Cisco unveils hardware, software products

SAN JOSE: Cisco Systems Inc., the biggest maker of computer-networking

equipment, on Monday announced 12 telephony products based on Internet Protocol,

the lingua franca of the Internet, that run on a network carrying voice, video

and data.

The announcements by Cisco, their largest in recent memory, come as the

company and other data-networking and telecommunications equipment vendors

suffer from declining sales and large losses.

The decline in capital spending on telecommunications equipment is forecast

to accelerate next year, according to Merrill Lynch, which expects sales to fall

17 per cent in 2002 to $87 billion, following an 11 per cent contraction in 2001

to $104 billion.

But Cisco, along with other high-tech titans with billions in cash on its

balance sheet, such as Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., are continuing to invest

in new technologies and research and development to gain market share now and to

be positioned well when demand returns.

The products are a combination of both hardware and software, Cisco said. On

the software side, San Jose, California-based Cisco's new products include Cisco

CallManager 3.2, Cisco Emergency Responder, Media Gateway Control Protocol and

the Cisco IP Contact Center bundle.

New hardware products include the Cisco VG 248 voice analog gateway, which

lets customers still use their traditional analog phones, faxes and other public

branch exchange, or PBX, equipment until they install all digital, all Internet

Protocol equipment.

Cisco also announced the Catalyst 4200 switch. The Catalyst 4200 switch helps

lower costs for branch offices by using converged IP voice, video and data

routing and switching functions through a single two-rack unit box.

Many of the products are available now, while all of then will be available

by Dec. 31, Cisco said.

(C) Reuters Limited.