Exhibit 23(a)

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


We  hereby  consent  to the  incorporation  by  reference  in this  Registration
Statement  on Form S-3 of our report dated  October 29, 1999,  except for Note 7
and Note 16, for which the date is December 31, 1999,  relating to the financial
statements  which appear in the 1999 Annual  Report to  Shareholders  of General
DataComm Industries,  Inc. and Subsidiaries,  which is incorporated by reference
in General DataComm  Industries,  Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended September 30, 1999. We also consent to the  incorporation  by reference of
our report dated October 29, 1999,  except for Note 7 and Note 16, for which the
date is December 31, 1999, relating to the financial  statement schedule,  which
appears in such Annual Report on Form 10-K.


                                     /S/ PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
                                     PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP


Stamford, Connecticut
September 14, 2000


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