SAN JOSE, Calif. and NEPEAN, Ontario, May 30 /PRNewswire/ -- SDL, Inc.
(Nasdaq: SDLI) and JDS Uniphase (Nasdaq: JDSU; Toronto: JDU) announced an
extension to their contract through 2001 under which SDL supplies
grating-stabilized 980 nm pump lasers to JDS Uniphase for JDS Uniphase's
high-performance erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs). The contract
extension more than doubles the base quantities which were agreed upon in the
previous contract.
The SDL grating-stabilized pump laser product line features high power and
excellent reliability required for high-performance EDFA designs. With dense
wavelength division multimplexing (DWDM) channel counts rising to meet network
demand for more bandwidth, SDL's high performance, grating-stabilized pumps
are optimized and fully qualified to meet the technical requirements of JDS
Uniphase's EDFAs.
JDS Uniphase is a leading supplier of high performance EDFAs, the optical
amplifiers essential to the operation of high capacity, high-speed DWDM
telecommunications networks. Rapidly growing demand for DWDM-based bandwidth
has created a corresponding increase in demand for high performance optical
amplifiers and pump lasers.
"This agreement demonstrates the significant value that SDL pumps deliver
to leading manufacturers of EDFAs," said Donald R. Scifres, CEO and chairman
of SDL, Inc. "SDL has been a leader in developing high power,
high-reliability diode lasers for more than 15 years. Our production
capability of both the laser diode chips and the modules that house them is
among the largest in the industry. We are ramping to meet the expected demand
for pumps in both terrestrial and undersea telecommunications systems."
Scifres continued, "The move to higher channel count systems requires more
pump laser power, without sacrificing reliability. SDL's pump laser
technology is field-proven with more than 500 million device hours of
operation. We are pleased to continue our relationship with JDS Uniphase and
look forward to meeting their demand for increasing quantities of our high
performance pump lasers."
Jozef Straus, Co-Chairman and CEO of JDS Uniphase added, "We are pleased
to have SDL as a supplier of 980 nm pump lasers based on the full range of
power levels offered with grating stabilization. SDL has been an excellent
supplier to us for many years. As we grow to meet market requirements for
amplifiers with increased functionality, we look forward to continuing this
relationship with SDL as a supplier of highly reliable pump lasers with
consistent performance."
About SDL
SDL's products power the transmission of data, voice and Internet
information over fiber optic networks to meet the needs of telecommunications,
DWDM, cable television and satellite communications applications. They enable
customers to meet the bandwidth needs of increasing Internet, data, video and
voice traffic by expanding their fiber optic communications networks much more
quickly and efficiently than would be possible using conventional electronic
and optical technologies. SDL's optical products also serve a variety of non-
communications applications, including materials processing and printing.
Additional information about SDL, Inc. is available on the Internet at
http://www.sdli.com .
About JDS Uniphase
JDS Uniphase is a high technology company that designs, develops,
manufactures and distributes a comprehensive range of products for the growing
fiberoptic communications market. These products are deployed by system
manufacturers worldwide to develop advanced optical networks for the
telecommunications and cable television industries. JDS Uniphase Corporation
is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol JDSU and the
exchangeable shares of JDS Uniphase Canada Ltd. are traded on The Toronto
Stock Exchange under the symbol JDU. More information on JDS Uniphase is
available at http://www.jdsunph.com .
Statements in this press release which are not historical, including
statements regarding JDS Uniphase's or SDL's or their respective management's
intentions, strategies, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations,
projections, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Such statements include statements regarding the potential applications for
SDL pump laser products, the increased benefits they will offer to SDL's
customers, the increasing DWDM channel counts, the demand for greater
bandwidth and the corresponding increasing demand for high performance pumps
and optical amplifiers, and SDL's and JDS Uniphase's ability to meet market
demand. It is important to note that SDL's and/or JDS Uniphase's actual
results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
include either company's inability to achieve expected power and reliability
levels in commercial production quantities, customer qualification or
manufacturing of the new product, lack of market acceptance, alternative
technologies, competitors' products, and the risk factors listed from time to
time in SDL's and JDS Uniphase's respective SEC reports including but not
limited to, their annual reports on Form 10-K, and their quarterly reports on
Form 10-Q.
For more information on SDL, Inc. at no cost, please call 800-PRO-INFO
(U.S.) or 908-544-2850 (Int'l), ticker SDLI.
SOURCE SDL, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.sdli.com
CONTACT:
Donald R. Scifres, Chairman and CEO, or
Michael L. Foster, VP Finance and CFO, both of SDL, 408-943-9411;
or general info, Lisa Chainey or Marcia Nakamura, investor
contact, Susan Katz, or media, Chris Wood, all of The Financial
Relations Board, 415-986-1591
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