two-way protect) settings; and removing any chance of cross-connect errors and confusion over equipment types. The view of the circuit can also be integrated with proactive and reactive maintenance systems, so that deteriorating circuits can be readily identified and quick action taken on already-disrupted transmission.

The new CircuitView software for provisioning drop-and-continue SONET facilities is undergoing first office application (FOA) deployment at a major RBOC. It is slated to be generally available for shipping later in the fourth quarter of 1998.

About Clear Communications 

Clear Communications Corporation is a leader in customer network management through intelligent surveillance for the telecommunications industry, providing software-based solutions that enable the deployment of advanced communications services. Customers include the leading local exchange and interexchange carriers. Clear is headquartered in the Chicago area, with offices located nationwide. For more information on Clear and its products, call 847-317-2500, or access the company via the Internet at: http://www.clear.com.

Note to Editors:

Clearview(tm) is a registered trademark, and CircuitView(tm) is a trademark of Clear Communications Corporation. All other product or trade names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.