Fore Systems Inc has acquired Los Gatos, California-based CellAccess Technology Inc as a way to provide low-cost systems for connecting remote office local networks and circuit applications (such as voice and video) into wide area Asynchronous Transfer Mode networks. Fore paid over 711,000 new shares, valuing CellAccess at $45.5m. The acquisition, completed last month, is immaterial for financial accounting purposes. Of prime interest to Fore are the CAT-1500 and CAT2500 Broadband Multiplexers. The software-defined systems offer T1 and E1 communications respectively, and provide up to four interfaces supporting fractional T1/E1, Nx64Kbps serial, and Ethernet, enabling users to consolidate PABX trunking, videoconferencing and Ethernet bridging over the wide area network. They can be configured for Asynchronous Mode, Frame Relay, Switched Multimegabit Data Services, or Time Division Multiplexing, and migrated from one to another via a software download, but Fore plans to concentrate on Asynchronous Transfer. Fore says it will pitch them as low-cost alternatives to wide area network routers and switches as not all sites require or can justify a switch, according to Bob Schiff, marketing director for wide area network access products. Fore will run CellAccess as a development group at its current headquarters. Fore’s ForeThought internetworking software will be added to the multiplexers, and network management will be added via its ForeView. Fore bought CellAccess rather than developing products in-house as its focus has been on the Asynchronous Transfer local network side of things, says Schiff, who added that Fore will continue its expansion into other Asynchronous Transfer markets through partnerships or, possibly, acquisitions.
