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General DataComm Industries Completes Phase One of Broadband Network in Montgomery County, Maryland

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

In a major milestone, General DataComm Industries, Inc. has completed Phase One of a comprehensive broadband network in Montgomery County, Maryland. The project, designed and developed by ARINC, Inc., features 10 GDC APEX(R) ATM switches and aims to provide a multi-million dollar broadband infrastructure for the county. This network, termed "FiberNet," will create an interconnected web of communications links among public safety divisions, health care facilities, and educational institutions, reducing costs and boosting communications services throughout the county.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Montgomery County broadband network is a multi-million dollar project that will provide advanced data communications services to hundreds of government sites, including police stations, health care facilities, and schools.
  • The network features 10 GDC APEX(R) ATM switches, about 5 percent of the total network that will be constructed over the next several years.
  • ARINC, Inc. designed, developed, and installed the network, which will be managed by ProSphere(R), a standards-compliant, open-architecture network management system.
  • The network will support concurrent services, including voice, data, and video, and will enable police officers to simultaneously transmit data, send and receive high-speed email, and participate in video conferencing.
  • GDC's VITAL Network Services organization will provide remote network monitoring management, maintenance, and on-site service for the ATM backbone.
  • The decision to select ARINC and GDC came after an extensive technical evaluation that considered the need for efficient and economical delivery of advanced data communications.

Statistics:

  • Montgomery County has a total area of 497 square miles and a population of up to one million residents.
  • The county's disparate communications infrastructures for voice, data, and video have been combined to reduce costs and boost communications services through FiberNet.
  • The ARINC team, which developed and installed the network, has a five-year contract to connect all the county's facilities with an ATM backbone infrastructure using GDC APEX-NPX, IMX, and MAC 1 switches.
  • GDC has a comprehensive range of products and services, including DSL/Universal Access System solutions, Frame Relay Probes, and advanced network access products.
  • GDC's ProSphere(R) network management system manages the GDC network and allows for topology and fault management, service provisioning, and route table management.

Sources:

  • Business Wire, "General DataComm Industries Completes Phase One of Broadband Network in Montgomery County, Maryland" (January 17, 2000)
  • ARINC, "About ARINC"
  • General DataComm, "About General DataComm"
  • VITAL Network Services, "About VITAL Network Services"

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