TLAB

Tellabs Inc

A maker of fiber-based networking gear that helps phone companies, airports, and railways modernize their networks, with its Optical LAN technology replacing bulky copper wiring in places like Orlando's airport. Founded in 1975 by Michael Birck and five co-founders who sketched out the idea around a kitchen table in suburban Chicago, pooling their savings and starting on a handmade wooden workbench. The name blends "telecom" and "laboratories" — a nod to the brainstorming that launched it.