From wire services
Lucent Technologies today announced a one-year
firm fixed price $4.6 million contract with the United
States Department of the Army to provide optical
networking systems and professional services to upgrade
military communications systems at Fort Drum. The new
agreement is part of the Army's Installation Information
Infrastructure Modernization Program (I3MP) aimed at
upgrading and modernizing the voice and data
infrastructure at Army bases worldwide.
I3MP is being implemented Army-wide by Project Manager,
Defense Communications and Army Switched Systems (PM
DCASS), and the Program Executive Office, Enterprise
Information Systems (PEO EIS).
The Lucent optical network solution will provide Fort
Drum with increased bandwidth, as well as upgrades that
will enhance the network's flexibility, reliability and
security. The solution also enables data to be moved
more quickly in a cost-effective manner and provide
seamless transition of systems, databases and hardware.
In addition, Lucent Worldwide Services will supply a
wide range of professional services including
engineering, network integration, testing, and program
management.
"Lucent has a long successful track record serving
United States Department of Defense agencies. In fact,
we designed, engineered, deployed, installed, tested and
supported Fort Drum's current network," said Rick
Miller, senior vice president for Government Solutions
at Lucent Technologies. "We clearly understand the
unique, complex mission-critical needs and requirements
of today's military. Our leading-edge optical solution
will help Fort Drum transition quickly to a
next-generation network essential for personnel in the
field."
"This exciting win with Fort Drum clearly strengthens
Lucent's position as a major network integrator
delivering next-generation solutions and services that
support the Army's vision a converged network for its
installations worldwide," said Dan Bigbie, vice
president of Government Services for Lucent Worldwide
Services. "Fort Drum is utilizing the experience and
expertise of Lucent Worldwide Services to increase the
security and reliability of its network."
Lucent will provide the Army with the Metropolis(R) DMX
Access Multiplexer and the new Metropolis(R) Wavelength
Services Manager (WSM). The cost-effective solution will
move the existing optical network from a point-to-point
based infrastructure to an even more secure and reliable
multi-point structure, be it ring, mesh, hub or other
configuration. As the government needs to expand its
communications requirements, the solution is also easily
upgradeable, saving costs.
Lucent and its predecessor has had a team dedicated to
working with the Army as part of the I3MP project for
more than 11 years. In 2003, Lucent announced contracts
worth $50 million to provide network integration and
professional services for Army installations in North
America and Asia.
With thousands of units already deployed, the
Metropolis(R) DMX portfolio is being used by more than
100 customers worldwide to address the challenge they
face in their metropolitan networks. The Metropolis(R)
DMX Access Multiplexer provides next-generation SONET
functionality and serves as an integrated Ethernet over
SONET metro platform.
The Metropolis(R) Wavelength Services Manager (WSM) is a
new metro dense wavelength division (DWDM) product from
Lucent that will help customers meet their wavelength
needs in the metro access, interoffice and regional
application spaces. This marks the first time this
product has been deployed with a U.S. government
customer. It will help the government deliver wavelength
services and increase the capacity of its
infrastructure. The modular and flexible architecture of
the product reduces costs and complexity through a
common optical platform using DWDM and coarse wavelength
division multiplexing (CWDM) technologies.
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