Unisys Selects FastComm QuickII for Support of Unisys CP2000 Legacy Protocol Handlers - FastComm Communications' F9500 TermRouter - Company Business and Marketing

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, Jan 10, 2000

FastComm Communications Corporation Wednesday announced that its model F9500 TermRouter, the QuickII, has been selected by Unisys Corporation (NYSE:UIS) as the preferred technology to provide legacy protocol support for Unisys A Series and Unisys e-@ction ClearPath Enterprise Server NX systems.

"This announcement demonstrates our continuing commitment to provide the absolute best in networking solutions to world class companies such as Unisys," said Peter Madsen, chairman and CEO of FastComm.

The F9500 aggregates Unisys Poll-Select, or BiSynch 3270 and 3780, devices into an IP WAN/LAN environment, eliminating the need for parallel WAN connections by supporting both legacy Poll Select terminals and LAN/WAN IP traffic.

Employing standard Two-wire Direct Interface (TDI) or RS-232 serial interfaces, the F9500 allows terminals, printers, sorters, ATM machines, and controllers to easily plug into the F9500 for Frame Relay, X.25, or leased line access to a central site router. LAN-attached PCs can route IP/IPX data from LAN to LAN or link to the Internet, as well.

Legacy equipment requiring a default connection to an existing router on the LAN can use the F9500 as a Poll Select-to-IP protocol converter. Converted traffic can then travel across the LAN as IP data before being forwarded to a default router or central site -- reducing the high cost of maintenance and maximizing bandwidth efficiency. The F9500 satisfies bandwidth requirements between 9.6Kbps and 2.048Mbps over leased line, Frame Relay, and X.25 circuits. Each Frame Relay link will support up to 105 DLCIs (Data Link Control Identifiers) with adjustable bandwidth.

"With its ability to handle the legacy protocols and convert LAN-based traffic, the F9500 FastComm provides an ideal interface to Unisys A Series and Unisys e-@ction ClearPath Enterprise Server NXsystems," said John McAleer, Director, Networking Product Management for Unisys. "FastComm, with its dedication to the development and deployment of open, multi-vendor standards, provides Unisys users with a solution geared toward today's networked environments, which are increasingly critical to support electronic business opportunities and enterprise-class applications."

Unisys is an electronic business solutions company whose 35,000 employees help customers in 100 countries apply information technology to seize opportunities and overcome challenges of the Internet economy. Unisys people integrate and deliver the solutions, services, platforms and network infrastructure required by business and government to transform their organizations for success in this new era. The company offers a rich portfolio of Unisys e-@ction Solutions for electronic business based on its expertise in "repeatable" vertical industry solutions, network services, outsourcing, systems integration and multivendor support, coupled with enterprise-class server and related technologies. The primary vertical markets Unisys serves worldwide include financial services, transportation, communications, publishing and commercial sectors, as well as the public sector, including federal government customers. Unisys is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, in the Greater Philadelphia area. For more information on the company, access the Unisys home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.unisys.com . Investor information can be found at http://www.unisys.com/investor .

FastComm designs, develops, and manufactures advanced WAN/LAN/Global network routing and switching equipment, controllers and processors (both mainframe and Unisys environments), Internet access products, and related networking devices. It is a total system solution provider specializing in voice/fax/video/data over IP and Frame Relay. FastComm is a leader in the effort to provide optimal migration paths for legacy networks that are upgrading to newer routing technologies. The corporate goal is to provide customers with leading-edge networking technology and a cost-effective means of incorporating these technologies into new or existing networks. FastComm prides itself in its ability to customize networks to meet the specific needs of their customers. These customers include state governments, federal agencies, and multi-national corporations.

FastComm products include the WEB Router, GlobalView, EtherFRAD, RingFRAD, MetroLan, QUICK II, ChanlComm and GlobalStack. These products provide routed and switched Voice/Data and Video access solutions for bandwidths ranging from 9.6kbps to full T1/E1 over Leased Line, Frame Relay, X.25 and digital and analog networks. FMI: http://www.fastcomm.com.