Lucent Technologies enters high-speed phone line market

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Sep 8, 1999

MURRAY HILL, N.J. (AP) -- Telecommunications giant Lucent Technologies is making its first push into the high-speed phone line market with a product that offers high-quality voice calls and fast data transmission on the same phone line.

Lucent's digital subscriber line, or DSL, product allows phone companies to offer customers as many as 16 voice lines, plus high- speed data via a single copper phone line.

"Lucent's Stinger solution for the first time offers DSL without the tradeoffs," said Curt Sanford, president of the InterNetworking Systems unit of Lucent. "One copper wire will now deliver the highest quality voice plus high-speed Internet and data services."

Lucent says Stinger is better than other DSL products because it prioritizes voice data, solving the problem of voice dropouts and disruptions. The Stinger system will be sold to phone companies and Internet service providers, allowing them to serve different segments of the market -- large corporations, small businesses and consumers - - using one system.

The Murray Hill, N.J.-based Lucent is a leading maker of telecommunications equipment. Lucent's plant in Oklahoma City has more than 4,000 employees.