Nokia wins Broadband Access Deal from China Telecom

Nokia will supply DSL equipment to four of China Telecom's subsidiaries in Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangsu provinces. The frame agreements cover the year 2003, and call for the supply of more than 100,000 DSL lines. Nokia will supply D50 and the D500 next-generation multiservice access platform and related services. Delivery and implementation have already started. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.nokia....

Read More

Verizon Wireless and Vodafone to Offer Laptop Datacard Service

Verizon Wireless and Vodafone will develop a dual branded ‘Verizon Vodafone' laptop data card service for business customers working and traveling between the US and Europe. The service will be based on the existing Vodafone Mobile Connect Card, which lets business customers access their e-mail, Internet and corporate applications on their laptops within Vodafone's territories. Verizon Wireless and Vodafone intend to cooperate on data card hardware, service inter-connectivity, roaming and inter-operator billing. http://www.verizonwireless....

Read More

Marconi Signs Access Contract with BT, Revises Optical Agreement

BT signed a three year frame contract with Marconi for the provision of its Multi Service Access Node platform in the BT Next Generation Network project. Financial terms were not disclosed. The companies also reached agreement on revised terms of an existing optical equipment supply contract. Throughout the remainder of the contract period, Marconi will supply a minimum of 70% of BT's optical network equipment requirements. http://www.marconi....

Read More

Deutsche Telekom Launches T-Com Brand for Fixed Networks Division

Deutsche Telekom's fixed network division began operating under its own "T-Com" brand name effective 01-August-2003. Services for the fixed telecommunications network, for example T-ISDN and T-DSL, will be made available under the new brand name. In taking this step, the Deutsche Telekom Group is pursuing its strategy of focusing on four market segments: Fixed network, mobile communications, Internet and systems operations. T-Com will now join the T-Mobile, T-Online and T-Systems brands. T-Com has launched a new website. http://www.t-com...

Read More

NEC Reorganizes its R&D Efforts

NEC is reorganizing its research and technology development efforts into three domains:1) IT network integration solutions2) Semiconductor solutions3) Fundamental research (such as nanotechnology and environmental material technology). NEC plans to consolidate the eight R&D facilities it currently operates across Japan into five sites. The R&D focused on IT and network technology that was to date conducted at NEC's Central Research Laboratories, Fuchu Plant, Tamagawa Plant and its head offices will be consolidated to its Tamagawa Plant...

Read More

Siemens and Pirelli Build Optical Network in Indonesia

The Indonesian telecommunications company Indosat has commissioned Pirelli and Siemens to deliver an optical backbone for the nationwide transport of both fixed network and mobile telephony data. The three subnetworks in East Java, Jakarta-Bandung and Sumatra cover a total of more than 1376 km. The contract was valued at EUR 20 million. The companies noted that Indonesia has a population of around 220 million but a fixed-line penetration coefficient of only 3%. http://www.siemens....

Read More

Verizon to Launch SHDSL

Verizon plans to begin offering symmetric high bit-rate DSL (SHDSL) featuring variable bit rate, non -real time (VBRnrt) quality of service (QoS). The service will support symmetric rates up to 1.5 Mbps. Verizon's VBRnrt arrangement supports bursty data traffic with average and peak traffic parameters and allows SHDSL traffic to take precedence over unspecified bit rate (UBR) traffic in the network. Regular DSL traffic in the Verizon network is UBR. Verizon has already conducted successful SHDSL trials in Maryland and Florida. Verizon plans to...

Read More

Tellabs Outsources North American Manufacturing

Tellabs announced plans to outsource manufacturing of its North American products to Sanmina-SCI, resulting in the layoff of 325 employees. The company will close its manufacturing facility in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Tellabs said it is making the change to benefit from lower manufacturing costs and to free capital now tied up in equipment, inventory and facilities. Beginning in Q3, Tellabs will record an estimated $90 million to $110 million in charges connected with the outsourcing move. http://www.tellabs....

Read More

Juniper Networks Partners with ARRIS on Cable Solutions

Juniper Networks entered into a strategic partnership with ARRIS targeting solutions for Multi-Service Operators (MSOs). The co-marketing initiative combines Juniper's IP platforms with the ARRIS cable modem termination system (CMTS). As part of this partnering strategy, Juniper Networks also announced its intention to voluntarily discontinue its G-series CMTS product line. Consequently, Junipers plans to take a one-time charge of approximately $10-15 million comprised primarily of costs associated with workforce reduction, vacating facilities,...

Read More

France's Outremer Telecom Selects Redback's SmartEdge 800 Service Gateway

Outremer Telecom, a private telecommunications operator based in France, has deployed Redback Networks' SmartEdge 800 Service Gateway platform to offer high-bandwidth services to both its business and residential broadband subscribers. The SmartEdge Service Gateway platform combines subscriber management capabilities with edge routing functions. Outremer Telecom is using the SmartEdge 800 in its POPs to deliver VPN services to its corporate customers and DSL to residences. Redback said its service gateway was selected for the deployment because...

Read More

Avanex Completes Acquisitions of Alcatel Optronics, Corning Assets

Avanex completed its acquisition of Alcatel Optronics France SA, a subsidiary of Alcatel that operates the optical components division of Alcatel, and the purchase of certain assets of the photonic technologies business of Corning Incorporated. Avanex said the acquisitions give it the "necessary scale and resources to be the leading supplier of optical solutions." The combined company is headquartered in Fremont, California, and includes former Alcatel facilities in France and Scotland and former Corning facilities in the U.S. and Italy. http://www.avanex.comIn...

Read More

NETGEAR Raises $98 Million in IPO

Shares of NetGear began trading on the NASDAQ National Market under the ticker "NTGR." Net proceeds from the offering were approximately $98 million. NetGear offered seven million shares of its common stock at $14 per share. Trading ended on 31-July-2003 at $17.69. http://www.netgear....

Read More

MCI WorldCom Barred from Future Government Contracts

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will bar MCI WorldCom from receiving new U.S. federal government contracts. Specifically, the GSA concluded that "MCI WorldCom lacks the necessary internal controls and business ethics" to be eligible to compete for new government contracts. Neither GSA, nor any other U.S. federal agency, may award a new contract while MCI WorldCom is on the excluded parties list. The GSA is a centralized federal procurement and property management agency.In a press statement, MCI said it accepts the General Services...

Read More

BT's Earnings Rise on Flat Revenue Growth

BT reported strong earnings of 4.1 pence per share, up 64% compared to the period last year, despite flat quarterly revenue of £4.586 billion. The company credited financial discipline for its ability to generate free cash flow of £618 million for the quarter. Net debt has now been reduced below £9 billion, £4.4 billion less than at this time last year. Some key operating statistics: BT Operating Statistics   30-June 2003 31-Mar 2003 30-June 2002 BT Group exchange lines Business,...

Read More

Cavium Hires Intel Executive

Cavium Networks announced appointment of Rajiv Khemani as Vice President of Marketing. Khemani joins Cavium from Intel Corp., where as a Director of Marketing in its Network Processor Division, he led the product management, technical marketing and ecosystem development for Intel's network processor product line. During his five-year tenure with Intel, he also served as general manager of its high-end network processor business unit. He joined Intel through Intel's acquisition of Netboost, a venture-backed network processor startup. Before that,...

Read More

Cavium Networks Secures $18M for its Security Processors

Cavium Networks, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California, raised $18 million in an oversubscribed Series C round of funding to support its rollout of security processing chips. In the two and a half years since its founding, Cavium has introduced three security processor families, with over 20 security processor and board products, targeted for IPsec, SSL, Wireless LAN and Multiservice applications. Cavium claims over 30 customers, including several tier-1 communication OEMs, who are using its security chips in VPN gateways, SSL VPNs, wireless...

Read More

U.S. Court Issues $4.26B Judgment to Motorola in Telsim Case

A U.S. District Court issued a $4.26 billion judgment against the Uzan family of Turkey, ruling that the Uzans perpetrated massive fraud against Motorola. The court ruled that the Uzans fraudulently induced Motorola to loan $1.8 billion to Telsim Mobil Telekomunikasyon Hizmetleri A.S. ("Telsim"), a telecommunications entity owned and controlled by the Uzan family. Members of the Uzan family and the companies they control have been ordered by the court to pay Motorola $2.13 billion in compensatory damages and another $2.13 in punitive damages. ...

Read More

net.com and Digiquant Enter Alliance

Network Equipment Technologies (net.com) and Digiquant entered into a product and marketing alliance focused on carrier-class VoIP solutions. The alliance combines net.com's SHOUTIP programmable packet telephony platform with Digiquant's Internet Management System (IMS), a software solution that authorizes and bills for network usage. Together the products deliver a fault-tolerant, distributed system that allows service providers to offer and precisely bill for services such as calling cards, toll bypass, and wholesale voice offerings. http://www.net.com...

Read More

Comcast Increases Subscriber Forecasts, Network Integration Proceeding Well

Comcast increased its 2003 guidance for subscriber growth and financial performance following significant gains during Q2, which normally is a seasonally slow quarter. Pro forma Comcast Cable revenue for the quarter was $4.379 billion (not including QVC), representing a 9.2% increase over the $4.009 billion in the second quarter of 2002. QVC's consolidated revenues for the quarter were $1.101 billion, an increase of 11.3%. Last month, Comcast agreed to sell its 57% stake in QVC to Liberty Media for $7.9 billion. Some highlights for the quarter:Comcast...

Read More

AT&T and Oracle Collaborate on Managed Hosting, Outsourcing Contract

Michael Baker Corporation, an engineering and energy management firm based in Pittsburgh, awarded a three-year, multi-million dollar managed hosting and application management outsourcing contract to AT&T and Oracle. Oracle will manage Baker's applications with its E-Business Suite Outsourcing services; AT&T will provide managed hosting services from one of its Internet Data Centers that support 24x7 monitoring and maintenance and includes performance-based SLAs. http://www.att.com http://www.oracle....

Read More

Cisco Systems Ships its 2 Millionth IP Phone

Cisco Systems reached a major milestone by shipping its 2 millionth IP phone. The milestone phone was delivered to SouthTrust Corp., a bank that has replaced over 10,000 traditional phones on its legacy circuit-based PBX network in favor of a new virtual Enterprise IP PBX. The new system employs more than 10,000 Cisco IP Phones. http://www.cisco.comIn August of 2002, Cisco announced that it reached the 1 million milestone for shipped IP phones. Its first IP phone was introduced in 19...

Read More

UTStarcom Wins New IP-DSLAM Contract with China Netcom

China Netcom Corporation awarded UTStarcom its second major contract to deploy over 100,000 lines of its AN-2000 IB IP-based DSLAM solution in ten major cities in the Inner Mongolia, Shandong, and Shanxi Provinces. UTStarcom said the new contract will bring its total IP-DSLAM deployments to more than 500,000 ADSL lines within multiple provinces in China. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.utstar....

Read More

Charter Continues to Lose Video Subscribers, Cable Modem Growth Slows

Charter Communications reported Q2 revenues of $1.217 billion, an increase of 7.0% over last year's second quarter revenues of $1.137 billion. Income from operations totaled $112 million in Q2 2003, an increase of 31.8% from a year ago. Net loss was $38 million, or $0.13 per share. Charter said Q2 traditionally is weak in terms of subscriber growth due to disconnects from annual price adjustments and seasonality in many of its communities. Some highlights from the end of the quarter:Revenue generating units (RGU) totaled approximately 10,463,500,...

Read More

Lucent Wins Two Optical Contracts with China's Guangdong Eastern Fibernet

Guangdong Eastern Fibernet Company (GEFC) awarded two contracts to Lucent Technologies for expansion of its SDH and DWDM network across Guangdong province. Under the contracts, Lucent's LambdaUnite MSSs will be deployed to form the core ring of the SDH network in the cities of Guangzhou, JiangMmn and Shenzhen. This core ring will connect the metro rings formed by Lucent Metropolis ADM in Zhaoqing, Zhanjiang, Jieyang, Shantou and Huizhou. GEFC also will deploy Lucent's WaveStar ITM-SC network management system to help integrate the new hardware...

Read More

AOL 9.0 Optimized for Broadband

America Online introduced the latest version of its AOL and AOL for Broadband software. The major improvements in the AOL 9.0 release include better anti-spam filters, new instant messaging features for starting phone conversations and sharing files, email enhancements, McAfee Personal Firewall Express for broadband users, multiple simultaneous log-ins for up to seven screen names on one broadband account, and an enhanced Video@AOL media player supporting multiple formats. http://www.aol....

Read More

China Telecom Selects Nortel Networks in Zhejiang, Hubei

China Telecom awarded two contracts to Nortel Networks covering the deployment of Shasta 5000 Broadband Service Nodes (BSNs) in Zhejiang province, and Shasta 5000 BSNs and Nortel Networks Passport 8600 Routing Switches in Hubei province. The Shasta 5000 BSN supports wholesale dial, DSL, fixed and mobile wireless, metro optical and Ethernet extension, ATM, Frame Relay and leased-line subscribers. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.nortelnetworks....

Read More

Deutsche Telekom Tests Marconi's Core Optical Switches

Deutsche Telekom is using specially enhanced versions of Marconi's MSH family of optical switches to form the intelligent core of its Global Seamless Network (GSN) research and demonstration project. Deutsche Telekom has installed four nodes comprising Marconi's core optical switches at sites in Berlin and Darmstadt. Each node is connected to the others with an advanced WDM system, also supplied by Marconi. The nodes are equipped with a distributed control plane based on the latest ASTN standards. The ASTN control plane automates multiple network...

Read More

Cox Anticipates VoIP Rollout in 2004, Revenues Up 14% in Q2

Cox Communications, the fourth largest cable operator in the US, reported Q2 revenue of $1.4 billion, an increase of 14% over Q2 2002 and up from $1.366 billion in the prior quarter. Cox continues to gain traction in advanced services (including digital cable, high-speed Internet access and telephony). It also cited higher basic cable rates and a $5 price increase on monthly high-speed Internet access adopted in certain markets in Q4 2002 for its 14% increase in revenues year-over-year.Some highlights, as of 30-June-2003:6.3 million basic video...

Read More

Broadcom Introduces 10 Gigabit Ethernet Multi-Layer Switch for Enterprises

Broadcom introduced a 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) multi-layer switch that delivers wire-speed Layer 2 through Layer 7 switching and routing capabilities over a 10GBASE-CX4 copper medium (CX4). The highly integrated single-chip device could be used to build stackable 24- and 48-port Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switches with multiple 10GbE interfaces in a compact 1U form factor. Broadcom said the rapid transition from Fast Ethernet to Gigabit Ethernet for desktop and notebook computers has accelerated the need for GbE stacking switches in the wiring...

Read More

Grand River Mutual Deploys Turin Platform

Grand River Mutual Telephone, the largest telephone co-operative in Missouri, will deploy Turin Networks' flagship Traverse Platform in a new RUS-financed OC-192 SONET network spanning its exchanges in northern Missouri and southern Iowa. Turin's Traverse platform integrates SONET Add-Drop Multiplexer (ADM), digital cross connect (DCS) and edge switch functionality in a single compact system that scales from DS1 to OC-192 per system slot. In addition to SONET transport, Grand River is using the Turin equipment to aggregate traffic from Ethernet-based...

Read More

ST Demonstrates EoVDS for the First Mile

STMicroelectronics demonstrated Ethernet over VDSL (EoVDSL) in the First Mile (EFM) at the IEEE802 plenary meeting in San Francisco last week. The company said traditional DSL deployments have used ATM framing as the physical interface for copper in the last mile, but that it was seeing a strong interest in Ethernet for delivering voice and data communication to the home. ST's Zipperwire VDSL chipset, which was introduced in March 2003, delivers aggregate bit rates in excess of 100 Mbps over short loops. http://www.st.com/V...

Read More

D-Link Introduces New SOHO/SMB Gigabit Switches

D-Link introduced a new line of Gigabit Ethernet switches with pricing under $30 per port. The line-up includes a 5-port and an 8-port 10/100/1000 switch, both of which are aimed at Small Office Home Office (SOHO) and small to medium businesses (SMB). http://www.dlink....

Read More

Taiwan's HiNet Selects Juniper's E-series

HiNet, Taiwan's leading ISP, selected Juniper Networks' E-series platform for its island-wide broadband network. HiNet, which is a subsidiary of the incumbent carrier Chunghwa Telecom, currently has more than 1.5 million DSL subscribers. The company has been using Juniper's E-series for more than a year. The new order will help it double revenues from value-added services and boost subscriber numbers to 4.5 million by the end of 2003. Juniper's E-series combines IP routing, IP service creation and subscriber management in a single platform. It...

Read More

Thailand's AWC Selects UTStarcom's IP-PAS

Asia Wireless Communication Company (AWC), a subsidiary of TelecomAsia Public Company, selected UTStarcom's IP-Based PAS (Personal Access System) for deployment in key business districts in the Bangkok metropolitan area. Further contracts will be awarded to cover other parts of the business and residential areas in Bangkok. The equipment will be used to rehabilitate the carrier's existing Personal Handyphone System (PHS) network, which covers approximately 1,600 square kilometers of central Bangkok and has more than 600,000 subscribers. http:/...

Read More

Virginia's CavTel offers DSL for $25/month, No Contract

Cavalier Telephone, a facilities-based CLEC based in Virginia, began offering a DSL service priced at $25 per month with free modem, free installation and no contract. Cavalier recently entered into an agreement with Paradyne to deploy ADSL2 technology for faster link speeds. The company said it believes its DSL price to be the lowest in the U.S.Cavalier has just completed a significant upgrade in its Baltimore/Washington DC network to a fully redundant fiber backbone. The network upgrade eliminates Cavalier's dependence on any third-party carrier...

Read More

Linksys Offers 802.11 b/g Game Adapters

Linksys, a division of Cisco Systems, introduced a Wireless-B Game Adapter and a Wireless-G Game Adapter for connecting PlayStation2, Xbox, or GameCube consoles to a broadband connection. A pair of Game Adapters could also be used to form a "cable-less cable" between two game consoles for head-to-head gaming -- in the same room or all the way across the house. The Wireless-B Game Adapter will have an estimated street price of $79 while the Wireless-G will be $129. http://www.linksys....

Read More

TI Acquires Radia Communications for 802.11 RF

Texas Instruments (TI) acquired Radia Communications, a start-up developing radio frequency (RF) semiconductor, subsystem, signal processing and networking technologies for 802.11 WLAN multi-band/multi-mode radios. TI and Radia have already developed joint reference designs for 802.11b/g and 802.11a/b/g products as partners, and have customers signed up for the TI and Radia components in those reference designs. TI said its customers now have a single source for their WLAN media access controller (MAC), baseband and RF. Radia is based in Sunnyvale,...

Read More

AT&T to Add DSL to its Residential Service Bundle

AT&T will begin offering a new residential DSL option as part of its consumer communications bundle of local and long distance voice services. The offer is now generally available in the state of New York and will be expanded nationwide. The DSL bundle is being promoted at $19.95 a month for the first three months and $39.95 a month thereafter. The DSL network is being provided by Covad Communications. http://www.att.comCovad has previously announced DSL partnerships with America Online, EarthLink, Sprint, Speakeasy, MegaPath and XO.As of...

Read More

FCC to Collect $269 Million in Regulatory Fees for 2003

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates it will collect $269 million in regulatory fees for FY 2003 from over 2,200 companies in 47 regulated categories -- such as television, radio, cable, wireless telephone, interstate telephone, satellite, paging/messaging, and microwave. The fees are largely used to recover the regulatory costs associated with the Commission's enforcement, policy and rulemaking, user information, and international activities. All regulatory fees are due by 24-September-2003. http://www.fcc.govIn February 2003,...

Read More

Internet Photonics and Jedai Broadband Enter Cable Partnership

Internet Photonics and Jedai Broadband Networks have formed a partnership aimed at cable operators. The alliance combines Internet Photonics' LightStack family of Optical Ethernet multi-service switching and transport products and the Jedai FrontRunner 3200 Access Switch Router family. The Jedai FrontRunner 3200 supports 10/100BaseT, 100BaseFX, T1/E1 and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. At a cable operators' hub, Internet Photonic's LightStack MX or LightStack GSLAM can aggregate or switch the traffic of several FrontRunner 3200 access systems for...

Read More

Nortel Networks Announces New Security Products

Nortel Networks announced new products, product enhancements and a security partner program for enterprise customers. The line-up includes:a new Alteon Operating System (AOS) 21.0 software release, currently available for Alteon Application Switch products, that provides Advanced Denial of Service (DoS) Protection, fault-tolerant Web Services enabled by Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) inspection for Web Services-aware traffic management, and intelligent peer-to-peer application management.a new Alteon...

Read More

Equipe Adds MPLS LSR Functionality to its E3200 Platform

Equipe Communications released a software upgrade that adds MPLS LSR functionality to the native ATM switching and ATM/MPLS Interworking support of its E3200 platform. Equipe said having all three functionalities in a single platform is the key for making an MPLS core a reality for incumbent Layer 2 service providers. Unlike router-based implementations of MPLS, the Equipe 3200 offers the ability to Interwork ATM and MPLS or switch both in their native formats; provide per-connection traffic guarantees and operational visibility for all traffic...

Read More

Canada's SaskTel Selects Lucent for Optical Upgrade

SaskTel, the incumbent service provider in Saskatchewan, Canada, will deploy Lucent Technologies' new optical management system to provide real-time provisioning and virtually instantaneous restoration of its optical backbone. Under the contract, Lucent will supply products from its Metropolis DMX family of access multiplexers and optical amplifiers from its Metropolis Wavelength Extension Solution to build regional transport rings in the province of Saskatchewan. Lucent will also supply the new Navis Optical Management System (OMS). SaskTel is...

Read More

Centillium Revenues up 22% Sequentially, Cites 24 Mbps DSL in Japan

Centillium Communications reported Q2 revenue of $33.9 million, a 22% increase from the $27.8 million of revenues for Q1 2003, and a decrease of 1% from revenues of $34.4 million for Q2 2002. The GAAP net loss for Q2 was $511,000, or $0.01 per share. Centillium said the DSL market in Japan continues to grow, adding approximately 1.2 million new subscribers in Q2, for a total of 8.3 million lines in use at the end of June nationwide. Japan is a key marker for Centillium, where its customers are migrating to silicon systems supporting 24 Mbps...

Read More

MCI Launches Review of Least Cost Routing Operations

MCI hired Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, a law firm based in Washington D.C., to investigate competitor claims surrounding the company's handling of call routing and access fees. MCI said it routes approximately 8% of its traffic to Least Cost Routing (LCR) companies, which it claims are legitimate businesses that provide long-distance and competitive local exchange carriers with an alternative to terminate traffic and reduce access fees. The company denied charges that some secure U.S. government traffic could have been compromised in any way....

Read More

Eutelsat selects Alcatel to build HOT BIRD 7A satellite

Eutelsat selected Alcatel to build a new HOT BIRD 7A communications satellite. The original HOT BIRD 7 satellite was lost during a launch in December 2002. In addition to the original specifications, HOT BIRD 7A's mission has been expanded to provide additional back-up and replacement capacity at Eutelsat's key orbital slot, 13 degrees East. The new satellite will be based on Alcatel Space's Spacebus 3000 B3 platform. Launch is planned for the autumn of 2005. http://www.alcatel.comOn 11-December-2002, Arianespace's first Ariane 5 rocket carrying...

Read More

Alcatel Returns to Profitability

Alcatel returned to profitability in Q2, with all of its major segments at break-even or better. Reported quarterly sales were EUR 3.149 billion, up 6% compared to the previously quarter but down 26% compared to Q2 2002. Alcatel said its restructuring is on-track and starting to deliver positive results, despite a weak telecom environment overall. Some highlights:revenues for Fixed Communications (service providers) increased sequentially by 6.8% to EUR 1.405 billionrevenues for Mobile Communications increased sequentially by 4.5% to EUR 834 millionrevenues...

Read More

Verizon's DSL Growth Slows and UNE-P Loss Continues, Strong Free Cash Flow

Verizon Communications added 101,000 net DSL customers in Q2, compared to 160,000 net additions in Q1. On the financial front, Verizon reported operating revenues of $16.8 billion for Q2 2003, compared to $16.3 billion in the preceding quarter. The company described the quarter as very solid, especially for strong growth in wireless and long distance services. Key metrics include:Verizon Wireless: 1.2 million net retail customer additions, up 10 percent from last year's quarter (1.3 million total net customer additions); record-low churn; strong...

Read More

Telefónica Reaches 1.9 Million ADSL Subscribers

The Telefónica Group reported growth in semi-annual revenues, EBITDA and operating profits, which grew 5.2%, 10.7% and 22.8%, respectively. Strong free cash flow from operations and reduced CAPEX and OPEX was used to cut the company's net debt by EUR 2.5 billion to EUR 19.9 billion. By geographical region, Spain now accounts for 62% of the Group's overall revenues, compared to 55% a year ago. ADSL connections across the whole Telefónica Group totaled 1.9 million at the end of June 2003, up 88% over a year ago. Spain accounted for 1.3 million...

Read More

Telecom Italia acquires Germany's HanseNet

Telecom Italia will acquire HanseNet Telekommunikation GmbH, a broadband operator with approximately 80,000 subscribers in the Hamburg area. HanseNet is a facilities based operator that uses unbundled local loop elements for local access. The deal was valued at EUR 250 million. http://www.telecomitalia...

Read More

Airspan Introduces Major Improvements in its Wireless DSL

Airspan Networks announced increases in performance, capacity and operational range for its non-line-of-sight broadband wireless platform, which operates in frequencies between 1.9 and 4.0 GHz. Specific improvements include an improved link budget of up to 165dB using high gain subscriber antennas; higher capacity CPE units supporting 2.3 Mbps downstream and 1.5 Mbps upstream of IP and four 64 kbps PCM voice lines; and better latency of 1ms for 64 kbps for voice Lines and less than 12ms for IP traffic. A new compact Base Station delivers 170...

Read More

MIPI Alliance to Define Open Standards for Mobile Application Processors

The Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) Alliance, a new industry initiative backed by ARM, Nokia, STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments, announced its charter to define and promote open standards for interfaces to mobile application processors. The MIPI Alliance is intended to complement existing standards bodies such as the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) and 3GPP. While these organizations focus on services and air interfaces, respectively, the MIPI Alliance is focused on microprocessors, peripherals and software interfaces. The alliance...

Read More

France Telecom Stabilizes Local Competitive Threat

France Telecom said the impact of the opening of the local telecommunications market to competition, which affected its telecommunication revenues in 2002, has substantially subsided. The quarterly decline in revenues from fixed line telephony in France slowed to 2.0% in Q2 2003 compared to a decrease of 4.8% in Q1 2003 and a decrease of 7.5% in Q4 2002. France Telecom's market share in local traffic in June 2003 amounted to 77.8% compared to 79.1% in March 2003, representing a decrease of 1.3 points over the second quarter compared to a decrease...

Read More

MCI Offers Managed Enterprise Content Delivery Service

MCI introduced a Managed Enterprise Content Delivery Service (ECDS) designed for distributing enterprise-wide applications including streaming video and distance learning over an enterprise Frame Relay, IP, ATM, Private IP or private line network. MCI's service offers built-in security, load balancing, cache pre-population, content redirection, distribution and control via a Web-based portal. http://www.mci....

Read More

Telenor Offers Mobile Packet Data Service for Aviation Customers

Telenor is launching Mobile Packet Data Service (MPDS) that provides satellite-based connectivity for aircraft. The service is aimed at Internet applications including Web access, file transfer, e-mail, and remote monitoring in the commercial aviation industry. The Telenor service is based on Inmarsat's Swift64 technology. http://www.telenor.comIn October 2002, Telenor Satellite Services launched "Sealink," a service that provides broadband capabilities on a leased basis to ships at sea. Sealink provides turn-key managed communications solutions...

Read More

MSN Attracts 350 Million Worldwide Users Each Month

Microsoft is attracting 350 million unique worldwide users per month to its MSN network of sites, a 17% increase since September 2002. More than 100 million users are using the free MSN Messenger service per month. MSN is currently offering localized versions in 34 markets globally and in 18 languages. Microsoft said its claim to 350 million unique users was verified by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. http://www.microsoft....

Read More

Wanadoo Adds 206,000 Broadband Subscribers in Q2

Wanadoo, the Internet division of France Telecom, added 445,000 new broadband customers during first six months of 2003, including 206,000 during Q2 alone. For the first six months of 2003, Wanadoo had revenues of EUR 1.227 billion, up 34% over the year-earlier period. This increase was led by a 64% jump in revenues from international business, which totaled EUR 305 million EURs for the period. Growth is also being fueled by broadband services and portal revenues. Some additional highlights:As of 30-June-2003, Wanadoo had 8.807 million Internet...

Read More

Terra Lycos Reaches 477,000 ADSL Users

Terra Lycos, the Internet portal of the Telefónica Group, was serving 477,000 ADSL customers as of 30-June-2003, up by 26% compared to December 2002 and up by 59% compared to a year ago. Overall, Terra Lycos had 3.6 million customers paying for access, communications and portal services, an increase of 59% compared to a year ago. Revenues increased 11% compared to a year ago to EUR 321 million and the EBITDA loss was EUR 28 million. http://www.telefonica.esDuring the first half of 2003, Terra and Telefónica de España began marketing a mundoADSL...

Read More

eXchange @ 200 PAUL Builds Carrier Hotel Momentum

eXchange @ 200 PAUL, a major carrier hotel and colocation facility in San Francisco, has opened a second facility in nearby Santa Clara, California. The new facility is already serving a number of carrier customers, including Verizon Global Networks, SBC Communications, WilTel Communications, Qwest, Neopolitan Networks, Looking Glass Networks, Silicon Valley Power and Tyco Telecom. Between its two facilities, eXchange @ 200 Paul now has over 42 carriers and IP service providers.The original eXchange @ 200 PAUL facility is currently providing 65...

Read More

Equant Offers Outsourced Cache Management Service

Equant is launching a managed caching service that could help multinational companies reduce their IP VPN traffic by as much as 40% while improving response-time for some Web-enabled applications by 95%. The new service uses Network Appliance's caches installed at the customer premise. Corporate VPN caches are especially effective for commonly accessed intranet pages, MS Office documents and e-learning applications. As a managed service, Equant provides 24X7 monitoring, maintenance of caches, and service level agreements for parameters such...

Read More

EC Reduces Regulations for Leased Lines

As part of the new regulatory framework for electronic communications the European Commission repealed former directives that required incumbent operators to provide leased line circuits throughout their territories. One of the principles of the new framework is that regulation must be removed when competition is delivering the desired result. In the case of leased lines, this means that national regulatory authorities in EU member States will be able to remove the obligation for an operator to provide some or all of the leased line types in the...

Read More

New EC Framework on Electronic Communications Goes into Effect

The European Commission implemented a new regulatory framework aimed at harmonizing the policies and enforcing the legal certainty of laws pertaining to electronic communications across the member states of the European Union. The new regulatory framework, which went into effect on 25-July-2003, gives the European Commission powers to oversee the national regulatory regimes of member states through a consultative process with their national regulatory authorities (NRA). This consultative process will take place through the European Regulators...

Read More

Microsoft to Include Real-Time Collaboration with Office

Microsoft has re-branded the online conferencing and collaboration application suite that it obtained through the acquisition of PlaceWare. The functionality is now part of Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2003 and Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2003. The Live Meeting application will also become part of the Microsoft Office family that is anticipated to be released this fall. Live Meeting is a browser-based application that can be used to conduct real-time, interactive presentations and meetings over the Internet. Live Communications...

Read More

Sprint Reports Lower Revenue but Strong Positive Free Cash Flow

Citing solid financial gains in a difficult environment, Sprint reported consolidated net operating revenues for Q2 of $6.5 billion, compared to $6.7 billion in the same period last year. Net income for Q2 was $7 million compared to a net loss of $68 million last year. Second quarter operating income was $370 million compared to $670 million a year ago. There was $925 million in free cash flow in Q2, bringing total free cash flow for the first half of the year to $1.3 billion. Some highlights of the quarter:Q2 revenues for Sprint's global markets...

Read More

Equant Announces New CEO and President

Equant named Daniel Caclin as its new president and CEO, replacing Didier Delepine, who has expressed his wishes to pursue other career opportunities. Caclin currently serves as Equant's COO. Previously, he was the CEO of Global One, and prior to that, the CEO of Transpac - companies focused on international and national data and IP services for the corporate business market. Caclin will be based in Reston, Virginia.http:/www.equant....

Read More

MCI Responds to Fraud Allegations

Following a meeting with the U.S. Attorneys Office, Michael D. Capellas, MCI's chairman and CEO issued a public statement vowing to cooperate with the new investigation into how the company has handled access fees. Capellas also said MCI is conducting its own internal analysis of the charges.Various press reports on Monday alleged that MCI's "laundering" of call origination and termination data may have helped the company avoid up to $1 billion in local access charges. Competitors, including AT&T, were quoted as saying MCI's scheme included...

Read More

Zhone and Tellium Agree to Merge, Combine Access with Optical Core Switching

Zhone Technologies, a provider of next-gen local loop access solutions, announced plans to merge with Tellium, a developer of core optical switching systems. Mory Ejabat, current chairman and CEO of Zhone Technologies, said that combining the two businesses would create a comprehensive solution for local, metro and long distance service providers. Tellium would also contribute its $149.8 million in cash to the combined company, which would retain the name Zhone Technologies. Ejabat would continue as chairman and CEO of the combined operation....

Read More

Atheros Surpasses 1 Million Monthly WLAN Chip Shipments

Atheros Communications broke the 1-million unit mark in monthly shipments of its 802.11b/g and 802.11a/b/g WLAN chips in June, signaling the rapid adoption of its third generation WLAN silicon. The company predicts a rapid industry transition from legacy 802.11b to multi-mode 802.11b/g and universal 802.11a/b/g at speeds of 54 Mbps and up. http://www.atheros....

Read More

Cavium Introduces WLAN Security Processor for Access/Aggregation

Cavium Networks introduced its NITROX Wireless family of security macro processors for enterprise access and aggregation points. The processors support the full range of security algorithms currently used in WLAN security and the emerging 802.11i standard -- including AES, 3DES and ARC4 and the various modes of each algorithm. Additionally the Cavium NITROX Wireless processors perform protocol processing of CCMP, IPSec, IKE, MPPE and functions of TKIP. They also feature a true hardware Random Number Generator. Cavium will offer ten versions to...

Read More

CBC/Radio-Canada Tests Net Insight's DTM for Media Transport

CBC/Radio-Canada has successfully tested Net Insight's Dynamic synchronous Transfer Mode (DTM) technology for transporting high-quality video, radio, IP/Ethernet data and VoIP between its facilities in Montreal and Toronto. The trial used a combination of dark fiber and OC-3 capacity between the two cities. Net Insight's Nimbra One access switches were located at each end. The Nimbra One switches were equipped with modules for Ethernet, E1, DVB-ASI and OC-3. The test equipment used an automated control plane with enhanced GMPLS functionality for...

Read More

Korea's Dacom Selects Quarry's Router for MPLS VPN

Dacom, one of South Korea's leading service providers, has selected Quarry Technologies' iQ Security Service Routers to provide security services to its MPLS VPN customers. Quarry Technologies' iQ8000 Security Service Routers will be distributed throughout South Korea, around the edge of Dacom's MPLS backbone network. Support for VPN technologies, including IPsec and RFC-2547 Layer 3 MPLS VPNs, will ensure integration of the iQ8000 into the network infrastructure. Quarry's Security Service Routers will terminate access-network connections, identify...

Read More

Tektronix Announces 3G Test Platform

Tektronix announced its new protocol test platform equipped with application software to test 3G, 2.5G and 2G networks. The platform can be used to identify and analyze the source of service degradation in real-time. Application software includes a real-time Multi-Interface Call Trace for 3G, 2.5G and 2G networks. When service degradation is reported, a message, or "trouble ticket," is sent to the operator's operation and maintenance technician. Tektronix's new K15 protocol test platform supports UMTS, CDMA2000, cdmaOne, EDGE, GPRS and GSM. ...

Read More

Universities Look to Internet2 as a backup for Voice Services

The Internet2 Voice over IP (VoIP) Working Group is launching an initiative to ensure the survivability of university and government voice networks in the event that the circuit-switched public network goes down. The VoIP disaster recovery project will use the Internet2's Abilene network to provide a resilient and distributed IP-based disaster recovery alternative to the PSTN's traditional PBX and switched network architecture. The cooperative initiative is being led by BroadSoft, Georgetown University, Internet2, and Paetec with participating...

Read More

NYT: MCI Faces New Fraud Investigation

The New York Times reported that the federal government has launched a new inquiry into whether MCI defrauded other carriers by disguising local and long distance calls in order to avoid paying access fees to local telephone companies at each end of the call. The scheme reportedly changed the origination billing codes in order to pass off the local access charges to another carrier. The allegations claim that the scheme goes back nearly a decade and that it is still on-going. The New York Times cites MCI officials as saying the charges are unfounded...

Read More

NTL Selects France Telecom for IP Transit

NTL, the UK's largest cable operator and broadband provider, selected France Telecom to provide its IP transit service. France Telecom will connect NTL to its global backbone network via two PoPs -- one in London and a new one in Bristol. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.francetelecom....

Read More

Nortel Networks Builds 3G Net for Taiwan's Asia Pacific

Nortel Networks is building a 3G Wireless Data Network for Asia Pacific Broadband Wireless (APBW), which plans to launch Taiwan's first commercial 3G services in Q3 2003. Data services will be offered at rates up to 153 Kbps using CDMA2000 1X technology. APBW will also offer higher-speed data services in the Taipei metropolitan area with a peak rate of 2.4 Mbps using CDMA2000 1xEV-DO. Nortel Networks is the sole CDMA infrastructure provider for APBW, one of five Taiwan carriers awarded 3G licenses in February 2002. Nortel Networks provided circuit...

Read More

BreconRidge to Acquire Module Business from Nortel Networks

BreconRidge Manufacturing Solutions agreed to acquire certain assets of Nortel Networks High-Speed Modules business unit, which is responsible for the design, development, manufacturing, test and sale of high-speed modules applicable to optical and wireless transmission systems, satellite communications systems, radar systems for the defense industry and other microelectronics applications with speeds greater than 10 Gbps. The deal includes Nortel Networks' leasehold interest in a state-of-the-art facility located at 500 Palladium Drive, Ottawa....

Read More

FLAG to Make Early Buy Back Of Indenture Notes

FLAG Telecom notified The Bank of New York, its trustee, of its election to redeem all series of notes issued by the company under the Indenture on 25-August-2003. FLAG will redeem the notes, which have a combined face value of $50.25 million, for a discounted redemption value of $35.25 million and will pay all accrued but unpaid interest. FLAG Telecom its decision is a sign of confidence in its business plan. http://www.flagtelecom....

Read More

Merrill Lynch Selects Avaya for Corporate VoIP Network

Merrill Lynch selected Avaya IP telephony solutions for its three-year-old corporate campus in Hopewell, New Jersey and its new regional headquarters building in Tokyo, Japan. The deployment will include Avaya Communication Manager IP telephony software and Avaya Media Servers. Merrill Lynch will use a mix of IP and digital handsets to serve its 5800 employees in New Jersey and 1800 employees in Japan -- routing IP calls over its data network and digital calls over its new voice network. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.avaya.comMerrill...

Read More

AFC Reports Revenue of $83 Million

Advanced Fibre Communications (AFC) announced Q2 revenue of $83.0 million on a GAAP basis, compared with $80.5 million in the preceding quarter and $86.3 million for Q2 2002. Net income for Q2 2003 was $3.3 million, or $0.04 per share, compared with $8.3 million, or $0.10 per share, in Q1 2003. ALLTEL and Sprint were each 10% customers in the quarter. AFC said service providers will remain cautious about spending in the near term, but that investment in the access network will be a key focus for carriers in the future as they roll out DSL and...

Read More