TRADE NEWS: Agilent Technologies Introduces Small Form Factor Fiber Optic Transceivers

Business Wire, March 5, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 5, 2002

Industry-First OC-48 SFF Transceiver Offers Breakthrough

Temperature Support for Metropolitan Area Networks

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today introduced three small form factor (SFF) fiber optic transceivers for ATM, SONET/SDH long reach (LR) and intermediate reach (IR) links. Agilent's new transceivers, critical transport mechanisms for the communications industry, offer industry-leading temperature, jitter and sensitivity performance.

The new transceivers are part of Agilent's METRAK family of transceivers and ICs for Metropolitan networks. One of the new transceivers, the HFCT-5942ATL, is the industry's first OC-48 (2.5 Gb/s) transceiver that supports ambient temperatures up to 85 degrees centigrade. This new device provides network equipment manufacturers with a component solution that operates in high-temperature metro area network (MAN) environments.

Two of the new devices are intermediate reach (up to 15 km transmission range) OC-48 transceivers: The HFCT-5942ATL, which provides industry-leading temperature performance from -20 to 85(degree)C, and the HFCT-5942TL (0 to 70(degree)C). The third device is the HFCT-5952NL (0 to 70(degree)C) long reach (up to 40 km transmission range) OC-12 transceiver.

"Agilent has set the performance benchmark for high-temperature operation," said Tom Fawcett, product marketing manager for Agilent's Networking Solutions Division. "Our SFF LC transceivers ease the Metro bandwidth bottleneck with industry-leading temperature, jitter and sensitivity performance, all at an economical price, and achieved with Agilent's own uncooled, distributed feedback laser (DFB) technology."

Agilent's new transceivers, delivered in the popular LC connector format and 2 x 5 and 2 x 10 DIP style package, demonstrate superior jitter performance, delivering ample margin to the SONET standard so designers can increase performance and compensate for other devices within the system. The transceivers have also been designed to provide EMI performance suitable for panel-mounted applications. EMI measurements have demonstrated significant margin to FCCB specifications, so designers can feel confident of passing regulatory EMI system testing.

Agilent, the world's no. 1 manufacturer of fiber optic transceivers with more than 2.5 million SFF units shipped, supplies the industry's broadest line of Metro SFF transceivers. Offering a variety of data rates, distance, temperature ranges, and package configurations, each product is tested for Bellcore Standard compliance, and has passed rigorous tests for mechanical and thermal shock, vibration, moisture, and temperature variations. The devices are fully MSA compliant, and also comply with all regulations for eye safety and flammability.

Agilent has developed proprietary manufacturing techniques to ensure very high product reliability. Agilent employs a unique module construction that allows separate parts of the transceiver to be produced and tested independently. The result is a family of extremely rugged transceivers that can be produced economically at any volume.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

Agilent's OC-48 and OC-12 transceivers are available in volume quantities through Agilent's distribution partners. The HFCT-5942ATL (-20 to 85(degree)C) intermediate reach (up to 15 km transmission range) OC-48 transceiver is priced at $632 in 1,000 piece quantities. The HFCT-5942TL (0 to 70(degree)C) intermediate reach OC-48 transceiver is priced at $505 in 1,000-piece quantities. The HFCT-5952NL (0 to 70(degree)C) long reach (up to 40 km transmission range) OC-12 transceiver is priced at $443 in 1,000-piece quantities.

These transceivers are the newest members of Agilent's METRAK product family of transceivers and ICs for Metropolitan networks. The METRAK family includes small form factor (SFF) LC and MT-RJ transceivers, SC multi-mode and single-mode transceivers, parallel optics modules, Ethernet over SONET mapper ICs, and SerDes ICs. More information is available at www.agilent.com/view/sff.> About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics and life sciences. The company's 39,000 employees serve customers in more than 120 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $8.4 billion in fiscal year 2001. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.