NEWBRIDGE NETWORKS

Newbridge Networks provides networking products such as integrated T-1/T-3 multiplexer product and switching systems. It was founded by Welsh-Canadian entrepreneur Sir Terry Matthews in 1986 to create data and voice networking products after Matthews was forced out of his original company Mitel. Newbridge quickly became a major market player in this area using the voice switching and software engineering expertise that was prevalent in the Ottawa area. The company initially had innovative c... hannelbank products, which allowed telcos with existing wiring to offer a wide variety of new services. Newbridge also offered (for the time) the industry's most innovative network management (46020 NMS) and ISDN TAP 3500, RS-232C 3600 Mainstreet PC 4601A and Mac ACC ""River"" Routers networking products, including distributed star-topology routing through both proprietary software over the unused facilities' data links in optical hardware and telco switches. Newbridge was purchased and absorbed by Alcatel in late February 2000 for over $7 billion in stock. With this transaction, Matthews became the single largest shareholder in Alcatel.