Demand for high-capacity corporate backbones, for high-speed access to the global Internet, and for trunking connections for service provider internetworking have led to growth in clear channel T3/E3 connections that has outpaced all other types and speeds of leased lines. This growth places tremendous strain on service providers and network managers who must provision and manage T3/E3 connections. The Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 Shared Port Adapters (SPAs) Version 2 offer high-density, highly manageable T3/E3 line connectivity and termination. With integrated line-interface data service units (DSUs) that allow T3/E3 lines to be directly terminated on a Cisco router, the Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs Version 2 simplify T3/E3 line management, reduce provisioning costs, and make valuable rack space available.

The Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs Version 2 are designed to provide direct connectivity to T3/E3 lines for full-duplex communications at the T3 rate of 44.736 MHz or E3 rate of 34.368 MHz. The ports are configurable as either all T3 or all E3. To support the widest range of operational environments and to offer the greatest flexibility in provisioning clear channel T3/E3 connections, the Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs Version 2 take a groundbreaking step and bring together proprietary subrate and scrambling features of T3/E3 DSU vendors Quick Eagle Networks, Larscom, ADC Kentrox, Adtran, and Verilink. Subrate support in the Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs Version 2 maximizes the application of these products in service provider environments for tiered T3 services. By simultaneously supporting interoperability with a wide range of third-party DSU vendors, the Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs Version 2 offer the flexibility to support installed equipment without committing customers to a proprietary solution.

The Cisco Clear Channel T3/E3 SPAs Version 2 are hot-swappable and support service-transparent online insertion and removal (OIR), allowing removal of the SPA without affecting the interface processor and other SPAs.