Memotec Celebrates the End of Year 2000 With the Launch of Its CX2000.

Business Editors

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 18, 2000

Memotec Communications Inc. (Memotec) (TSE:MCM.) today announced the launch of the newest addition to its CX Series -- the CX2000.

Targeted at the corporate and carrier markets, the CX2000 is a multiservice access concentrator designed for a network's central site that requires increased processing power and converged voice and data.

"The CX2000 responds to the need for greater capacity and the convergence of voice and data in today's networks. Moreover, it can provide these things using an organization's existing network infrastructure, whether it be legacy -- (older protocols) or IP- (Internet protocol) based technology," says Mark Silverman, president and COO of Memotec Communications Inc. "Unquestionably, advancing or expanding a network can be a costly endeavour. However, adding a product like the CX2000 to an existing network can help mitigate network expenditures because you can easily add more capacity and the IP-based technologies are already there. Quite simply, it is a timely, practical and economical solution."

A multiservice access concentrator is a device used in a network that performs functions much like the postal system processes mail. It allows access to the network, selects the appropriate path in a network, and directs voice and data traffic via the pre-determined path to the intended recipients. And just as there are many smaller postal outlets in the postal system, access devices like the concentrator can be found in many different locations throughout a network working to facilitate the transmission of voice and data traffic. The CX2000, as a central site solution, is akin to the central processing facility of the postal system - it's bigger, faster and can handle more traffic.

One of the key features of the CX2000 is its high port density. Port density refers to the number of ports supported on the product. A greater number of ports creates a more flexible product. The CX2000 has the capacity for up to 160 serial ports (used for data), up to 360 digital voice channels, and up to 62 analog voice ports. It also has a cascadable chassis, so up to three other units can be connected in a series if even more capacity is required. Regardless of the amount of voice and data traffic - or whether it originates from wireless devices, telephones, faxes, or the Internet - the CX2000 has the capacity to handle large volumes of network traffic with ease.

Just as there are hundreds of languages spoken around the globe, networks have several of their own languages (protocols) they use to communicate. The CX2000 is analogous to a mulit-lingual translator because is supports a multitude of protocols. Memotec's common software platform allows the CX2000 to provide any-to-any connectivity, thus ensuring its suitability for existing or future networking requirements - no matter what language is spoken.

"Many of our customers don't want or need to upgrade their entire network in order to satisfy the demands placed on it or to change to a new technology. It's too costly and in most cases all they really need is a more powerful access device," says Frank Semeraro, product manager. "With its available port capacity, scalability, interoperability and the variety of protocols it supports, the CX2000 saves time and money -- not to mention networking headaches."

The CX2000 also supports redundancy of all critical elements and its central processing unit (CPU) modules are hot swappable. Redundancy ensures power is re-routed to the back up external power supply or internally, to the back up internal switch. Similarly, the unit does not have to be turned off to replace CPU modules; this can be done while it is still running. In today's global economy a network that is down can cost organizations substantial amounts of money. With this in mind, the CX2000 was also designed to support maximum network uptime.

The CX2000 will be available for shipping starting January 2001.

Memotec Communications Inc. is a networking company that provides data, voice and video convergence solutions for telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers and corporate customers. Its product line of access devices and edge switches provides consolidation of multiservice traffic over packet-based and cell-based networks such as Frame Relay, IP, ISDN and ATM. Memotec enables enterprise and carrier customers to lower operational costs and increase productivity by consolidating multimedia traffic over a common infrastructure. With offices around the world, and with more than 100,000 products installed in over 94 countries to date, Memotec serves the diverse and specialized needs of customers in Latin America, North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim. Memotec Communications Inc. is based in Montreal and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MCM). More information about the company is available at www.memotec.com.