France Telecom tests Corvis optical gear

Optical networking equipment-maker Corvis said its gear is in field trials with France Telecom, the next step toward a possible sales deal for the customer-starved company. France Telecom plans to conduct tests of Corvis's CorWave equipment later this year. Columbia, Md.-based Corvis builds so-called long-haul equipment for fiber-optic networks and has been hit hard by the downturn in the fortunes of the telecommunications industry. Corvis has generated revenues from Broadwing and Williams Communications, according to its most recent quarterly earnings. It also has pending deals with Qwest Communications International, Epik Communications and Telefonica of Spain.