Vitesse Semiconductor and Nortel Networks To Provide Packet Ring Solutions.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

CAMARILLO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2001

Vitesse Semiconductor Corp. (Nasdaq:VTSS), a leader in providing complete chipset solutions for high-bandwidth communications, and Nortel Networks, a leading provider of optical transport equipment, today announced an agreement to promote resilient packet ring solutions -- aimed to address the demands for a more cost-effective, efficient and scalable means of robustly transporting higher quality data services in the metropolitan network.

Through this agreement, Vitesse will use its products in conjunction with Nortel Networks OPTera Packet Edge resilient packet ring technology to develop complete 2.5Gb/s and 10Gb/s chipset platforms, providing better redundancy and higher quality of service.

The first complete platform will include: the VSC9129, a dual 2.5Gb/s programmable resilient packet ring media access controller; the VSC9142, an OC-48c packet/cell framer with integrated PHY; the IQ2000, a fully programmable 2.5Gb/s network processor unit (NPU); and Vitesse's high-performance packet/cell switching product.

The VSC9129 contains two identical interfaces associated with each direction of a dual counter-rotating ring. Packets are received from a ring on the receiving ring interface and transmitted onto the ring through the transmitting ring interface. Packets can be extracted and injected through the corresponding add and drop interfaces. The embedded processor of the VSC9129 packet ring access controller and the IQ2000 network processor allow the user to implement custom derivatives of a packet ring solution. This is essential for 2.5Gb/s and 10Gb/s solution strategies since the packet ring protocol before the IEEE 802.17 Working Group has yet to be solidified and further development is expected.

The resilient packet ring technology implemented on Nortel Networks OPTera Packet Edge System has been submitted to the IEEE 802.17 Working Group as a model of packet-oriented, shared-ring technology with a proven track record in metropolitan networks worldwide. Nortel Networks and Vitesse, as well as service providers, equipment vendors and chip manufacturers, are participating to create a standard for this new emerging technology. In addition, both Nortel Networks and Vitesse are actively involved in the Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) Alliance along with other vendors to promote and advocate this packet ring technology and its objectives for standardization.

"Vitesse selected Nortel Networks OPTera Packet Edge System approach and its Optical Ethernet strategy for its first implementation of a resilient packet ring because it complements Vitesse's architecture and coincides with our vision for the emerging access and metropolitan network environment," stated Gregg Borodaty, vice president and general manager of Vitesse's Telecom Products Division. "We are committed to exploring innovative technologies to provide optimal and cost-effective solutions to our customers that accelerate their time to market."

"We are creating a new service networking paradigm for our customers through our Optical Ethernet solutions," said Mike Langlois, vice president, Optical Ethernet, Nortel Networks. "Nortel Networks OPTera Packet Edge System Resilient Packet Ring is part of that Optical Ethernet vision. OPTera Packet Edge Resilient Packet Ring is designed to provide scalability and carrier-grade reliability and lower network costs than existing technologies. We're working closely with Vitesse to ensure that we continue to scale this technology at a pace that allows our customers to support their business objectives."

Vitesse's 2.5Gb/s Resilient Packet Ring chipset will be available in third quarter 2001. With the addition of the VSC9129 to its portfolio of OC-48 devices, Vitesse will provide the industry's first and only complete 2.5Gb/s resilient packet ring line card solution, from fiber to switch core. A joint development on a next-generation 10Gb/s platform is already underway.

Vitesse Semiconductor Corp. is the leading designer and supplier of innovative, high-performance semiconductors utilizing state-of-the-art processes for the manufacturers of next-generation DWDM and optical communications equipment. Vitesse also develops storage area networking Ics and enclosure management products that monitor and communicate critical reliability and availability information.

The company's products address the needs of Core, Access, Optical and Enterprise network equipment manufacturers who demand a combination of high speed, high service delivery and low-power dissipation. Vitesse has headquarters in Camarillo and operates two fabrication facilities, one in Camarillo and one in Colorado Springs, Colo. Company/product information can be found on the Web at www.vitesse.com.

Note to Editors: Nortel Networks and OPTera are trademarks of Nortel Networks.