OFC/NFOEC 2008

Fujitsu Updates FW 7500 to Broaden Platform’s Network Footprint

| Feb 21, 2008 | Optical Infrastructure | Show Update

| Analyst: Jason Marcheck

Current Perspective: Positive/Neutral Vendor Importance: High Market Impact: Moderate

Event Summary

February 20, 2008 – Fujitsu Network Communications announced several new enhancements for its FLASHWAVE 7500 ROADM. The new features include new 19 and 23-inch shelf options, a two-degree ROADM configuration, an in-service upgradeable In-Line Amplifier (ILA) and a 10 Gbps Flexponder card. The new features are available immediately and will be on display at the OFC/NFOEC conference and exhibition in San Diego on beginning Monday, February 25.

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Fujitsu’s latest round of enhancements to the FLASHWAVE 7500 ROADM (FW 7500), because while the update provides some improvements, Fujitsu did not address other key knocks against the product. To be sure, all incremental enhancements to any products are generally welcomed by customers. However, it seems equally certain that this latest round of development that went into the FW 7500 will leave these same customers wanting more.

• Vendor Importance: High to Fujitsu, because the FW 7500 is one of the vendor’s most successful equipment offerings in North America (along with the FW 4500 MSPP). To this end, addressing weaknesses in the platform, and adding new features that will help make the FW 7500 a better fit in additional parts of the network (in this case, the metro edge) represents an important step forward in keeping Fujitsu’s metro core offer in “fighting shape.”

• Market Impact: Moderate on the optical infrastructure market, because anytime a product with strong market traction is enhanced, the competition must take notice. In this case, more robust transmission capabilities and a simpler, more cost effective ROADM implementation should help Fujitsu defend its current accounts, and potentially expand the platform’s reach into new and existing accounts. At the same time, the features that Fujitsu is introducing for the FW 7500 are not exactly novel, meaning most competitors can claim to offer similar capabilities in their own metro core and edge solutions.

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