SBC Signs New Agreement With AFC for Broadband Access Solutions

SBC Signs New Agreement With AFC for Broadband Access Solutions
SBC to Deploy AFC's AdvancedVoice and UniversalDSL Solutions 


PETALUMA, Calif., June 2  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AFC(R) (NASDAQ:AFCI), The
Acronym for Access(SM), today announced a new five-year contract extension with
SBC Services Inc., a subsidiary of SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC), to
provide its AdvancedVoice(SM) and UniversalDSL(SM) solutions, which leverage
AFC's industry-leading portfolio of AccessMAX(TM) integrated multiservice
access platforms (IMAPs), outside plant cabinets, and network management
systems. AFC has been a supplier of broadband access solutions to SBC since
1997. Financial terms of the new agreement were not disclosed.

"This new agreement extends a long-standing relationship between the companies,
building upon AFC's strong support of SBC initiatives to aggressively deploy
broadband services," said John Schofield, chairman, president and CEO of AFC.
"This agreement expands our addressable market to include large line size and
adjunct DSL applications, as well as residential and business fiber access.
With these solutions, SBC can seamlessly and cost- effectively evolve its
existing infrastructure to faster, more scalable next- generation networks that
will deliver a broader range of advanced voice and high-speed broadband
services."

Delivering narrowband, wideband, and broadband services, AFC's AdvancedVoice
solution enables the evolution of carrier networks at their own pace,
regardless of shifts in the regulatory environment or market trends. Carriers
can maximize their existing network investments, while providing a simple and
cost-effective path to total packetization of their access networks.

AFC's UniversalDSL solution can be deployed in both integrated (voice plus DSL)
and overlay (DSL only) applications. The Company's installed base of AccessMAX
systems -- more than 100,000 -- provides a foundation for carriers to deploy
AFC's FiberDirect(SM) solution, a carrier's most direct path to
fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP).

"We're seeing aggressive deployment of DSL from both central offices and remote
terminals by the nation's RBOCs, as evidenced by SBC's recently disclosed net
gain of nearly half a million DSL lines in the first quarter," commented Teresa
Mastrangelo, program director of broadband access at research and analyst firm
RHK. "This is a growing trend that will benefit AFC, which has been selling its
AccessMAX IMAPs into regional Bell accounts for many years."

The extensive functionality of AFC's AccessMAX allows carriers to deploy a
common platform across a wide range of key applications that include broadband
digital loop carriers, legacy DLC revitalization, overlay DSLAM, as well as
FTTP and deep-fiber overlay.

"AFC's AccessMAX product family set the mold for 21st century wireline access
platforms when introduced over a decade ago. It was the first -- and still
remains the only -- platform capable of being configured as a DLC, DSLAM, OLT
(optical line terminal), or media gateway," added Schofield. "AFC coined the
term 'integrated multiservice access platform' and the corresponding acronym
'IMAP' to signify the unification of these discrete network elements into a
single, cost-effective platform that reduces the cost of ownership for carriers
and enables unmatched network evolution."

About AFC

Headquartered in Petaluma, Calif., AFC is a leading provider of broadband
access solutions for the global telecommunications industry. With a customer
base of more than 800 service providers worldwide, AFC continues to build and
support the world's evolving broadband access network architecture. Advanced
Fibre Communications, Inc., AFC, the AFC logo, and DISC*S are registered
trademarks of Advanced Fibre Communications, Inc. AccessMAX is a trademark, and
The Acronym for Access, AdvancedVoice, FiberDirect, and UniversalDSL are
service marks of Advanced Fibre Communications, Inc. Copyright 2004. All rights
reserved. Any other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For
more information, please visit AFC online at http://www.afc.com/ or call
1-800-690-AFCI.

Except for historical information contained in this press release, the
foregoing contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and the
future performance of AFC that involve risks and uncertainties, including
statements concerning the expectation that demand for AFC's broadband access
solutions will grow. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated
by such forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and
uncertainties, including the risks regarding the timing and quantity of orders
under the new agreement; the uncertainties relating to growth in demand for
broadband services; the risk that AFC's new products will not achieve
anticipated market acceptance; the potential for business disruption and other
risks associated with AFC's pending merger with Tellabs, Inc.; and the risk
that AFC will experience increased competition due to its expanded product
offering. Information about additional potential factors that could affect
AFC's financial results is included in AFC's Annual Report on Form 10-K and
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which have been filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to revise or update these
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after today or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. 

DATASOURCE: AFC



CONTACT:  Chris Heinemann of AFC, [phone] or





Web site:  http://www.afc.com/

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