PETALUMA, Calif. -- Advanced Fibre Communications(R), Inc. (AFC(R)) (Nasdaq: AFCI) today announced that TRICOM (NYSE: TDR), the Dominican Republic's largest alternative full-service provider, has upgraded its existing telecommunications network with AFC's UniversalDSL(SM) -- a solution that enables telephone companies to deliver high-speed DSL services to any subscriber, whether they are served from a central office or remote terminal.

An AFC customer since 1996, TRICOM upgraded its network with AFC's Telliant(TM), a high-density, multi-service central office platform. TRICOM replaced several of its existing central office DSLAMs, which had been provided by a leading international-based equipment manufacturer, with Telliant systems. AFC's Telliant is designed to meet the unique requirements of high-density, high-performance access provisioning and aggregation in central offices.

"Our upgraded multi-service ATM network has significantly increased our capabilities," said Jorge Luis Pimentel, director of engineering and planning at TRICOM. "The move allows us to more efficiently and cost-effectively deliver a wider breadth of high-speed DSL services to large numbers of residential and business subscribers. AFC's UniversalDSL solution has played an important role in helping us considerably reduce operating expenses while simultaneously increasing revenues through additional DSL service offerings."

The change-out to AFC's Telliant allows TRICOM to alleviate traffic congestion caused by the rapid growth of DSL services. The Santo Domingo-based provider was able to seamlessly install and provision multiple Telliant systems in its network. The addition of Telliant enables TRICOM to significantly upgrade its network capacity by offloading existing DSL traffic from its legacy network.

"With today's restrictive capital environment, it is imperative that we minimize expenditures by leveraging the flexibility and multi-service functionality provided by AFC's Telliant platform," commented Emilio Jimenez, vice president of engineering and planning for TRICOM.

Beyond the initial deployment, TRICOM can migrate additional data traffic onto its Telliant systems, as well as move IP capabilities into the central office -- closer to their subscribers. Typically, IP equipment has resided closer to the network core in the provider/ISP POP (point of presence). Telliant can utilize its B-RAS (broadband remote access server) functionality to offload subscriber terminations from existing subscriber management systems, and prepare TRICOM's network for evolution to new IP-based services, such as video over broadband, gaming and VPNs (virtual private networks).

"Telliant's B-RAS functionality can more efficiently and economically terminate sessions from residential subscribers," said Manuel Fernandez, AFC's regional vice president of sales for the Caribbean and Latin America, "thereby allowing TRICOM's existing subscriber management system to more efficiently terminate high-speed data services from its business subscribers."

Advanced Fibre Communications Inc. (AFC)

Tricom SA