The future's bright, the future's metro: increased investment in metro optical...

The long-haul optical manufacturing business is dead -- the metro space is where the action is. Perhaps a crude exaggeration to grab your attention but evidence from the giants of optical networking suggests that at least the first half of this assertion has more than a semblance of truth about it.

Let's not forget that Nortel, the embattled Canada-based vendor, boasted sales of a staggering US$7.88 bn ([euro]8.27 bn) for its optical long-haul network division during its 2000 fiscal year. For 2001, that figure slumped by 71.1 per cent to US$2.27 bn ([euro]2.38 bn) and