P-Com to Acquire Procera Networks

P-Com, a provider of point-to-point, spread spectrum, and point-to-multipoint broadband wireless products, announced plans to acquire privately held Procera Networks, which designs and builds Layer 7 switches that provide wire-speed routing, switching, flow metering and packet shaping. Procera's Layer 7 switch provides granular management of bandwidth and applications. The company is based in Sunnyvale, California. Financial terms were not disclosed. P-Com said microwave radio suppliers have traditionally handed off bandwidth management to specialized third party networking devices. With the Procera technology, P-Com's wireless solutions will be able to groom network traffic by prioritizing applications.
http://www.p-com.com
http://www.proceranetworks.com

• Earlier this month, P-Com and Telaxis mutually terminated their planned merger. The deal would have combined P-Com's point-to-point, spread spectrum, and point-to-multipoint broadband wireless products with Telaxis' FiberLeap products, which also provide wireless extensions for fiber networks.

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Nokia Confirms Readiness for CDMA2000 1xEV-DV Operator Trials in 2003

Nokia confirmed that it would ship a CDMA2000 chipset with DV modem functionality (IS-2000 Release C, also known as 1xEV-DV) for carrier field trials during the second half of 2003. The platform is aimed at CDMA operators upgrading their existing CDMA2000 1X (IS-2000 Release 0) networks. Nokia said it is currently in discussions with multiple CDMA stakeholders to cooperate in 1xEV-DV interoperability testing and field trials.
http://www.nokia.com

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Siemens Offers New SHDSL Business Gateway

Efficient Networks, a subsidiary of Siemens, introduced a small office gateway that combines an SHDSL modem, managed 8-port 10/100 Base-T switch, ICSA-certified firewall, VPN security appliance, integrated dial backup modem, and full featured router. The new SHDSL Business Gateway can operate in either 2-wire or 4-wire SHDSL mode, offering 30% increased reach over SDSL, as well as greater bandwidth -- 2.3 Mbps on a single copper pair (2-wire) and 4.6 Mbps using two copper pairs (4-wire). The gateway also includes autosense functionality facilitating a migration from 2-wire to 4-wire in a single device.
http://www.efficient.com

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Broadcom Sues Microtune Alleging Patent Infringement

Broadcom announced a lawsuit alleging that tuners, power amplifiers and Bluetooth products made by Texas-based Microtune infringe three Broadcom patents. Broadcom filed a separate lawsuit in July 2002 against Microtune alleging that solid-state RF tuner products made by Microtune infringe its patents.
http://www.broadcom.com

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EANTC Lab Certifies Alcatel 7770 IP/MPLS Router

The European Advanced Network Test Center (EANTC) in Berlin completed conformance testing according to ISO 9646 with the Alcatel 7770 IP/MPLS router for the signaling protocol RSVP-TE. The testing at EANTC was supported by Spirent Communications' Advanced Test Programs (ATP). Spirent's test suites, which were developed according to IETF RSVP-TE standard (RFC 3209) and according to the MPLS Forum draft standard, helped Alcatel achieve certification.
http://www.spirentcom.com
http://www.eantc.de

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Spirent and Juniper Team for Router-OSS Interoperability

Spirent Communications and Juniper Networks announced an interoperability alliance that matches Spirent's Perform performance-management and Sentry fault-management operations support systems (OSS) with Juniper Networks E-series routers for the network edge. The companies said their partnership addresses requirements from the market and Tier One service providers for a unified solution to support service rollout at the edge using Juniper Networks' E-1440 platform. The agreement supports carriers' migration to an ADM based architecture, and integration of their ADM access and MPLS IP core networks.
http://www.spirentcom.com

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Telica and VocalData Expand Alliance

VocalData and Telica completed interoperability testing between VocalData's IP telephony application server and Telica's Plexus 9000 switching platform. VocalData's VOISS platform allows carriers to deliver enhanced features and PBX capabilities. Telica's Plexus 9000 is a carrier-grade switch that includes elements of a softswitch-based solution, including a media gateway, media gateway controller and signaling gateway, to provide Class 4/5 switching for the PSTN as well as ATM and IP networks.
http://www.telica.com
http://www.vocaldata.com

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China Railcom Deploys Riverstone

Shanxi Railcom, a subsidiary of China Railcom, deployed Riverstone routers in three cities in Shanxi province: Taiyuan, Datong and Linfen. The Riverstone RS 8600 and RS 3000 routers are being used to groom raw bandwidth in China Railcom's nationwide CRNet backbone and deliver advanced VPN, voice and video services. Shanxi Railcom is also using Riverstone's ATM circuit extension technology in these metropolitan networks to connect its ATM access network with its fiber-rich CRNet backbone. China Railcom owns the network resources along China's railways.
http://www.riverstonenet.com

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Cisco Rolls Enhanced IP PBX for Mid-Sized Businesses

Cisco Systems launched an IP Communications program aimed at mid-market (50- to 1000-employee) companies. The program includes new features for the Cisco ICS 7750, which is an IP PBX that implements integrated voice gateway routing, call processing and business communications applications. The Cisco ICS 7750 now supports integrated Cisco Unity Unified Messaging 4.0, which enables users to manage their voicemail, e-mail and fax from a single device. The IP PBX also supports Cisco Customer Response Solution Software 3.0.
http://www.cisco.com

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Cisco Offers Automated QoS Solution for LANs and WANs

A new function has been added to Cisco IOS and the Cisco Catalyst Operating System to automate packet prioritization and delivery in LANs and WANs. The new AutoQoS feature is aimed at simplifying the implementation of IP QoS for the delivery of VoIP from the wiring closet, across large enterprise IP backbones, and for service-provider-managed services. AutoQoS automates critical elements of QoS deployment in classifying applications; generating policies; configuring; monitoring and reporting; and consistency. Cisco said the automated functionality would also increase network availability by reducing operator and configuration errors. CiscoWorks QoS Policy Manager is a centralized management tool that complements AutoQoS by using Cisco IOS Software and Cisco Catalyst OS QoS mechanisms to provide more information about the status of network operations by monitoring traffic.
http://www.cisco.com

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Half of Consumers Dissatisfied with Quality of Their Internet Service

In a study of 14,000 consumers' opinions of Internet service quality, the National Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI) found that half of all subscribers, regardless of connection type, complain about Internet service quality. Furthermore, satisfaction ratings for dialup connections may meet or exceed those for broadband. Survey respondents awarded their ISPs with an average letter grade of C+. Nearly half of those surveyed cited fewer service interruptions as a reason for switching providers. For those customers who would consider switching or definitely switch providers, the quality of Internet connections is the most frequently cited reason for a move. Other top motivators are faster data rates and lower prices. Less than 25 percent say the speed of their Internet connection meets their expectations.
http://www.nrri.ohio-state.edu

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Verizon Offers Flat-rate Local - Long Distance Calling

Verizon is offering residential customers the Veriations Freedom flat-rate plan of unlimited local and long-distance calling to all US states and territories and Canada, plus call-management features, such as voice mail, caller ID, call waiting. The plan will be available tomorrow in New Jersey and Pennsylvania at a price of $54.95. Veriations Freedom will be offered in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia and Florida in February. Customers can add DSL, dial-up Internet access and or wireless services at a discount.
http://www.verizon.com

• Verizon is the third largest provider of long-distance service in the United States.

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New Edge Networks Offers Layer 2 VPNs to Small Cities and Rural Areas

New Edge Networks began marketing Layer 2 VPN services over its 600 switch, national ATM network. Within New Edge Networks' coverage area, which includes more than 360 small and midsize cities in 29 states, the Layer 2 Private Network uses dedicated business-class DSL or T-1 connections. In locations outside this coverage area, New Edge Networks completes the Layer 2 Private Network using Frame Relay. New Edge Networks already offered Layer 3 VPNs.
http://www.newedgenetworks.com

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Cogent Offers 500 Kbps Fiber Service to Compete with DSL

Cogent Communications launched a 500 kbps, fiber-based Internet access service with a 99.99% reliability guarantee for $249 per month. Cogent is offering the "Fiber 500" service in 20 markets nationwide in the same buildings in which it provides its trademark service of 100 Mbps for $1,000 per month. Cogent-qualified office buildings typically contain 50 or more tenants, and are located in central business districts of large cities. Cogent said "it's tough to ask someone paying $300 per month for DSL bandwidth to jump to $1,000 per month for 100 Mbps, no matter how great of a deal that really is."http://www.cogentco.com

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SBC Expands Managed Services, Targets Medium Sized Businesses

SBC Communications launched a new managed services initiative to offer outsourced voice and data communications services to both large and medium sized companies. PremierSERV managed service solutions provide design, delivery and ongoing management of telecommunications services - including local, long distance, Internet, data transport, equipment and eServices - all with a single point of contact for network management. Equipment can be owned by SBC or the customer. PremierSERV solutions are available in the United States and internationally. Initial SBC PremierSERV options include ATM, Frame Relay, IP-VPN, Managed Remote Access Services, eServices, Video Services, Integrated Access Service, IP Telephony and Security Services. Later in the year, dedicated Internet access, Network-Based IP-VPN and optical services will be added.
http://www.sbc.com

• In November 2002, SBC Communications announced its national data transport strategy for delivering Frame Relay, ATM and Private Line services to business customers across the US. SBC's new standardized national data services will be introduced as the company gains regulatory approvals to enter specific markets. The company said that it anticipated completion of the national expansion phase of its data and IP network backbones by mid-2003, including a fully redundant OC-192 IP platform. SBC plans to serve customers in 50 of the nation's largest cities with a full range of data and IP services.
• 
  
  In December 2002, SBC Communications selected Cisco Systems' 12000 Series routers and MPLS technology for deployment in its new national 10 Gbps OC-192 backbone network.
• 
  
  SBC subsequently selected WilTel (formerly Williams) to provide 10 Gbps OC-192c transport for building out its national IP network.

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Supreme Court Rules Against FCC in NextWave Case

The US Supreme Court ruled that bankrupt NextWave does not have to forfeit wireless licenses that it had previously won at auction, despite the company's lack of payment. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had tried to repossess the licenses. In a statement, FCC Chairman Michael Powell said that the FCC is in the process of examining all of the ramifications of the Court's decision and will faithfully implement the Court's mandate.
http://www.fcc.gov

• The decision ends five years of litigation over the licenses. NextWave said it would move as quickly as possible to complete its capital reorganization and put the spectrum into use.

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Sprint Debuts Layer 2 Services over IP

Sprint introduced three new services based on Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol Version 3 (L2TPv3): SprintLink Frame Relay, SprintLink Packet Private Line and SprintLink Virtual LAN Services. L2TPv3 supports IP encapsulation of numerous Layer 2 protocols and provides authenticated tunneling to allow Layer 2 traffic to securely traverse a native IP core. Sprint has implemented L2TPv3 across its entire IP network without having to re-engineer the network or change its architecture. The capability is supported in Cisco IOS. In the new Frame Relay service the packets ride over the SprintLink native IP core, versus a statically switched ATM network. Sprint said the service offers high reliability, consistent bursting up to full port speed and security equal to that of the legacy Frame Relay service. The SprintLink Packet Private Line is provisioned completely over Sprint-owned backbone facilities and seals a customer's data traffic within an L2TPv3 tunnel, securely "locking" the traffic between two ports. Because it uses the IP backbone, customers would not need to build out route diversity in their private line networks. Finally, the SprintLink Virtual LAN Services enables customers to connect disparate sites running the 802.1Q Ethernet VLAN protocol.
http://www.sprint.com

• Sprint was one of the first carriers to deploy Cisco 12000 Series routers into its IP backbone, launching the world's first OC-12 packet-over-SONET (POS) IP network.
• 
  
  In March 2002, Cisco Systems outlined its Unified VPN Suite, offering a new set of Layer 2 and Layer 3 VPN capabilities across its core and access product portfolio. Key features of Cisco's Unified VPN Suite included:

• 
  

  support
  for Any Transport over MPLS (AToM), to provide transport of Layer
  2 services across a MPLS core network. Cisco's AToM solution,
  which is based on the IETF ‘martini draft,' initially supports
  Ethernet over MPLS (EoMPLS), ATM AAL5, ATM Cell Relay, Frame
  Relay, PPP, and HDLC over MPLS. Packet over SONET (PoS) will be
  available later.
  
  



• 
  

  support
  for a new Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol version 3 (L2TPv3), which
  enables transport of Layer 2 access over native IP backbones.
  L2TPv3 is based on optimized extensions to the underlying L2TP
  standard and includes signaling enhancements, a new encapsulation
  header, and a protocol identifier to support the end-to-end
  transportation of multiple Layer 2 protocols
  
  

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