telecom@ucbvax.ARPA (02/28/85)
From: Jon Solomon (the Moderator) <Telecom-Request@BBNCCA>
TELECOM Digest Wed, 27 Feb 85 17:11:03 EST Volume 4 : Issue 164
Today's Topics:
Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #160
AT&T sells 5ESS to British Telecom
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Date: Thu, 21 Feb 85 08:19:01 pst
From: decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!darrelj@Berkeley (Darrel VanBuer)
To: telecom@sdcsvax
Subject: Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #160
Most standard modems will hang up the phone line when DTR is made false (and
won't answer if DTR is still false). This is definitely true of a Bell 212A.
I don't know how the 212AR differs (it could just be newer technology that
the 1978 212A version).
Darrel J. Van Buer, PhD
System Development Corp.
2500 Colorado Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90406
(213)820-4111 x5449
...{allegra,burdvax,cbosgd,hplabs,ihnp4,orstcs,sdcsvax,ucla-cs,akgua}
!sdcrdcf!darrelj
VANBUER@USC-ECL.ARPA
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Date: Wednesday, 27 Feb 1985 09:37:08-PST
From: barker%janus.DEC@decwrl.ARPA (Jeremy Barker - REO2-1/J2)
To: telecom@bbncca.ARPA
Subject: AT&T sells 5ESS to British Telecom
AT&T SELLS 5ESS TO BRITISH TELECOM
AT&T and Philips Telecommunications - a UK-based joint company set up to
market a version of AT&T's 5ESS switch - named 5ESS-PRX - has secured an
order worth $21M for 9 exchanges from British Telecom. These switches will
be used to build a UK-wide overlay network said to offer services
comparable to 800 and other WATS services in the US. This service will be
marketed by British Telecom using the name Link Line and the network will
be known as the Derived Services Network. The Link Line service will be
first operated using reconditioned Strowger equipment salvaged from BT's
general network because the awarding of the contract to AT&T/Philips was
delayed.
This order places AT&T/Philips in the front runner position to provide the
alternate switch design for British Telecom's general network. Current
plans by British Telecom to install a British designed switch - System X,
on which work started around 1970 - are severely behind schedule with only
6 exchanges in service. Plans published in early 1982, shortly after the
first exchange was commissioned, called for over 50 installations by 1986.
The introduction of pilot ISDN digital services is being hit by software
problems on System X. System X is manufactured in the UK by Plessey and
General Electric Company (GEC - no relation of GE in the US) and was
jointly designed by Plessey, GEC and STC, an ITT subsidiary at the time.
The alternate switch system - named System Y - is the first major purchase
by British Telecom of a non-UK designed switching system. Previously BT
only large import was of an AXE switch made in Sweden by LM Ericsson for
use in an international switching center. The contract to supply System Y
will be awarded to one of Thorn-Ericsson (a joint between Thorn-EMI and
LM Ericsson of Sweden), Northern Telecom and AT&T/Philips. System Y will
initially be installed in about 20% of new and upgraded exchanges alongside
System X but after 1990 orders will be split based on reliability of
installed equipment.
If AT&T/Philips are selected as the supplier a large manufacturing facility
- including semiconductor production - will be set up in the UK by Western
Electric to manufacture equipment for the European market. It is widely
believed that a condition of the System Y supply contract is UK-based
manufacture of the equipment.
BT's rival network operator - Mercury Telecommunications - has shortlisted
Thorn-Ericsson, STC, Northern Telecom and Italtel, an Italian consortium of
manufacturers, to supply switches for its network. STC would supply a
switch designed by ITT. Mercury has already purchased a switch from
Nothern Telecom for its international service to the US.
There is also currently speculation that British Telecom may buy about
20-30% of Northern Telecom's stock, but this will most likely be vetoed by
UK regulatory authorities if Northern Telecom is selected as the System Y
supplier.
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This information was obtained from various published sources.
Jeremy Barker - Digital Equipment Corp., Reading, England.
...!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-janus!barker (uucp)
barker%janus.DEC@decwrl.ARPA (Internet)
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End of TELECOM Digest
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