Remote networking specialist Ascend Communications Inc has expanded its MAX wide area network access switch product suite with the addition of three new products, a higher density modem board and the unbundling of its Hybrid Access feature from the MAX 4000 switches, which integrates analog and high-speed digital wide area network services onto the same product system. MAX additions from the Alameda, California-based company include the MAX 2000, 4002 and 4004. The MAX 2000 comes with a single T1/Primary Rate Interface port and an integrated. Channel Select Unit, an Ethernet port, a high-speed serial port or, optionally, a T1 CSU for connecting to a backbone network. Two expansion slots are available to support digital modem boards and o ther application-specific boards, supporting up to 24 analog-digital sessions. It costs $6,500. The MAX 4002 has two T1/Primary Rate Interface ports with integrated CSUs, an Ethernet port, a high-speed serial port and six expansion slots for application specific boards. Supporting up to 48 analogue-digital sessions, it has a base price of $11,000. Apart from having four T1/Primary Rate Interface ports, the MAX 4004 offers similar features to the 4002. It supports a maximum of 72 analog modem sessions and has a base price of $15,500. Hybrid Access, which comes as a standard capability only on the MAX 2002 and will be sold as a separate feature on the two new 4000 switches. It enables analog modem, ISDN, and Frame Relay traffic to run over the same high-speed trunk line. It is available in two different options: Hybrid Access64 supports up to 64 56/64Kbps digital sessions while Hybrid Access96 supports up to 96 sessions. Pricing is $1,500 for Hybrid Access64 and $3,000 for Hybrid Acc ess96. Finally, the new higher-density modem board, the DM-12, plugs into expansion slots on each of the new MAX products. Each board provides 12 digital modems – 50% more than its predecessor – and supports all popular modem standards, including V. 34, V.42 and V.42 bis. Pricing for the DM-12 is $6,250. All of the products are available immediately.
