Fiber Connections receives US patent for GatorLink products

January 17, 2011

Fiber Connections Inc., a supplier of custom active and passive optical connectivity and conversion solutions, announced today that it received a US patent on its GatorLink media converters. Patent #7,837,397, officially received on Nov. 23, 2010, highlights the company’s commitment to connectivity innovation. GatorLink products provide a robust, modular option for taking optical fiber and power to a remote location for media conversion and distribution to up to 6 devices such as security cameras, wireless access points, VoIP phones and much more.

Larry Fingler, Fiber Connections President says, “Our GatorLink was based on our already successful Gator Patch products, which we patented in 1999. The rise in demand for small, flexible PoE extensions, drove us to develop the GatorLink and our entire Chameleon network solution.”

“The award of the GatorLink patent brings us to a total of 4 unique, patented products.” said Geoff Laycock, VP Sales and Marketing. “This is one more thing that confirms our commitment to technical excellence and innovation in fiber optic products.”

The GatorLink product is currently sold as either a stand-alone unit as part of a Chameleon network installation and offers a wide range of features including custom connector options and network monitoring via the Fiber Connections “Net-Map” system.

The patent statement indicates that the GatorLink is a “Digital Signal Media Conversion Panel” and the summary reads, in part:

‘A multi-port patch panel that comprises a housing, a multi-fiber optical cable input arrangement at least partially received in the housing, a plurality of media converters within the housing with each media converter having a fiber optic transceiver attached to fibers of the multi-fiber optic cable input arrangement and a plurality of connectors secured in the housing for connecting equipment to the patch panel using a conventional electrical signal connection. Each of the connectors is in communication with one of the media converters. The patch panel includes a separate power supply, connectable with the housing for providing power to the media converters.’

Fiber Connections Inc. designs and manufactures a wide range of optical connectivity, distribution and media conversion hardware. Corporate headquarters is in Schomberg, Ontario Canada with a manufacturing facility in Prince Edward Island, Canada, a US office in Manassas, VA and an EMEA office in the Netherlands.

Media Contact:

Lee Kellett

Fiber Connections

508-728-5599

800-353-1127

Lee.kellett@fiberc.com

NBN Co. inks Corning, Prysmian for Australian NBN FTTH fiber

JANUARY 17, 2010 -- NBN Co., the company established to oversee construction of Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN), has signed contracts with Corning Cable Systems Pty. Ltd. and Prysmian to supply fiber for the FTTH project.

The Australian arm of Corning Cable Systems received the larger deal. The company reports an initial order of AUS $400 million (US $398 million) from a contract with a potential total value of AUS $1.2 billion ($US 1.19 billion). Corning will supply its FlexNAP terminal distribution system with RPX ribbon cable for aerial installations and its ALTOS ribbon cable for underground installations.

NBN Co. granted Prysmian an initial order worth AUS $150 million (US $149 million) on a contract with a potential total value of AUS $300 million (US $298.4 million) for the supply of ribbon and other multi-fiber cables. In turn, Prysmian will invest around €10 million (US $13.3 million) to manufacture the cables at its facility in Dee Why, Australia as part of a commitment to source in Australia approximately 80% of the value of its NBN contract.

With the signing of the cabling contracts, most of the major items would appear to be in place. NBN Co. has already signed deals with Alcatel-Lucent for GPON hardware as well as with Nokia Siemens.

The controversial NBN FTTH government project aims to create an open-access fiber optic network that will pass 93 percent of Australian homes and businesses within the next 10 years. The project has so far withstood repeated attempts to either scale it back or stop it completely, and was one of the major issues in Australia’s most recent national elections.

Prysmian launches public offer for Draka shares

JANUARY 6, 2011-- The potential battle for control of Draka Holding NV is underway, as Prysmian has launched its public offer for ordinary shares of the Dutch fiber and cable manufacturer. Meanwhile, upstart bidder Tianjin Xinmao S&T Investment Corp. Ltd. asserted December 20 that it too would proceed with its proposed bid, Bloomberg and other media outlets reported. However, the company seems unexcited about the prospects of initiating a hostile takeover.

Prysmian is offering €8.60 in cash plus 0.6595 newly issued Prysmian ordinary shares for each Draka ordinary share. That equates to a total transaction value of €840 million. Xinmao, with backing from China Minsheng Banking Corp. and Rabobank, has offered an all-cash package worth €1 billion.

Prysmian’s offer is valid from today through February 3. An extraordinary meeting of Draka shareholders will take place January 26 to discuss the Prysmian offer.

Prysmian first announced that Draka had accepted its offer November 22, 2010. However, the offer contained an out clause that, for a price, would enable Draka to accept competing offers. Xinmao seized the opportunity almost immediately to announce its larger bid.

Despite the lower value of the offer, Draka has stuck with Prysmian as its preferred purchaser. “In determining its position, the Boards have also taken into consideration the positive advice received on 4 January 2011 from Draka's central works council, the current status of the discussions with Xinmao and the conditionality and execution risks attached to both the existing Offer by Prysmian and the potential offer by Xinmao,” Draka stated in a release issued yesterday.

“Draka has not received any further updates on the status of Xinmao’s potential offer since Xinmao’s press release, dated 20 December 2010,” the statement added. Bloomberg quoted Joop Krant of Catalyst Advisors, Xinmao’s financial advisor in the potential transaction, as saying Xinmao would not launch a hostile bid for Draka.

FTTH in US

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 -- In his semi-annual State of the FTTH Union update, RVA Market Research’s Michael Render told attendees at the FTTH Conference in Las Vegas that 6.45 million households in North America receive services via fiber to the home (FTTH) networks. Render’s research, sponsored by the FTTH Council North America, also shows that FTTH infrastructure passes nearly 20 million North American homes.The 6.45 million connection figure represents a six-month increase of just under 650,000. The number of current homes passed -- 19,966,000 – compares to an estimated 18,250,000 homes last March. All told, FTTH networks pass approximately 17.4% of North American homes and connect to just under 6%.Meanwhile, Verizon’s announcement that it will slow its FTTH deployments has been offset by smaller carriers and municipalities, many of whom will scale their efforts as broadband stimulus money kicks in."All indications are that a large number of small and medium-sized telecoms and other broadband providers -- more than 750 by our count -- have either upgraded to FTTH or are in the process of doing so," said Joe Savage, outgoing president of the FTTH Council. "In addition, our earlier surveys show that the vast majority of the remaining telecoms are seriously considering going all-fiber in the next several years."Michael Render of RVA, who conducted the survey, noted that "the number of homes passed by FTTH networks has expanded by 100 times since the FTTH Council was founded nine years ago, with growth really beginning to accelerate in 2005."

FTTH in US

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 -- In his semi-annual State of the FTTH Union update, RVA Market Research’s Michael Render told attendees at the FTTH Conference in Las Vegas that 6.45 million households in North America receive services via fiber to the home (FTTH) networks. Render’s research, sponsored by the FTTH Council North America, also shows that FTTH infrastructure passes nearly 20 million North American homes.The 6.45 million connection figure represents a six-month increase of just under 650,000. The number of current homes passed -- 19,966,000 – compares to an estimated 18,250,000 homes last March. All told, FTTH networks pass approximately 17.4% of North American homes and connect to just under 6%. Meanwhile, Verizon’s announcement that it will slow its FTTH deployments has been offset by smaller carriers and municipalities, many of whom will scale their efforts as broadband stimulus money kicks in."All indications are that a large number of small and medium-sized telecoms and other broadband providers -- more than 750 by our count -- have either upgraded to FTTH or are in the process of doing so," said Joe Savage, outgoing president of the FTTH Council. "In addition, our earlier surveys show that the vast majority of the remaining telecoms are seriously considering going all-fiber in the next several years."Michael Render of RVA, who conducted the survey, noted that "the number of homes passed by FTTH networks has expanded by 100 times since the FTTH Council was founded nine years ago, with growth really beginning to accelerate in 2005."

Back in Business...for now.

Australia's National Broadband Network (NBN), placed in limbo when national elections failed to create a clear majority government, is back on after the incumbent Labor Party won the backing of enough Green and independent members of Parliament to stay in power.
Labor and the independents who back the party now control 76 of the 150 seats in the Australian Parliament.
NBN Co., the company created to manage the NBN's construction, naturally welcomed the news. "The team at NBN Co has been working on business as usual in the post-election period, while limiting discretionary expenditure, extending the deadline for some tenders and putting the award of several tenders on hold," the company said in a press statement. "We will now work to restore deferred processes, including the recruitment of staff."
Alcatel-Lucent, which won a contact to supply GPON FTTH gear for the NBN, is undoubtedly happy as well.
According to ITNews of Australia, at least two of the critical members of Parliament cited the NBN as a factor in backing Labor. A deal between Labor and the independents covering uniform national wholesale prices for the NBN and priority infrastructure rollout in regional areas was crucial to gaining the independents' support, ITNews says.

Australia's NBN on hold

The Sydney Morning Herald and Dow Jones Newswire reports that NBN Co., the organization administering the Australian Government's National Broadband Network, has put the project on hold after national elections in Australia failed to produce a clear majority in Parliament.
The incumbent Labor Government had launched the NBN at a projected cost of AUS$43 billion. However, the opposition Conservative Party offered a plan of its own, reduced both in scale and cost ($6.3 billion).
According to the two news organizations, NBN Co. issued a statement saying that it would not award any "significant" new contracts or issue "significant" new tenders. Existing operations will continue.
A copy of the announcement had not yet been posted on the NBN site at the time of this writing.
Alcatel-Lucent recently won a contract from NBN Co. worth at least AUS$70 million for GPON gear. Needless to say, the total value of that deal now becomes uncertain.