GTE Network Services to Deploy Nortel Metro DWDM; Nortel Inks Two More Deals

N/Awork Services division of GTE Corp. has selected <%=company%> (Brampton, ON) as its primary supplier for optical metro solutions, following successful product testing. Nortel Networks' OPTera Metro will enable GTE to expand its optical network and offer optical services to enterprises in major metropolitan centers in Washington, California, Virginia, and Florida. Nortel Networks' OPTera Metro system is the world's first ring-based Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) system, an optical networking system that can carry up to 160 gigabits per second (Gbps) of unprotected traffic capacity per fiber.

The bit-rate and protocol independence of Nortel Networks' OPTera Metro solution allows for carriage of any type of traffic including IP, multimedia, data, and voice, enabling GTE to offer new high-capacity optical services across this infrastructure. It supports such data protocols such as Escon, Ficon, Fiddi, Fibre Channel, Gigabit Ethernet, SONET, SDH, and D1 video.

Nortel and Tellabs collaborate
Nortel Networks and Tellabs (Lisle, IL) have joined to form broad patent cross-licensing agreement. Under terms of the confidential agreement, the companies will have rights to each other's patent portfolios, including SONET/SDH and optical networking patents. While Nortel Networks will receive a net royalty in connection with the cross-license, other details of the agreement were not disclosed. The arrangement will enable the companies to focus on the networking needs of their customers and strengthen the long-term competitive position of both companies.

Another Nortel agreement
Nortel also has placed a $6.4-million order for the Digital Lightwave Inc. (Clearwater, FL) Network Information Computer (NIC) and has selected the NIC as its product of choice for high-speed fiber-optic network testing. Nortel placed the order through Telogy Inc. as part of its build-out plans to provide additional network capacity in North America over the next two years.

Edited by Kristin Keiser