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Date: Tuesday, September 07, 1999, 1:35 PM -0400
From: Faulkner Information Services <flash@faulkner.com>
To: ???
Subject: Faulkner Comm Flash 09/07/99 - (Part 1 of 3)

==============================TOP OF THE NEWS===========================

	 * AT&T Join Long Distance Price War	
	 * ICO Global Follows Iridium into Bankruptcy	 
	 * AT&T/BT Complete Japan Telecom Deal	
	 * Cisco to Acquire 2 Optical Vendors	 

========================================================================
Agreements/Joint Ventures
	 The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) was formed by 3Com,
Aironet, Intersil, Lucent Technologies, Nokia, and Symbol Technologies to
speed the adoption of the IEEE 802.11 High Rate (HR) Direct Sequence (DS)
standard. These companies think that supporting the deployment of such
products will help ensure global, seamless, high-speed wireless connections
for the enterprise, small office, and home markets.
	 3Com and Siemens ended their plans for a $100 million telephony joint
venture for local corporate networks The companies reported that they will
continue to collaborate on similar technology. 3Com reported that the
companies decided against launching the joint venture, anticipating
increased overhead costs from the project.
	 A technology transfer was arranged between ALLTEL and TransLink in which
ALLTEL will integrate TransLink software into its financial services product
offering, Service Delivery. The existing product is a collection of
applications providing specialized components for the Internet, call center,
direct sales, teller, and back office retail delivery channels. With the
integration of Translink's software, the Service Delivery will begin to
include third-party and proprietary core accounting applications.
	 The SmartCard Group, a division of Amdahl, joined a MasterCard/Europay
program that provides MasterCard and Europay members, which are implementing
payment applications on a chip, with a selection of implementation services.
The new initiative is called the Chip Vendor Services Program and focuses on
educating the chip vendor community on the MasterCard Chip Payment
Application (MCPA) and MultOS operating system.
	 A partnership was formed between Cabletron Systems and International
Multimedia Corporation (IMC) to provide tailored applications and
entertainment packages for global enterprises on a pay-per-use basis. The
partnership uses Cabletron's SmartSwitch Router (SSR) and traffic accounting
products, allowing global businesses to pay only for the specific content
and applications used.
	 CLARiiON, the storage division of Data General, inked an agreement with
Mercury Computer Systems to deliver SAN-based information sharing. The
companies will combine CLARiiON's Fibre Channel storage service with
Mercury's SANergy software.
	 A strategic alliance between Commerce One and OmniCell Technologies will
create an online vertical trading community for the healthcare industry. The
marketplace will allow both hospitals and healthcare suppliers to conduct
commerce over the Web, providing Internet access to vendor pricing,
availability, and order status, and will enable online buying and selling. 
	 Commerce One also formed a marketing partnership with Compaq Computer to
deliver end-to-end hardware, software, and planning and implementation
services for e-commerce. Commerce One will participate in Compaq NonStop
solutions for eBusiness as a provider of software for electronic procurement
applications. Also, Compaq's Enterprise Solutions and Services Group will
now be a global sales and service delivery source for Commerce One's
Commerce Chain Solution.
	 KDD plans to partner with a foreign telephone company to increase network
coverage and lower prices. Qwest Communications is reported to be the
closest to inking a deal with KDD. KDD shares rose once word of the foreign
alliance spread. DDI saw a similar stock increase and announced that it
would consider an alliance if it was beneficial enough. KDD is also in
discussions with Singapore Telecom. The two companies are considering
acquiring a three percent to five percent stake in each other for the
purpose of creating new telecom services.
	 EarthLink Network and GTE Internetworking will team up to expand offerings
of high-speed access or access via DSL to the Web. Testing of the service
will begin next month in the Los Angeles area. By the end of the year, plans
are to launch the service in 20 more markets.
	 A co-branded Web site was launched by eBay and America Online. The site is
designed to provide AOL members access to eBay's site presented in an AOL
format.
	 Equant agreed to purchase network capacity, in the form of an optical
sub-network ring, from Global TeleSystems Group. The ring links Amsterdam,
London, Paris, and Frankfurt. Equant will buy a 2.5 G-bps dedicated bandwith
channel between its four, main European backbone centers. The ring can later
be upgraded and expanded.
	 Ericsson and Microcell engaged in a three-year, $210 million, purchase
agreement for Ericsson to supply PCS infrastructure products, services, and
applications to Microcell.
	 An agreement between Extreme Networks and F5 Networks was for F5 to
	 combine its BIG/ip Controller Layer 4 load-balancing source code into its
switching services. The deal also gives Extreme and its partners access to
F5's products for resale.
	 France Telecom and Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux are about to finish a deal that
will create a joint company to operate France Telecom's cable network.
France Telecom will own 49.99 percent of the company, but the company plans
to sell 40 percent of its stake to a third partner.
	 eHNC, the Internet commerce division of HNC Software, formed the Internet
Fraud Prevention Advisory Council (IFPAC). IFPAC's goal is to reduce
Internet fraud being incurred by those involved in e-commerce transactions.
Charter members of the organization include EC Direct, CyberCash, and
ShopNow.com.
	 A long-term agreement was signed by ICG Communications and UUNET
Technologies to provide the MCI WorldCom unit with RAS. RAS combines network
management with the telephone line, switching, and modem functionality.
Under the agreement, ICG will provide over 40,000 new RAS ports on its
network for UUNET. ICG will also upgrade its existing 60,000 lines for RAS. 
	 In addition, ICG Communications signed a master agreement with Telcordia
Technologies for Telcordia to provide ICG with OSS applications to service
its long distance, local, and data services.
	 Intershop Communications and TopSoft will utilize First Ecom.com's
	 Internet payment processing gateway to deliver one-stop e-commerce
services for the Hong Kong market. Intershop has already developed a
payment cartridge built to interoperate with First Ecom's e-commerce
payment back-end.
	 NEXTLINK Communications partnered with Gentner Communications to
	 distribute Gentner's conference calling service to its long distance
customers in several Western states. Through its network of conferencing
dealers Gentner will provide lead generation for NEXTLINK's long distance,
ISDN, and BRI lines, as well as its long distance services. Jointly the
companies will create public conferencing facilities in several NEXTLINK
locations. Nokia and Deutsche Bank joined to develop mobile banking
	 services based on the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). WAP-enabled
services will allow Deutsche Bank customers the ability to do their banking
via a mobile phone.  In other Nokia news, Nokia agreed to supply its
	 General Packer Radio Service core network pre-release system to Telenor
Mobil. The arrangement will allow for trails of mobile Internet
capabilities. The system is expected to be operational in November, with
possible commercial availability in the first quarter of 2000.
	 Nortel Networks was awarded a two-year $400 billion deal by Cable &
Wireless to expand its global network. Cable & Wireless plans to expand by
providing high-speed communications services to 13 nations in Europe.
	 A VoIP network service contract was signed by North Wave with ITXC. ITXC
will provide NorthWave with access to its VoIP networks to provide telephony
services.
	 Proxim reported that its RangeLAN2 product and MobileStar Network's
software and service infrastructure are establishing high-speed public
network access in US travel venues. Subscribers with laptops or Windows
CE-based devices will be able to wirelessly access the MobileStar Network
for 1M bps broadband connections to corporate networks via the Internet.
American Airlines and its Admirals Clubs, and selected Hilton, Sheraton,
Holiday Inn Select, and Crowne Plaza hotels have agreed to integrate the
MobileStar Network in their facilities.
	 Rhythms Links, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rhythms NetConnections, is
partnering with VillageNet to offer DSL service to VillageNet customers in
New York and Los Angeles by year-end 1999.
	 With Remedy, SPECTRUM, a division of Cabletron Systems, introduced a
three-year strategic partnership agreement, which upholds the commitment
between SPECTRUM and Remedy, to provide SPECTRUM customers with a tightly
integrated help desk management service. The Action Request System (AR
System) Gateway lets users detect, track, and resolve network problems and
service requests. The product was developed by SPECTRUM, and ties SPECTRUM
alarms into Remedy's Action Request System.
	 An agreement was signed by Sprint to begin trials using Samsung's 3rd
Generation CDMA Technology. Sprint is testing the technology to determine
its ability to provide increased network capacity and high-speed data
services. Sterling Commerce inked an agreement with ICL, a global IT
	 services company. Sterling Commerce's Managed Systems Division, formerly
XcelleNet, and ICL will combine Sterling Commerce's CONNECT:Remote with
selected elements of ICL products and services to offer overall systems
management for the European retail community.
	 Telstra contracted with 11 groups to perform a $350-million construction
and rehabilitation project on its copper access network during the next
financial year. Telstra cited a cycle of recurring faults due to water
seepage and constant opening and closing of the copper network as the
reasons for the rehabilitation.

Broadband Networking 
	 Covad Communications delivered its Covad VPN over DSL Service. The service
has two options. Covad Branch Office, a 144K-bps connection at $150 per
month per location, provides remote or branch offices with high-speed
interoffice connectivity across multiple locations, and Covad Teleworker, a
384K-bps connection at $60 per month, that provides telecommuters and
individuals at remote locations secure access to a corporate network and the
Internet.
	 Global Crossing completed the first stage of its Atlantic Crossing 1
	 (AC-1) transatlantic cable system by doubling the capacity to 80G bps.
The upgrade was completed 18 months ahead of schedule and Global Crossing
plans a second upgrade to 140G bps to be finished in March 2000.
	 Lucent Technologies was awarded a $250 million contract by MediaOne to
provide communications systems and software solutions for MediaOne's
Broadband HFC network. The optical networking SONET upgrade will allow
MediaOne to provide local telephone, high-speed Internet, and digital TV
over one network.
	 Also, nine SDH contracts were awarded to Lucent Technologies by Chunghwa
Telecom (CHT) of Taiwan. The contracts are valued at $40 million to provide
SDH transmission equipment to build CHT's broadband voice and data
transmission network island wide.

Carriers and Carrier Services 
	 Joining the latest round of price wars, AT&T began offering a rate of
	 $0.07 per minute for interstate long distance calls from home as well as
family plan deal for wireless customers. The new long distance rate carries
a monthly fee of $4.95 for the company's local toll call customers.
Otherwise, the customers must pay a fee of $5.95 to secure the new rate.
Under the family plan deal, wireless customers can make unlimited calls to
up to five family members as well as place an unlimited amount of calls to
their home phone within a calling area designated as "Family Calling Area."
The two options for the family plan cost $49.99 or $69.99. 
	 In other AT&T news, AT&T Global Network Services entered into a five-year
contract, valued at more than $100 million, with Net2Phone. AT&T will supply
IP networking services so that Net2Phone can expand its Internet telephony
presence to 17 additional countries. AT&T also will provide collocation
services.
	 A plan was introduced by BellSouth for customers to access and pay their
telephone bills via the Internet. Customers can choose from one of the six
optional payment methods. 
	 In addition, BellSouth introduced four Internet service offerings,
including ATM Internet Access, NxT1 Internet Access, Private Line Internet
Access, and Packaged Frame Relay DS3 Internet Access.
	 Electric Lightwave will invest over $9 million in its Internet backbone.
The investment will upgrade the capacity of the backbone by adding
additional routers and upgrading to OC-3 speeds.
	 The Sea-Me-We 3 submarine cable network, a joint project of 92
international telecommunications companies, is commercially available after
only two and a half years of construction time. The network links 33
countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East and has a
transmission capacity of 40G bps.
	 MCI WorldCom added another federal agency's contracts to its list under
	 the FTS2001 program. The Department of Health and Human Services is the
10th federal agency to select MCI for voice services. The Department of
Education, which chose MCI WorldCom for voice services earlier in the year,
also is selecting the telecommunications company to provide data, Internet,
and conferencing services. The two pacts are valued at a total of $160
million over eight years. 
	 Also, two data services, Digital Video Services and Media Manager, were
introduced by MCI WorldCom. The On-Net data services are aimed at
broadcasters, advertising agencies, program syndicators, movie producers,
and other media that need to develop, manage, and provide "high-value"
content. With DVS, customers can manage and change their own bandwidth,
which ranges from 1.5M bps to 100M bps. Media Manager offers storage,
management, recall, and distribution of multimedia content.
	 A discounted, bundled service was introduced by SBC Communications. The
service includes Internet, entertainment, and local telephone services. The
package will be offered in Fremont, CA, and Dallas but will be offered in
all Southwestern Bell and Pacific Bell markets eventually.

Computer-Telephone Integration 
	 Ameritech and Softel joined forces to improve systems integration call
center services by implementing and integrating CTI and IVR call center
technologies. Ameritech will market the call center services for application
development, systems integration, consulting project management,
implementation, and technical support.

Electronic Commerce 
	 CheckFree and Equifax launched electronic billing and payment (EBP)
services for more than 40 financial institutions. Through its relationship
with CheckFree, Equifax and its customers will have access to bills received
from more than 60 billers nationwide, nearly half of which are now actively
presenting electronic bills.
	 An agreement was inked by GE Information Services (GE) and Value America
through which Value America will use GE's Enterprise System to facilitate
electronic commerce and EAI. The Enterprise System is intended to strengthen
Value America's inventory-less and brand-direct model, streamlining its back
office infrastructure through the automated message brokering of
transactions on its Web site.
	 Harbinger Express 4.0 was released by Harbinger. Harbinger Express is a
re-architected version of its Web-based e-Commerce service that enables
organizations to establish large business-to-business trading communities.
	 A series of advanced e-cash payment products were launched by Mondex
International in Quebec. Mondex reported that the launch in the Sherbrooke
region was among the most advanced implementations of Mondex in North
America. The Sherbrooke program includes the first combination of Mondex and
debit on a single card and the first test of new e-cash Internet loading
technology. Sherbrooke was the first North American community to use Mondex
on MULTOS.
	 The Internet Applications Division (IAD) of Sybase introduced the Sybase
e-Map to e-Business, which is comprised of implementation methodologies,
educational courses, proof-of-concept support, and consulting services
designed to meet the specific needs of the customer. e-Map to e-Business is
an initial step in the company's move towards EIP.

Financial News 
	 The SmartCard Group, a division of Amdahl, invested in a new franchise,
Mondex Korea. Other members of the consortium that formed the new franchise
include MasterCard Korea, Kookmin Bank, and Korea Credit Communication.
Mondex Korea was given the right to issue cards carrying the Mondex e-cash
application on MULTOS.
	 American Mobile Satellite's second quarter 1999 revenues increased two
percent to $22.9 million, compared to 1998. The company experienced a net
loss of $42.4 million or $1.31 per share, compared with a loss of $39
million or $1.23 per share.
	 The first round of bids for its cable network was received by Deutsche
Telekom. The nine regional networks have an estimated value of $11 billion.
Bids were submitted by a range of companies, including Deutsche Bank in
conjunction with Microsoft, Mannesmann AG, United Pan-European
Communications NV, Callahan Associates International, and Primacom AG. While
seeking to sell off the units, DT will retain a portion of each operation
and may even select different vendors for each local network. 
Faulkner Information Service
Flash Account
flash@faulkner.com
114 Cooper Center
Pennsauken, N.J. 08109
(609) 662 2070
http://www.faulkner.com



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