Acterna Selects Altera APEX(TM) for TestPad 2000

APEX(TM) High-Speed I/O Used in Industry's Lightest 10-Gig Solution For Optical Network Verification

SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Altera APEX(TM) programmable logic devices (PLDs) are a part of the world's lightest portable solution for testing 10-gigabit signals on optical networks, Altera Corporation (Nasdaq: ALTR - news) announced today. Acterna, the world's leader in optical transport network testing and management, chose Altera's system-on-a-programmable chip (SOPC) solution based on an APEX because of its ability to integrate several system-level features, including high-speed I/O, into a single device while maintaining the highest degree of design flexibility. Weighing less than 9 pounds (4.1 kg), the Acterna TestPad 10-Gig Field Services Module enables rapid deployment and maintenance of high-speed optical networks.

In designing the optical network tester to support signal testing at OC-192/OC-192c and STM-64/STM-64c data rates, the developers of the Acterna TestPad 10-Gig module sought a single-chip solution that could be connected directly to an optical transceiver module to perform SONET overhead processing. Connecting directly to the optical transceiver required a device that could support over 600 Mbps data transfers. After investigating the available programmable logic offerings, Acterna chose Altera's SOPC solution because of the high speed provided by its APEX devices' True-LVDS(TM).

"Optical network testing is an important, growing market that Altera has committed to support," emphasized Jeff Lamparter, director of Altera 's industrial market strategy. "The high degree of system integration Acterna achieved by using APEX, contributing to their ability to offer the world's lightest portable product for this market, underscores this commitment."

For more information about APEX 20KE PLDs, go to: http://www.altera.com/products/devices/apex/apx-index.html

For more information about True-LVDS, go to: http://www.altera.com/products/devices/apex/apx-true_lvds.html

For more information about the TestPad 2000 10-Gig Field Services Module, go to: http://www.acterna.com/products/testpad2000/2510/index.html

About Altera

Altera Corporation, The Programmable Solutions Company®, was founded in 1983 and is a leading supplier of programmable logic devices (PLDs). Altera's CMOS-based PLDs are user-programmable semiconductor chips that enhance flexibility and reduce time-to-market for companies in the communications, computer peripheral, and industrial markets. By using high performance devices, software development tools, and sophisticated intellectual property cores, system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solutions can be created with embedded processors, memory, and other complex logic together on a single PLD. Altera common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol ALTR. More information on Altera is available on the Internet at http://www.altera.com .

NOTE: Altera, The Programmable Solutions Company, the stylized Altera logo, specific device designations and all other words that are identified as trademarks and/or service marks are, unless noted otherwise, the trademarks and service marks of Altera Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other product or service names are the property of their respective holders.