A different route

Six months after losing a CEO, router start-up Procket Networks has landed one in ex-Cisco executive Roland Acra. Acra says he was attracted to Procket’s silicon and software technology, and engineering talent – not because of any delays Cisco has in unveiling its next-generation “HFR” router. Acra’s first order of business at Procket is building sales momentum behind the company’s PRO/8000 line, which includes lining up a partnership with an incumbent telecom vendor with which service providers have confidence in doing business.

https://www.nwfusion.com/edge/news/2004/0105acra.html

AFC plans to acquire the North American Access (NAA) business unit of Marconi in an effort to broaden its optical access portfolio as well as its RBOC customer base. NAA specializes in Fiber-to-the-Curb equipment, and more than 50% of its revenue was from BellSouth, according to analysts. AFC is already supplying Fiber-to-the-Premise gear to Verizon and is putting up a $240 million cash bet (the price it’s paying for NAA) that it can be BellSouth’s FTTP vendor, too. If not, AFC’s already made it to BellSouth’s curb.

https://www.nwfusion.com/edge/news/2004/0106afc.html

The industry’s worst-kept secret is officially out: DISA has named its equipment suppliers for the $900 million GIG-BE network upgrade it is embarking on. The lucky chosen are Ciena for optical transport; Sprint and Sycamore for optical cross-connects; Juniper for core and edge routers; and Qwest and Cisco for multiservice provisioning platforms. DISA evaluated 55 bids for these four technology areas.

https://www.nwfusion.com/edge/news/2004/0105disa.html