Alcatel SA is working on a new IP router and rumors abound that the vendor is aiming to challenge Cisco Systems Inc.'s CRS-1 in the network core.

The new router would be years off, but it would give Alcatel a core-router story beyond the 7750 from TiMetra, a box that's also sold for the multiservice edge

Alcatel officials declined to comment, but some new IP router was mentioned during Tuesday's Agere Systems Inc. conference call with analysts. During the call, Agere CEO John Dickson noted the company's enterprise and networking group had added five new ASIC customers during the year "including Alcatel, for custom IP router products."

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