A networking products company that was formed in 1994 as a merger of SynOptics Communications, Santa Clara, CA and Wellfleet Communications, Billerica, MA. The name was derived from their locations: the California Bay and the Bay State. At the time of the merger, SynOptics was number #1 in hubs, and Wellfleet was number #2 in routers. In 1998, Nortel acquired Bay and made it a division of the company, then later absorbed it entirely. In addition to an extensive product line for enterprises and carriers, Bay Networks brought thousands of experienced IP professionals into Nortel. The acquisition so profoundly affected the company that it officially added "Networks" to its corporate identity to become "Nortel Networks." See Nortel Networks.