Efiber.net Press Releases

- November 2000 -
January - February - March - April - May - June
July - August - September - October - November - December
(For press Releases from 1999 - CLICK HERE)

November 28th, 2000

RIFOCS releases the 'Snap-On' Connector Adapter

The RIFOCS 16125 Snap-On Connector (SOC) adapter converts the 2.5mm interface of the 160L visual fault finder to accommodate 1.25mm ferrules used in small form factor (SFF) connectors such as the LC, MU, and MC5. By allowing the user to couple the 160L directly to a 1.25mm ferrule, the need for hybrid cables is eliminated, making the detection of cracked optical fibers, bending losses and badly polished connectors faster and more convenient. A ceramic ferrule and alignment sleeve incorporated in the 16125 SOC adapter ensures an accurate, tight fit over thousands of matings. This unique adapter can be easily maintained using compressed air or a RIFOCS 1.25mm cleaning wand.

November 15th, 2000

Corning and Cisco Announce Strategic Alliance To Deliver
Optical Solutions to Service Providers
New strategic relationship will result in faster deployments of optical networks

CORNING, N.Y — Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) and Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) today announced a strategic alliance to deliver IP+ optical solutions to their service provider customers. By combining Corning’s expertise and leadership in optical fiber and photonic products with Cisco’s expertise in Internet scale optical networking solutions, the alliance will work together to speed deployment of optical infrastructures. These solutions are expected to reduce service providers’ time to market and the cost of deploying the optical network.

“Optical networking is revolutionizing the Internet and creating unprecedented opportunities that benefit the Internet ecosystem,” said Mike Volpi, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Cisco Systems. “Corning's expertise in optical fiber and photonic products, coupled with Cisco’s expertise in building IP-based networks is a powerful combination that will enable service providers to deliver rich new services.”

Through this non-exclusive alliance, Corning and Cisco will form teams to develop pre-engineered optical solutions consistent with customer requirements. Products included with this effort are Cisco's core products, Corning’s full line of optical fiber products, including the latest generations of Corning LEAF® and MetroCor™ optical fiber, and Corning’s photonic products including MEMS based optical switches and Raman amplifiers. In addition, Corning will supply optical amplifiers to Cisco.

“Corning is delighted to be working closely with Cisco, which is recognized throughout the industry for innovative, end-to-end networking solutions," said Wendell Weeks, executive vice president, Corning Optical Communications. "We look forward to working together to develop future generation communications platforms for their customers."

November 10th, 2000

Microwave Photonic Systems releases OPTICAL SPLITTER/COMBINER

Microwave Photonic Systems announces the introduction of the MPS-2300, broadband 1x2 optical splitter/combiner. The MPS-2300 comes in a variety of coupling ratios and can be custom packaged to meet system requirements. Ask about the MPS-2350 if your system design requires high isolation WDM couplers.

Click here to download the PDF brochure

November 10th, 2000

RIFOCS Components Division Moves to New Camarillo Facility

CAMARILLO, Calif.-Booming demand for high quality fiber optic cable assemblies has prompted RIFOCS Corporation to move its Components Division to a new 20,000 square-foot facility in Camarillo.

Andy Devine, Business Unit Leader for RIFOCS Components, said the move to 1080 Avenida Acaso-two blocks from RIFOCS Corp.'s main plant at 1340 Flynn Rd.-provides additional manufacturing space for the rapidly growing division. RIFOCS Components currently employs 60 people.

November 2nd, 2000

METROPHOTONICS INC. ANNOUNCES $62.5 MILLION CDN FINANCING
MPI poised to develop photonic integrated circuits

OTTAWA, Ontario – October 30, 2000 – MetroPhotonics Inc. (MPI) an emerging player in the research, design, and production of innovative, high-capacity optical components for metropolitan (local access) telecommunications networks, today announced it has raised $62.5 million CDN in a round of financing managed by Yorkton Securities. The funding is believed to be one of the largest private financing deals for a photonics/fibreoptic firm in Canada.

MetroPhotonics boasts a team of leading photonics/fibreoptic scientists under the direction of Chief Technology Officer Emil Koteles a recognized industry expert. MPI has applied for two full patents and three provisional patents for technology that will significantly reduce the cost of expanding metropolitan fibreoptic networks.

"Our first products — passive optical components — will significantly reduce the costs of metropolitan optical networks, allowing carriers and service providers to offer their customers much higher bandwidths and improved rich-media services," said John-Peter Bradford, Chairman and CEO:

"Revenue from these early products and our funding will allow us to quickly develop our first Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs). PICs represent a major step forward, combining passive and active optoelectronic devices on a single semiconductor wafer, lowering costs while dramatically increasing Internet speeds."

Except for the so-called "last mile " going to businesses and homes, most high-speed Internet and telephony traffic is already carried as light on fibreoptic networks.To make efficient use of the fibre, many different wavelengths of light are put on the same fibre. This process, known as WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing), and long touted as the solution to the local access problem, currently requires a number of costly components. PICs would do the work of all these components, dramatically lowering costs. But thus far, there has been no affordable way to manufacture photonic integrated circuits.

MPI has developed a simple, cost-effective solution. The company ’s design team has devised a way to combine innovative waveguide and device designs with existing, inexpensive semiconductor fabrication technology. This will allow MPI to develop and manufacture efficient, affordable PICs that will replace a number of costlier components.

"MetroPhotonics is poised to introduce a family of commercially viable photonic integrated circuits, and we believe this represents an exciting opportunity for our investors," said Mitchell Greenspoon, Executive VP of Yorkton Securities in Montreal.

MPI is privately held and has 16 employees. The company expects to grow to more than 40 employees over the next few months.

MetroPhotonics plans to use the funding to purchase semiconductor manufacturing equipment, hire additional staff and move into its own headquarters in 2001.The

company currently uses lab space and facilities at the Communications Research Centre in Ottawa. In June, MetroPhotonics raised approximately $8 million CDN in a funding round arranged by GroomeCapital.com of Montreal. This brings the total amount raised by MPI in its first six months to more than $70 million CDN.

To download the PDF version, click here.

- November 2000 - January - February - March - April - May - June July - August - September - October - November - December (For press Releases from 1999 - CLICK HERE)