Paris, France, February 26, 2002 - Alcatel Optronics, CyOptics and Oki Electric Industry Co. (Oki Electric), three leading companies in the electro-absorption (EA) domain, announces the launch of a joint effort to define a multi-source agreement (MSA) for 40 Gbit/s electro-absorption modulator-based products. With its small footprint, high compactness and low electrical power consumption, electro-absorption technology is very well suited to 40 Gbit/s optical interconnection applications and long distance WDM telecommunication transmissions.

To allow customers to benefit from the availability of compatible devices, Alcatel Optronics, CyOptics and Oki Electric recognize the importance of standardizing their respective 40 Gbit/s electro-absorption based products. The three companies will work closely to define a MSA as soon as possible. This MSA is expected to have multiple phases. The first one covers pin-out and footprint standardization and is expected to be completed by the end of 2002. This will be followed immediately by standardization of the performance specification.

"We are proud to extend the previously demonstrated advantages of MSAs to 40 Gbit/s modulation, providing a future proof solution allowing our customers to be confident of their 40 Gbit/s development," explained Philippe Bregi, Chief Operating Officer of Alcatel Optronics. "Our company will continue to push standardization of optical components as it is the best way for system houses to avoid costly and time consuming system redesigns."

"This MSA will benefit our customers by significantly lowering the risk of adopting a cutting edge technology. CyOptics is very excited to be part of this co-operation effort with other EAM suppliers," said John Pilitsis, CEO of CyOptics.

"Oki believes this kind of joint effort for the MSA is definitely important to make customers accelerate, more significantly,the adoption of the 40Gbit/s EA modulator/driver on transmission systems,"said Tetsuzo Taniguchi, President of Optical Components Company at Oki Electric.

The electro-absorption technology is used in compact products such as Electro-Absorption Modulators (EAM) and Electro-absorption Modulator Lasers (EML) with the possibility to integrate a driver circuit in the module. Thanks to its high bandwidth and low drive voltage, electro-absorption technology helps reduce power consumption and allows tighter integration within system cards.