Claiming the world’s major communications manufacturers are paying lip service to the concept of OSI, the UK’s Integrated Business Networks Ltd, IBN, is claiming that its Ethernet local area network LS8023 transceiver is the first to conform to the IEEE 802.3 standard. The UK’s independent testing unit, The Networking Centre, has passed 107 conformance tests for IBN’s product, adding that other suppliers that claim Open Systems Interconnection – conformance are attempting to mislead the industry; the Centre’s David Allen predicts that litigation is likely to be brought by companies who purchased equipment under the impression that their products are OSI conformant. IBN forecasts legislation, such as the EEC 87/95 directive, will put pressure on government bodies to use conformant products whenever available; it also hopes to capitalise on a growing market for networking personal computers. Tring, Hertfordshire-based IBN claims 1,500 of the transceivers have been sold, after one year on the market in Europe; it sells them through installation companies at UKP220 apiece. The company was set up in 1987 by Chris Radcliffe, former director of development at BICC Data Networks Ltd.
