History lessons

NEC introduces first notebook computer.

February 1988 Tandem wades into LAN market with buyout of Ungermann-Bass for $260 million.

April 1988 Illinois Bell files the country’s first general tariff for Integrated Services Digital Network.

April 1988 T-1 multiplex maker Network Equipment Technologies storms LAN market with acquisition of Excelan for $125 million.

April 1988 AT&T becomes first carrier to offer ISDN Primary Rate Interface service.

May 1988 Fire in Illinois Bell’s Hinsdale central office damages most of the 50,000 circuits supported by the switch.

July 1988 IBM readies 16Mbps Token Ring for fall debut. It is also at work on a 100Mbps FDDI network.

August 1988 MCI celebrates 20th anniversary.

October 1988 3Com ships 3+Open, the first network operating system based on Microsoft’s LAN Manager. Digital Equipment Corp. and the X/Open consortium join the ranks of LAN Manager supporters.

Dec. 1988 IBM sells the development and manufacturing assets of its Rolm Systems Division to Siemens AG. IBM had acquired the PBX maker in 1985.