Fujitsu and Entrisphere Announce Strategic ``Triple Play'' Initiative; Making the Next-Generation Full Service Access Network - FSAN - a Reality.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

USTA Telecom 03

RICHARDSON, Texas & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 2003

Fujitsu Network Communications Inc. and Entrisphere, Inc. are combining their efforts to deliver a fully-integrated, fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP), `triple play' solution that provides a variety of broadband services to residential users and home offices at prices equivalent to, or less than, today's copper-based networks.

"New regulations and technology innovations are enabling service providers to invade each other's traditional access market, increasing competition," says Sterling Perrin, senior research analyst, optical networks, for IDC. "Next-generation PON systems enable service providers to bring together all the service components needed to support packet-based data, advanced video, and voice services onto a single Passive Optical Network (PON), with virtually unlimited bandwidth."

The FSAN/ITU-standards compliant BLM 1500(TM), Entrisphere's next generation Broadband Passive Optical Networking (BPON) `Triple Play' platform, collapses multiple services (POTS, ADSL, DS1, Ethernet, ATM and SONET) onto a single platform and easily accommodates Radio Frequency (RF), Switched Digital Video (SDV) and High Definition Television (HDTV). The BLM 1500 features an optional integrated voice gateway application pack allowing resources to be deployed in each Optical Line Termination (OLT), or centralized in a BLM 1500 acting as a standalone gateway. The BLM 1500 integrates data grooming capabilities for ATM, Ethernet, and ATM bridged to Ethernet to optimize the data network interface.

Fujitsu brings to the table its complete expertise in telecommunication networks, as well as a global, 24x7 customer service organization capable of providing service providers with a full range of network planning and deployment, operations and maintenance, and professional consulting services. Fujitsu has been a strategic supplier to Verizon, SBC and BellSouth for many years and is a proven performer.

"Fujitsu has long played an active role across diverse global access markets," says George Chase, group president and chief operating officer for Fujitsu Network Communications. "Fujitsu is the FTTH market leader in Japan, and this presence provides us with a clear perspective and a unique level of insight in the development of FSAN. We believe that Fujitsu and Entrisphere jointly offer an industry-leading solution that is available today, and fits well with the requirements of the North American carrier market."

The BLM 1500 PON solution allows service providers to deploy networks using BPON technology that complies with the FSAN/ITU G.983 standard, allowing speeds up to 622 Mbps downstream to the user and 155 Mbps upstream to the network. The platform is characterized through the OSMINE process for the Telcordia(R) OSSs, and is engineered to NEBS Level 3 and carrier-class reliability with 99.999% availability for business and residential subscribers.

"PONs provide packet carrying capacity far exceeding that of ADSL2, VDSL or HFC networks and our BLM 1500 is designed for high margin, mass deployment of FTTP," said Mark Floyd, chief executive officer of Entrisphere. "Service providers can now offer new and emerging services such as streaming media, pay-for-play (gaming), merchandising, application services, telemedicine to the home, and many more with a fast and highly reliable PON architecture."

The BLM 1500 has been fully characterized through the OSMINE process for immediate deployability, and includes patent-pending Virtual Network Element technology that allows seamless migration to next generation OSSs. A complete EMS, including a northbound TL1 interface, rounds out the comprehensive management solution; An optional integrated voice gateway functionality has been homologated with the 5ESS(TM), DMS(TM) series, and GTD5(TM) voice switches. The result is a fully integrated solution that allows service providers to deploy the "Triple Play" (bundled voice, video and data services) profitably today.

About Entrisphere

Entrisphere is building the first access platform that offers incumbent carriers an operationally transparent pathway from today's overlay networks to tomorrow's converged multiservice networks. Founded by a team with decades of senior management and technical experience at Bell Labs as well as several major suppliers to Bell Operating Companies, Entrisphere uniquely understands the operational challenges of incumbents seeking to migrate their networks to preserve their competitive leadership. Privately held, Entrisphere is based in Santa Clara, California. For more news and information, please visit http://www.entrisphere.com.

About Fujitsu Network Communications Inc.

Fujitsu Network Communications Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702), is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and carrier-class telecommunications solutions for the Service Provider and Cable TV market in North America. Supported by smart innovation and deep-rooted research from Fujitsu Labs, Fujitsu is uniquely positioned to deliver fully integrated IT/Telecom solutions for its customers. The company's comprehensive consulting and customer services offer support at any network design, development, deployment and maintenance stage. For more news and information, please visit http://www.fnc.fujitsu.com.