RICHARDSON, Texas -- Taqua, Inc., a leading provider of next-generation voice switching systems and technologies, today announced that the University of Cincinnati, Des Moines Area Community College, and North Central Kansas Technical College have each purchased Taqua's iX7000* Class 5 packet switching system for incorporation into their next-generation telecommunications curriculum.

Forward thinking institutions strive to provide their students education and experience with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies so they can develop the skill-set needed to compete for jobs in industries that are quickly evolving and adopting next-generation technologies. According to Jody Bennett, vice president of marketing at Taqua, historically it has been challenging for institutions to purchase state-of-the-art Class 5 equipment because of the cost, size, and complexity of legacy systems. "Now, largely due to the patented, switch-on-a-card architecture of Taqua's iX7000, institutions can purchase a chassis with one card and have a full-featured Class 5 packet softswitch with a small footprint that requires very little power and cooling. Because of the flexibility of the iX7000, students get an opportunity to work both the access and trunking sides of switching, as well as TDM, IP, and the convergence of legacy and next-generation applications."

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati graduates more than 5,000 students each year. The University has many different colleges and provides a comprehensive choice of degrees. As part of the University's College of Applied Science, the Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET) Department is introducing a new Associate Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology that includes an option to focus on telecommunications. The new telecommunications option has been made possible by a grant from the Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company. According to Elvin Stepp, professor and department head of the ECET department, Taqua's iX7000 will be used to provide students with hands-on training and prepare them for telecommunications engineering positions. "The goal of our program is to provide students the necessary skills to fill the growing need for entry-level telecommunications engineers who already have experience with advanced Class 5 switching. Since the iX7000 is a full-featured packet Class 5, students will be afforded the opportunity to work with a combination of legacy and next-generation switching technology."

Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) is a publicly supported two-year institution serving the Des Moines metropolitan area and surrounding counties. DMACC has over 75 career programs spanning arts, business, and science disciplines, including a degree program in Telecommunication Technology. Jay Nickelson, program chairperson and instructor for the telecommunications department explains that the opportunity for students to get their hands on important emerging-technology equipment will certainly give them a jump start when hitting the job market trail. "For over 30 years, DMACC has fostered strong relationships and provided many employees for the ILEC and CLEC community in Iowa. By adding Taqua's iX7000 to our program, we are investing in the future of our students as well as Iowa's telephony industry. Training will be provided to new students and corporate employees looking to broaden their skills, as we will fully utilize the iX7000's advanced Class 5 features."

North Central Kansas Technical College (NCKTC) has one- and two-year diploma programs for a variety of technical disciplines including networking and telecommunications. The Networking and Telecommunications Department, which offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree, is in its second year and has been purchasing a variety of next-generation equipment, in addition to Taqua's iX7000. "Our two-year program is geared towards giving students the skill-set and experience needed to help service providers benefit from leading edge equipment," said John Matthews, department head for Networking and Telecommunications. "The iX7000 is the perfect Class 5 platform for our students to learn on because of its unique ability to bridge the legacy world with state-of-the-art packet switching and networking."

Taqua Inc.