Intel Announces 10-Gig Solutions

AMSTERDAM -- ECOC 2001 -- At the European Conference on Optical Communications today, Intel Corporation introduced a new optical networking subsystem designed to deliver 10 Gigabit Ethernet and OC-192 SONET/SDH communications on a single line card. Intel also announced the world's first complete CMOS Physical Medium Dependent (PMD) chipset for 10 Gigabit per second (Gbps) applications. The Intel solutions support two key data transport standards for high-speed networks -- SONET/SDH and 10 Gigabit Ethernet and provide investment protection to both telecommunications equipment manufacturers and their customers, the telecom service providers. SONET/SDH is the primary optical data transport standard deployed today in the telecommunications industry. However, 10 Gigabit Ethernet is becoming a desirable option for metropolitan area networks because it offers similar bandwidth at significantly lower cost. "This technology allows our customers to take advantage of the convergence of data rates at 10 Gbps in metropolitan area networks," said Michael Ricci, vice president and general manager of Intel's Optical Products Group. "Early adopters will reap the benefits of the co-existence of SONET and Ethernet. As Ethernet migrates into metropolitan area networks, changing protocols will be as easy as flipping a switch." Intel Corp.