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Jim Michael wrote:
>
> On Sat, 28 Jun 1997, Dave Zawicki wrote:
> >
> > The problem ASND is having is with the 56Kb boards which were
> > designed to work with _all_ 56Kb modems. Since there is not de
> > facto standard this is sometimes difficult. ASND recognized a
> > problem with the
>
> That will certainly be a popular item with ISPs. Thanks for the
> additional info.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jim
Jim,
Here is the _original_ article out of the Fool's. I hate 3rd hand
information and this may be clearer than my read on what was actually
said. FYI:
Industry Update
TECH TALK
By Paul Motter (TMF DotCom)
NEW YORK, NY (June 17, 1997) -- The pundits have been playing a round of
"Strike Up the Band" this week as they rush to cover just in
case the concerns of one of their colleagues finds a grain of truth.
Just last month the accolades were flying for ASCEND
COMMUNICATIONS INC. (Nasdaq:ASND) and CASCADE COMMUNICATIONS
(Nasdaq:CSCC) to be the definitive merger to give CISCO SYSTEMS
(Nasdaq:CSCO) a run for its money. Then a shortsighted Dow Jones story
reported that the Ascend's MAX line of remote access switches with 56k
modems had a software problem and that shipping of the products was
delayed. Analyst downgrades followed. It turns out that the problem only
affected the MAX TNT, the brand-new mega-port remote access
concentrator, and not the MAX 400 series of remote access switches,
which in 1996 made up 82% of revenues, already deployed to several ISPs
with working 56k modems.
According to Bernie Schneider, Vice President of Strategic Business
Development, there was a software problem with the 56k modem card so
current MAX TNTs are shipping with a standard V.34 modem card that will
be swapped in the field with a new 56k modem card as soon as production
schedules for the new cards make it possible. Schneider said production
should be fully ramped up within weeks. Schneider would not comment on
what it will cost per card to update the TNTs, but did say that because
of reserves set aside for such contingencies the cost would not be a
liability for the company's bottom line.
Schneider made it very clear that the problem was related to the MAX TNT
software and not at all due to the Rockwell chip it uses. Several
MAX 400 series switches are already deployed in the marketplace with
working 56k Rockwell based modems.
Analyst concerns have also circulated for sales of the GRF 400, the new
router from Ascend capable of forwarding data at 20 times the
speed of a conventional router. The concerns were for "prolonged testing
cycles due to interoperability issues." According to Schneider,
that problem is interoperability with "slower routers made by other
manufacturers."
The GRF is capable of sending routing table updates to conventional
routers faster than they can process them and stability is affected in
the internetwork. Of course, interoperability is an important concern
and measures are being implemented to optimize communication with
other manufacturers, but interoperability within GRF 400 internetworks
is definitely not a problem. Schneider stressed that over 60
customers are already using the GRF successfully. Some, as in UUNet, are
already in the third wave of deployment while a few are still in
the testing stage.
What about the merger with Cascade? Some analysts have cited concerns
that merger issues could create a period of confusion and
distraction detrimental to the company's ability to manage. The
comparison between Ascend/Cascade and the Synoptics/Wellfleet merger
into BAY NETWORKS (NYSE:BAY) is common. When asked about these concerns
Schneider said, "We know that decisive action is paramount to
succeeding," and when asked what sort of action is being taken, he said,
"The AX [line of remote access switches manufactured by Cascade
Communications] has already been cancelled."
--
Dave
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