NeoPhotonics Buys BeamExpress

NeoPhotonics, a global supplier of fiber-optic component and module solutions for long haul, metro and fiber-to-the-x (FTTx) networks, announced today it is acquiring BeamExpress Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

San Jose-based NeoPhotonics said the acquisition will allow it to significantly expand its product line for high-capacity enterprise networks. BeamExpress currently offers an extensive line of multimode transceivers for enterprise and storage applications. Based on CWDM (coarse wavelength division multiplexing) technology, these products include 10 Gb/s LX4 X2 and LX4 Xenpak transceivers. NeoPhotonics said BeamExpress has the capability to extend this technology to 40 Gb/s data rates and beyond.

BeamExpress started in 2001 as a privately held company specializing in the design and manufacture of 10 Gb/s fiber-optic component solutions for next generation network systems and test equipment manufacturers. BeamExpress uses proprietary technology in the packaging of multichannel transceivers and is shipping in volume from its manufacturing facilities in Asia. The acquisition of BeamExpress Inc. is independent and unrelated to the BeamExpress SA entity of Lausanne, Switzerland, which will continue to operate as an independent company.

"We were attracted by the impressive level of customer acceptance of the BeamExpress 10GbE LX4 transceivers. This is not surprising, as the company provides leading network enterprise equipment manufacturers with transceivers that are guaranteed to work 100 percent in legacy multimode fiber applications," said Tim Jenks, NeoPhotonics CEO. "NeoPhotonics has an extensive product line of transceivers for telecom, enterprise and storage area networks, including SFF, SFP and XFP transceivers with data rates up to 2.5 Gb/s and 10 Gb/s. This acquisition allows NeoPhotonics to address this important network segment of installed legacy multimode fiber with X2 and other advanced form factor transceivers."

NeoPhontics said BeamExpress represents an important complement to its three other recent (June 2006) strategic acquisitions -- LightConnect Inc., OpTun Inc., and patents concerning microelectromechanical devices (MEMS) from Memx Corp.

NeoPhotonics is exhibiting its new BeamExpress products at the China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE), booth A445 in the Shenzhen Conference and Exhibition Centre, today through Sept. 8.

For more information, visit: www.neophotonics.com