Occam Networks Enables Gigabit Ethernet Fiber to the Premise; New FTTP Products Enable Telcos to Build Lower-Cost Access Networks for Delivering Bandwidth Intensive Services

Business Wire, May 24, 2005

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Occam(R) Networks Inc. (OTCBB:OCCM), a supplier of innovative Ethernet- and IP-based loop carrier equipment to telecommunications companies worldwide, today introduced the BLC 6312 Optical Line Termination (OLT) blade for the company's BLC 6000 Broadband Loop Carrier System and the ON 2240, an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) the industry's first products to deliver up to one gigabit per second of bandwidth to the subscriber premise. The new products enable Telcos to build highly cost-effective active Ethernet FTTP networks for delivering bandwidth-intensive services such as high-speed data, video on demand (VOD), IPTV and high definition television (HD) to residential and business subscribers. Occam will demonstrate both products at Supercomm 2005 (Booth 73033), June 6-9, in Chicago, Ill. The company will begin field trials of the products in the third quarter of 2005, with initial product shipment expected in the fourth quarter of 2005.

"With this new functionality, the Occam BLC 6000 delivers one of the strongest solution sets we have seen for the access network," said Erik M. Keith, senior analyst for broadband infrastructure at Current Analysis. "We are excited to see a product like this debut because it sets a new level of innovation. No other manufacturer can currently deliver one gigabit of bandwidth to the subscribers premise as cost-effectively. The Occam BLC 6000 offers service providers a broad array of capabilities in a single platform and provides them with a wide variety of options to address both the current and future service delivery requirements of their access networks. Occam has always been on the leading edge of the technology curve with its products, but the company always ensures that it offers its customers a simple, non-disruptive and cost-effective migration path to the next level of innovation."

The BLC 6312 OLT and ON 2240 ONT provide a complete Gigabit Ethernet FTTP access network solution that is a cost-effective alternative to a passive optical network (PON). An active Gigabit Ethernet FTTP access network offers Telcos a variety of additional advantages.

--These networks make more efficient use of expensive optical ports, allowing the Telco to install lasers when subscribers order a higher bandwidth service and to add capacity only when the number of subscribers increases.

--Network problems and outages can be identified quickly and efficiently from the central office (CO) with a low-cost, handheld tester.

--There are no load balance issues with PON splitters, enabling Telcos to assign bandwidth according to established service level agreements (SLAs).

--Active FTTP networks provide more flexibility with the optical plant, supporting single or dual fiber plant, and a wide variety of laser power budgets.

--They enable a Telco to maintain a mixed fiber and copper plant without any change in CO equipment.

"When the cost drivers such as subscriber density, subscriber take rates, use of existing infrastructure and labor are considered it becomes apparent that an active Ethernet FTTP network is a more cost-effective solution, particularly in suburban and rural areas," said Russ Sharer, vice president of sales and marketing for Occam. "As bandwidth requirements continue to grow, PON networks will be unable to meet the higher bandwidth demands. Being able to deliver up to a Gigabit of Ethernet to the home or business is the only affordable way to provide sufficient bandwidth for the most demanding future applications."

Wisconsin-based independent operating companies (IOCs), LaValle Telephone Cooperative and Richland-Grant Telephone Cooperative, will be among the first companies to field test the Occam FTTP solution. According to Dave Lull, general manager of the two IOCs, "We have to envision what kind of services our subscribers will request five years down the road and try to understand the bandwidth requirements. We believe that the homes and business of the future will need high levels of bandwidth, bandwidth beyond what copper can provide. We believe that FTTP will give us the bandwidth we anticipate needing."

The BLC 6312 OLT blade is a high-performance Ethernet switch with 22 optical Gigabit Ethernet subscriber ports to provide the BLC 6000 System with direct active fiber subscriber access distribution. It supports either single or dual fiber plants and is compatible with the existing BLC 6000 chassis and other blades. The new blade also includes two 10 Gigabit Ethernet Intelligent Blade Interconnect Architecture (IBIA) ports whose distributed processing intelligence and unique blade interconnection system provides the flexibility to deploy the BLC 6000 System in low, medium or high density applications. It can be deployed as a single, standalone 1 RU product, which can be stacked with additional units to add capacity and redundancy, or it can be added to the BLC 6000 System chassis for use in high-density deployments. As with all BLC 6000 blades the 6312 OLT is environmentally hardened and suitable for deployment in either Central Offices or Remote Terminal cabinets.