Équipe Communications Corporation announced its flagship product the Équipe 3200 Multi-Layer Optical On-Ramp (É3200). Équipe claims the É3200 is the only data communications core platform capable of transitioning large-scale service providers from Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) to Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) while leveraging emerging optical technologies. According to Vertical Systems Group Research, service providers have invested approximately $17 billion in ATM infrastructure worldwide since 1997.
The É3200 uses microkernel software architecture for public data networking. The É3200 provides carriers a Revenue Agile Core with IP/MPLS, ATM and SONET/SDH optical cross connect in a modular, distributed architecture that scales to 320 gigabits per second (Gbps).
According to a Credit Suisse First Boston report ILECs and IXCs account for 82 percent of the capital expenditures in the North American telecommunications industry on an annual basis. The core switching and routing segment of this market is expected to reach $15.8 billion by 2003 as reported by RHK, a telecommunications analyst firm.
The É3200 was purpose-built to allow ILECs, IXCs and International Carriers to generate more revenue from their existing ATM, Private Line and Frame Relay networks while transitioning to IP/MPLS-based services. Services are groomed and multiplexed by Équipe's integrated cross connect and intelligently transported across optical networks utilizing standards-based optical signaling, such as the proposal from the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF).
The multi-layer functionality of the É3200 provides carriers the flexibility to shift from one core technology to the next - allowing them to scale existing revenue streams while laying the foundation for future packet-based services that will be transported directly over fiber.
Équipe's Évail software delivers high levels of reliability by utilizing a fault tolerant, modular software architecture that is based on a microkernel design. This guarantees telephony-grade network availability or the equivalent 99.999% of network uptime.
The company claims that the É3200 offers carriers a high port density in one standard 19" Telco rack with a cost per Gbps that is 80 percent less than the industry average. Power consumption is less than half of the industry average. Operations costs are reduced well below the industry mean because of the �'s multi-layer core design, high availability software and the efficient use of expensive circuits and wavelengths.
List price for the Équipe 3200 Multi-Layer Optical On-Ramp is $140,000. Alpha Testing was completed in March 2001. Beta Testing is scheduled for June 2001. The company expects to ship the É3200 for revenue by the end of the year.
About Équipe Communications Corporation:
Équipe Communications Corporation delivers high availability solutions that scale incumbent service provider networks and services while providing the agility to transition to packet based architectures. For more information, visit www.equipecom.com.