FLAG Telecom Names Former BT Executive as CEO

FLAG Telecom named Patrick Gallagher as its new CEO, replacing Mark Spagnolo who retains his position on the company's board of directors. Gallagher previously served with British Telecom, including five years as the Chief Executive of BT Europe and, most recently, as the Group Director for Strategy and Development also with responsibility for Japan, China, and investments in France, Italy, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Korea.
http://www.flagtelecom.com

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Jaguar Communications Replaces Class 5 TDM Switch with Metaswitch

Jaguar Communications, a CLEC targeting rural communities in the Midwest, has deployed MetaSwitch's VP3500 Next Generation Class 5 Switch in a regional switching center in Owatonna, Minnesota. The Metaswitch platform is delivering local dial-tone and subscriber services in Jaguar's next generation carrier network. Jaguar plans to migrate subscribers to the MetaSwitch platform from its existing end-office Class 5 TDM switch. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.jagcom.nethttp://www.metaswitch.com

• The MetaSwitch VP3500 platform integrates softswitch, media and signaling gateway components for delivering over 80 Class 5 services over legacy and broadband IP/ATM networks. The platform scales from 400 to over 250,000 subscribers per rack. MetaSwitch is a division of Data Connection.

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Vonage Approaches 15,000 Customers, SIP Call Volume Doubles

Vonage, which provides digital telephone service over broadband connections, announced the completion of 10 million digital telephone calls over its Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) network. Vonage said it has nearly 15,000 customers and that its total call volume has doubled over the past 60 days. Vonage's lowest priced service starts at $25.99/month for unlimited local calling plus 500 minutes of US long distance and Canadian calling. Vonage service includes the necessary adapter, and such features as voicemail, caller ID, call forwarding, and web management.
http://www.vonage.com

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Vivace Signs Service Agreement with Fujitsu Network Communications

Fujitsu Network Communications will provide engineering, furnishing and installation (EF&I) services for carriers deploying Vivace Networks' MultiService IP switches. Vivace said that the agreement positions it to support the demands of top-tier carriers nationwide. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.vivacenetworks.com

• Vivace Networks' Multiservice IP switches are designed for delivering native Frame Relay, ATM, Ethernet and IP services. The Vivace platform, which is already in deployment by a Tier 1 US carrier, uses five custom ASICs to provide deterministic Layer 2 switching and “hard�? QoS with Layer 3 routing at 10 Gbps rates. The system's deep packet processing tracks millions of carrier-defined customer flows and provides service differentiation down to the application layer.
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  Vivace's flagship Viva5100 switch scales to 320 Gbps of full-duplex switching in half of a 7 foot rack. A multi-chassis system could scale up to 256 customer ports at 10 Gbps. The company is also shipping a Viva1050 model with 16 Gbps of port density and measuring 3 rack units in height.

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San Francisco's eXchange @ 200 Paul Adds Major Carrier Customers

eXchange @ 200 Paul, a carrier hotel in San Francisco, has added Verizon and Cingular Wireless to its customer roster. Other newly signed and recently expanded customers include: Qwest Communications, WilTel Communications, Cogent Communications, Reliable Hosting, United Colocation Group, Whitaker Consulting, Corrigo and Verio. During 2002, eXchange @ 200 Paul won 40 new contracts with carriers and enterprises for its carrier hotel and colocation facilities. As a result, the privately-held company said its 2002 revenues grew 23% over 2001 revenues.
http://www.e200paul.com

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Marvell Announces 802.11g Silicon

Marvell announced its IEEE 802.11g Wireless LAN silicon. The Marvell Libertas 802.11g two-chip solution is backward compatible with the company's 802.11b devices. It also incorporates QoS technology for applications such as high resolution video streaming. Also, a dedicated AES/CCM hardware security acceleration engine is employed in addition to a processor-based architecture for enhanced security and privacy. Marvell also features echo reduction techniques for increasing speed and range.
http://www.marvell.com

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Sun and Alcatel Team on Wireless Java-based Services

Alcatel and Sun Microsystems launched a joint initiative aimed at service providers looking to offer enterprise applications over wireless networks. The new project is focused on the establishment of a multi-device Java technology-based provisioning solution. Service providers could use the technology in a kiosk business model, which senses what type of content is being downloaded and can bill appropriately for it on a per-usage basis, either pre-or post-paid.
http://www.alcatel.com

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Velio Delivers 10 Gbps Ethernet XAUI SerDes, Octal Retimer/Repeater

Velio Communications introduced SerDes (Serializer/Deserializer) chips for the 10-Gigabit Ethernet and 10-Gigabit Fibre Channel markets. The SerDes devices convert 10-Gigabit Media Independent Interfaces (XGMII) data to serial 10-Gigabit Attachment Unit Interfaces (XAUI) data. The first device differs from the second in that it has a redundant serial XAUI interface for working/protection backplane applications. Both chips can also operate at 4 x 3.1875 Gbps, making them suitable for 10 Gigabit Fibre Channel applications.

Velio also announced its first high-speed octal retimer/repeater, which resolves backplane transmission errors prevalent in high-speed networking systems by recovering noisy serial input signals, reducing jitter and boosting amplitude, and then re-transmitting the serial signal across a variety of media. Velio's octal retimer/repeater provides error-free transmission over two meters of FR4 backplane or 15 meters of copper cabling at 10-Gigabit Ethernet, 1-Gigabit to 10-Gigabit Fibre Channel, OC-48 and Infiniband data rates.
http://www.velio.com

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OnFiber Communications Expects to be Cash Flow Positive in 2003

OnFiber Communications, a privately-held provider of metro wavelength and SONET services, said it achieved $15 million in revenue in 2002, exceeding its goal. OnFiber cited France Telecom Long Distance, eBay, Wal-Mart, Qwest, Microsoft and Yahoo! as customers. The company said it plans to be cash flow positive by year-end 2003.
http://www.onfiber.com

• In August 2002, OnFiber Communications acquired a majority of the network assets and customer contracts of Telseon Inc. The acquisition expanded OnFiber's network from 10 major U.S. metro areas to 12, adding Denver and Miami. Additionally, OnFiber's traffic aggregation points doubled to more than 100.
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  In May 2002, OnFiber Communications acquired the network assets and customer contracts of Sphera Optical Networks Inc. for approximately $2.3 million. The deal was part of Sphera's reorganization filing under Chapter 11.

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Vitesse Expands its Line of 10Gbps Ethernet MACs

Vitesse expanded its line of Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet Media Access Controllers (MACs) by introducing two new devices for enterprise and metro applications such as L2/3 Ethernet Switches, Edge Routers, Add/Drop Multiplexers (ADM) deploying Ethernet-over-SONET/SDH, Multi-service Provisioning Platforms and content switches. The first new device, the Meigs-II QUADSpeed MAC, combines ten triple-speed (10/100/1000 Mbps) ports, a single 10GbE port, and an OIF-compliant SPI-4.2 System Interface. The Meigs-II QUADSpeed MAC could be used in modular Ethernet Switch platforms as well as Ethernet-over-SONET/SDH (EoS) applications when used in conjunction with the Vitesse OC-192 channelized, multi-service mapper. Vitesse said this combination provides five times the port density over currently available products, thereby reducing the deployment cost of Ethernet services in metro networks. The other addition to Vitesse's GbE MAC family, Lansing, integrates 10 triple-speed ports and is designed for use in modular Ethernet Switch platforms.
http://www.vitesse.com

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Multi-Tech Adds VoIP to Panasonic's PBXs

Multi-Tech's line of MultiVOIP Voice IP gateway and combination gateway/gatekeepers are being recommended for use with Panasonic's Advanced Hybrid Telephone Systems, Digital Super Hybrid Telephone Systems and Digital PBX System. The Panasonic/Multi-Tech product combination works in multi-location IP networks where Panasonic Communications Systems are or will be providing voice services at each location. The companies said that by connecting Multi-Tech Voice over IP gateways to existing routers and the Panasonic equipment at the various sites, both voice and fax communications between locations can ride free over the existing IP network. A PSTN failover feature is provided.
http://www.multitech.com
http://www.panasonic.com

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IDT Supplies Processors for France's Freebox CPE

Freebox, a French supplier of set-top systems, will use IDT's (Integrated Device Technology's) Interprise processors to power its new multi-service customer premises equipment (CPE) boxes, including those enabling conventional data-based Internet access, as well as variants that enable video, voice and data services. These boxes are initially being deployed in Paris, France by Free, the country's second largest ISP. In addition to the adoption of the IDT Interprise processors, Freebox leveraged the IDT 79RP351 ADSL reference design, a jointly developed solution from IDT and ST Microelectronics (formerly Alcatel Microelectronics).
http://www.idt.com

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Redback Verifies SMS Platform with Spirent's PPPoX Emulation Test Suite

Redback Networks has validated the throughput and scalability of its SMS 10000 SL subscriber management system using Spirent Communications' PPPoX Emulation Test Suite. In one of the largest tests of its kind, Redback used Spirent's PPP over ATM (PPPoA) and PPP over Ethernet over ATM (PPPoEoA) applications to verify the SMS 10000 SL platform's high throughput performance of 100 Kbps per subscriber for large numbers of subscribers. Tests conducted for a large European PTT also demonstrated that the SMS 10000 SL platform is capable of high scalability for Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) and can be used to create wholesale DSL networks that scale up to many thousands of subscriber sessions. Spirent also announced that its PPPoX test suite has been enhanced to include support for PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE).
http://www.spirentcom.com
http://www.redback.com

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Cisco Offers Licensing of Aironet WLAN Compatibility

Cisco Systems is offering a no cost licensing agreement that allows participating companies to offer client adapters and mobile devices that are interoperable with Cisco Aironet wireless LAN infrastructure. Following independent testing to confirm compatibility, WLAN adapters and mobile devices may bear the Cisco Compatible brand. Version 1 of the Cisco Compatible Extensions program will support full standards compliance with Wi-Fi and IEEE 802.11; compliance with Cisco Wireless Security Suite; and compatibility with Cisco's scheme for assigning wireless LAN clients to virtual LANs (VLANs). Version 2, which will be released to partners in the next 30-60 days, will support IEEE 802.1X authentication type PEAP; Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) when using IEEE 802.1X authentication, including the EAP type - Cisco LEAP; and improvements in roaming performance and wireless LAN management. Participants include Agere Systems, Atheros, Atmel, Intel, Intersil, Marvell and Texas Instruments.
http://www.cisco.com

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Lattice Supplies 10GigE Programmable Line Chips to Atrica

Atrica will use Lattice Semiconductor's 10 Gigabit Ethernet Field Programmable line interface chips in its line of optical Ethernet core switches. Lattice's ORLI10G line interface device is a Field Programmable System Chip (FPSC) that implements a 10 Gigabit Sixteen Bit Interface for optical transponders in efficient standard cell logic, as well as a 10 Gigabit Media Independent Interface for 10 Gigabit Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) circuits in programmable logic.
http://www.latticesemi.com

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Xilinx Demonstrates 10 Gbps Serial I/O PLD

Xilinx announced the successful demonstration of serial technology at 10 Gbps on a single channel using a standard CMOS logic process. Xilinx said parallel I/O schemes reach physical limitations at speeds greater than 1 Gbps, no longer providing a reliable and cost-effective means for high-speed signaling. In addition to providing higher performance, Serial I/O-based designs should bring cost advantages over parallel implementations through fewer device pins, reduced board space requirements, fewer PCB layers, easier layout of the PCB, and smaller connectors. Other advantages include reduced EMI and improved noise immunity. Xilinx's solution is based on Non-Return to Zero (NRZ) signaling, and could be used for chip-to-chip, chip-to-module, and serial backplane applications.
http://www.xilinx.com

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OIF Outlines Four Technical Work Projects for 2003

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) outlined four new technical work projects for 2003. These include:

• Unified 10 Gigabit optical specifications with a common interface allowing one product to be used for SONET SDH, Ethernet and Fiber Channel.
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  Data Transport Protocol will leverage work by the OIF's Common Electrical I/O (CEI) project, which defines electrical specifications for 4.976 to 6+ Gigabit and 9.95 to 11+ Gigabit signaling. The CEI work will focus on both short reach (0 to 200 mm with up to one connector) and long reach (0 to 1m with up to two connectors) applications. The Data Transport Protocol could be used by various applications to migrate to higher speed electrical I/Os.
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  Tunable Laser Project -- there is already a tunable laser specification, so the OIF will develop an implementation agreement (IA) for both transmitter and continuous wavelength (CW) tunable laser modules.
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  UNI 1.0 Release 2 -- which will include latest revisions of signaling protocols while preserving the functionality of the current specification.

In other quarterly meeting news, the OIF announced that Hans-Martin Foisel, head of research group at T-Systems/Deutsche Telekom was elected chairman of the Carrier working group; Amy Wang, product line manager at Avici and Brian Von Herzen, consultant at Xilinx, were elected co-chairpersons of the Interoperability working group; Jim Jones, network architect at Alcatel, was reelected as chairman of the Architecture working group; and Doug Zuckerman, consultant at Telcordia; was reelected as chairman of the Operations Administration, Maintenance, & Provisioning (OAM&P) working grouphttp://www.oiforum.com

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Verizon's CEO Sees Greater Regulatory Confusion in Wake of FCC Decision

Verizon Communications is "somewhere between confused, perplexed and very angry" about the recent FCC decision, said Ivan Seidenberg, CEO of Verizon Communications, speaking at the Merrill Lynch Global Communications Investor Conference. Verizon believes the whole UNE model is fundamentally flawed and doomed to fail in the long run with or without regulatory changes due to advancing technology. Verizon will challenge the ruling in court seeking a stay or a reversal of the new state-by-state policy. With regard to the broadband piece, Seidenberg said the FCC "appeared to be headed in the right direction" but still managed to create greater regulatory confusion by ruling that state commissions should have a role in permitting ILECs to retire copper plant. He said the full financial implication of the FCC rulings probably wouldn't be felt until the remainder of this year. For the coming weeks, he expects business as usual while company lawyers evaluate the new positions. The factors that drove Verizon's business in 2002 will continue for now.
http://www.verizon.com

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WilTel Launches Long-haul Ethernet Service

WilTel Communications will begin offering an Ethernet Wide Area Network (EWAN) transport service over its nationwide fiber-optic network. The service provides point-to-point and point-to-multipoint Layer 2 technology with bridging functionality for wide area and local area networks. Customers can choose the appropriate level of service ranging from high-quality voice and real-time video applications to lower quality applications such as web browsing. The service rides over WilTel's ATM and MPLS infrastructure.
http://www.wiltelcommunications.com

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BellSouth Launches Wavelength Services

BellSouth launched a Wavelength Service targeted for retail and wholesale customers. The BellSouth Wavelength Service, which supports IP, SONET, ATM or Ethernet, is capable of transporting digital optical signals with two maximum transmission speeds, 1.25 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps. The new services will provide customers with a transparent optical transport that supports a minimum and maximum bandwidth for each digital optical signal: at standard data speeds such as 100 Mbps, 200 Mbps, 270 Mbps, 1.0625 Mbps and 1.25 Gbps; and at SONET speeds such as 52 Mbps, 155 Mbps, 622 Mbps and 2.5 Gbps. BellSouth said the service will be available throughout BellSouth's Southeast region.http://interconnection.bellsouth.com/products/html/wavelength.html

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