Update

TriQuint Semiconductor (Hillsboro, OR) repositioned its optoelectronics business strategy to focus on optical components, indium phosphide laser and detector chips, and optical subassemblies and technology. Part of the move includes discontinuing further investment in pluggable optical modules. The restructuring is expected to result in the elimination of about $18 million in annual costs associated with this business beginning in 2005. Upon completion, in mid-2005, the business is projected to be at or near cash breakeven. TriQuint will continue to actively market and support products currently in volume production for all of its existing customers worldwide.

CANARIE, a not-for-profit Canadian Internet corporation that facilitates the development and use of next generation research networks and the applications and services that run on them, selected Looking Glass Networks(Oak Brook, IL), a facilities-based provider of metropolitan data transport services, to provide dark fiber services. CANARIE purchased Looking Glass’s DarkGLASS services in Chicago to extend its connection to StarLight locations. StarLight is an advanced optical infrastructure and proving ground for network services optimized for high-performance applications.

ADC (Minneapolis) and EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering (Quebec City) formed an alliance to provide an integrated remote Ethernet test offering for service providers operating metro Ethernet networks. By combining ADC’s new Ethernet Network Interface Unit with EXFO’s Packet Blazer Gigabit Ethernet testers, service providers can remotely troubleshoot networks, customer access lines, and related services, and assure customer service-level agreements.

Cisco Systems (San Jose, CA) says several global carriers and research networks are now deploying and trialing the Cisco CRS-1 carrier routing system. Cisco customers Softbank BB (providers of “Yahoo! BB”), the National Institute of Informatics’ SuperSINET research network in Japan, and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center have chosen the CRS-1 for their IP networks. These customers, along with trials at Telecom Italia, are in addition to 14 other major global service providers that Cisco says are in various trial stages with the router.

FiberNet Telecom Group (New York City), provider of managed network services, signed an agreement to acquire Con Edison Communications (CEC-New York City), a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, for about $37 million in cash. The acquisition of CEC, a company that also provides managed network services in the New York metropolitan area, will more than double FiberNet’s revenues. The boards of directors of both FiberNet and Con Edison have approved the transaction. The acquisition is pending regulatory approval from federal, state, and municipal authorities.

K2 Optronics (Sunnyvale, CA), provider of lasers for the telecommunications, cable TV, RF, sensing, and test and measurement industries, secured $6.4 million as part of its first closure of a third round of venture capital financing. That brings the total investment in K2 Optronics to over $45 million.

Xtellus (Morris Plains, NJ), maker of optical modules and components for reconfigurable optical networks, has acquired the intellectual property assets of SpectraSwitch. SpectraSwitch raised more than $36 million and developed a line of optical components based on liquid crystal that included switches, variable optical attenuators, and tunable filters.

ECI Telecom (Petah Tikva, Israel) and Chiaro Networks (Richardson, TX), developer of carrier class IP/MPLS routing platforms, entered into a strategic partnership. As Chiaro’s partner, ECI will exclusively distribute Chiaro’s Enstara IP/MPLS platform worldwide and is taking part in Chiaro’s funding. ECI will provide $6 million in financing to Chiaro while also receiving an option to acquire the company at a later time.

Polatis (Cambridge, UK), supplier of ultra-low-loss optical switches, completed its third round of funding. The $9.4-million financing round was funded by the existing investor group comprising 3i, Alta Berkeley, EonTech Ventures, and Prelude Trust.

Transmode Systems (Stockholm), supplier of optical-networking systems, completed a $15-million financing round aimed at accelerating the company’s growth plans. Participating in the round were existing investors Amadeus Capital Partners, Pod Holding, and European Equity Partners as well as a new investor in the company, HarbourVest Partners.

JDS Uniphase (San Jose, CA) reached a strategic supply agreement with Fabrinet (San Francisco) to further consolidate manufacturing and streamline its supply chain. The agreement includes the sale to Fabrinet of JDS Uniphase’s Singapore and Bintan, Indonesia, manufacturing operations and provides JDS Uniphase with long-term sourcing guarantees for the datacom transceivers currently being manufactured at these facilities. About 450 employees associated with manufacturing will transfer to Fabrinet, although JDSU will retain its Singapore design and development team. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.