This six day event is in its 15th year and features essential networking, Internet and telecommunications, in spite of the ongoing telecom and PC meltdowns. For example, Sycamore Networks was traveling at Warp speed, with hypersonic stock prices and soaring sales. Other players were buying cutting edge equipment and entire companies. Second quarter sales of Sycamore are expected to be only one third of projected revenues. The stock just tanked at over $7 per share, down from a 52 week high of over $170.

On the PC side, the blue light specials are in full swing. Welcome drops in retail prices occur across the board, ranging from 5 to over 30 per cent, and it's just starting. While consumers may cheer, enterprise IT budgets are being slashed, revenues are vanishing, workers are being laid off, while most companies are just holding on, but some are even going out of business

Many companies suffering this pain are here at the show, including Microsoft, Cisco, ATT, Juniper Networks and others. I plan to talk to their executives and hear their comments and plans for future profitability.

Interop Day One

Copyright © 2001 Jim Bennett All rights reserved.