June 6, 2005 Chicago, IL -- Transmode has introduced its Double Dual Gigabit Ethernet Transponder, a plug-in unit for its TM-Series platform (formerly called Mentis). The company says the small form-factor pluggable (SFP)-based card allows the deployment of small-footprint, fully-integrated metro WDM nodes, to enable economical backhaul of Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) traffic generated by DSL and Cable-based broadband access systems.

According to the company, the card supports four GbE signals electrically multiplexed into two wavelengths, with optional 1+1 protection on each wavelength. The company says the card can be installed into any TM-Series chassis, including its TM-101 sub-rack, to create a compact, fully integrated WDM node with add/drop optical filters, multiple GigE client signals, protection, and in-band management capabilities.

"The card is ideally suited for triple-play applications, where operators need high bandwidth to transfer TV, telephony , and Internet services over an IP network, at very low cost," says Magnus Öberg, Transmode's CTO. "The response from our customers regarding this unit is very positive and we expect it to become a high volume product within our portfolio."

According to the company, the card supports multiple built-in functions, each controlled by proprietary software, including:

* Up to 4x GbE on two wavelengths, in either point-to-point or ring configurations.

* Built-in line protection, increasing network capacity to two working and two protection wavelengths.

* An in-band management channel, to eliminate the need for external network management connections.

* A built-in repeater function, allowing cascaded nodes to extend system reach to multiple spans, with each span up to 100 km.

* Expansive performance monitoring and GbE utilization monitoring, allowing operators to monitor and bill on a capacity usage level.

The company says that combining such extensive functionality with the flexibility and opex advantages SFP optics in a compact transponder unit provides operators with a variety of network design options. The company notes that the unit was a key factor in some of its recent customer wins, including its deal with Norway's Telenor.