Tropic pairs with Scientific Atlanta

Tropic Networks announced an original equipment manufacturer partnership with Scientific Atlanta today wherein the latter will sell and support its products in the North American cable market.

Specifics on the arrangement and its degree of exclusivity were scarce, however. For example, it's unknown whether Alcatel, which also sells Tropic's products, is prohibited from selling to North American cable companies.

Increasing bandwidth demands have provoked a need for wavelength transport products among cable companies, Scientific Atlanta said, and the management and monitoring capabilities in Tropic's optical add/drop multiplexers are particularly important to those customers.

When asked if Scientific Atlanta would be making a financial or equity investment in Tropic (as did Alcatel, when it partnered with Tropic last year), both companies declined to comment. "We can't talk about it at this time," a Scientific Atlanta spokesperson said.

Tropic would not reveal how many customers it has so far in the North American cable market. According to research analysis firm RHK, Fujitsu Network Communications took more than 80% of the metro ROADM market in 2004, mainly through success among customers in the cable industry. Fujitsu recently announced a new release of its Flashwave ROADM that, it claims, includes wavelength-selective switching (WSS), which allows carriers to switch wavelengths from one ring to another rather than just add or drop them. Tropic has no immediate plans to offer WSS in its product line.