Two Former Enron Broadband Executives Charged with Fraud in VOD Scheme

Two former executives of Enron Broadband Services (EBS) were arrested and charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy and making false statements regarding a now-defunct venture between Enron and Blockbuster to deliver video on-demand (VOD). Kevin Howard and Michael Krautz are accused of deliberately violating applicable accounting rules to allow Enron to fraudulently record $111 million in earnings in 2000 and 2001. The affidavit also alleges that Howard and Krautz intentionally concealed aspects of the transaction from Arthur Andersen...

Read More

AT&T Expands Phone Service for Forward-Deployed Troops

AT&T will construct additional calling centers in seven forward-deployed camps and bases in Kuwait to nearly triple the number of payphones available for the personal use of US troops. In December, AT&T added calling centers throughout eight camps in Kuwait. AT&T also provides calling services aboard more than 200 U.S. Navy ships. http://www.att....

Read More

BridgeCom Selects SanteraOne for Class 5 and Integrated Access Services

BridgeCom, a New York-based, full service communications provider of voice and data services, has chosen the SanteraOne platform to provide enhanced applications and integrated voice and data solutions to its more than 125,000 New York Tri-State subscribers. SanteraOne will be deployed in BridgeCom's lower Manhattan switch site. BridgeCom, whose current offerings utilize UNE-P in conjunction with their existing data and unified messaging facilities, will use the SanteraOne system to offer flexible, integrated services. http://www.bridgecom.com...

Read More

Alcatel Announces Major Contracts with Telecom Italia, FastWeb and Network Rail

At CeBIT 2003, Alcatel announced a series of major European contracts. Telecom Italia will install Alcatel's 1640 WM system to upgrade its optical transmission backbone to address growing Gigabit Ethernet and ADSL service demand. The Alcatel 1640 DWDM platform scales in service up to 1.6 Tbps. FastWeb, an alternative broadband provider in Italy, is using Alcatel equipment to serve business and residential clients in Milan, Rome, Genoa, Turin, Naples and Bologna. FastWeb is using the Alcatel Optical Multi-Service Node (OMSN), the Alcatel 7300...

Read More

T-Mobile International Selects Nortel Networks for GPRS

T-Mobile International selected Nortel Networks as its preferred supplier for delivery and implementation of Nortel Networks Univity Packet Core for GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) across a number of T-Mobile's European networks. As part of the implementation, the existing GPRS packet core solutions will be replaced and Nortel Networks will supply the packet core infrastructure for GPRS. Initial implementation will include most of T-Mobile's main markets in Europe, starting with Germany and the UK. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.nortelnetworks.com...

Read More

Deutsche Telekom Selects Lucent's LambdaUnite Switch for Global Network

T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, selected Lucent Technologies' LambdaUnite MultiService Switch for its global backbone, "Telekom Global Net" (TGN). The LambdaUnite is designed to bridge traffic from metro networks onto optical core backbones. The deployment will quadruple the capacity of TGN's network across 10 European countries. It also offers the advantage of a meshed structure, instead of the ring structure employed in older systems. In addition to LambdaUnite, T-Systems is also integrating Lucent's WaveStar TransLAN card, a...

Read More

Cingular Wireless Deploys Lucent PacketStar Gateways

Cingular Wireless, the second largest mobile operator in the US, is deploying Lucent Technologies' PacketStar (PSAX) Multiservice Media Gateway as the backhaul on its nationwide network. The PacketStar 1000 is being deployed at thousands of Cingular cell sites throughout the country, enabling Cingular to collapse multiple leased lines into one. Significant initial deployments have been completed throughout the network and the remaining deployments are planned for this year and next. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.lucent.com...

Read More

3Com Launches Line of Power Over Ethernet Products

3Com launched new Power over Ethernet (PoE) -enabled equipment, including a switch, IP telephones and wireless LAN access points. The PoE capabilities are based on the IEEE P802.af draft specification, which enables a single cable to provide both standards-based, intelligent power and data connectivity. The new products work with 3Com's "Network Jack," a unique "in the wall" Ethernet switch that supports PoE and forwards power to an attached device, such as an IP telephone handset. http://www.3com....

Read More

ECI Telecom Increases Its DSLAM Aggregation Capabilities

ECI Telecom's Inovia Broadband Access Division announced new capabilities that enable the aggregation of thousands of DSL subscribers through co-located or remote Hi-FOCuS DSLAMs, Mini-RAMs (compact Remote Access Multiplexers) or even different types of third party equipment. By aggregating DSL services through co-located or remotely located equipment, the Hi-FOCuS Aggregator enables numerous users to be connected via a single interface to the network. Furthermore, ECI's Hi-FOCuS Multi-Service Access Gateway (MSAG) platform, can be used as a...

Read More

Nortel Networks Enhances Enterprise Network Management Tools

Nortel Networks introduced an "Enterprise Network and Service Management" solution that combines enhancements to its Optivity products with solutions from third party partners. The solution includes network visualization, discovery and diagnostic capabilities, along with policy management and QoS tools. Nortel Networks said its goal is to allow network managers to monitor, visualize and troubleshoot complex enterprise networks. http://www.nortelnetworks....

Read More

Acterna Launches New Test Solution for SONET/SDH

Acterna introduced a SONET/SDH test solution designed for new data-oriented networks, LAN-to-LAN connections and distributed storage area networks (SAN). The new SONET/SDH test solution comprises a single module for Acterna's ONT-50 Optical Network Tester. It supports the differential delay generation and analysis of virtual containers, and accommodates interfaces up to 2.5 Gbps (SONET/SDH). The solution enables the link capacity adjustment scheme (LCAS) and also the generation of both generic frame protocol (GFP) and MAC frames for Ethernet...

Read More

Telica Expands Plexus 9000 Voice Packet Switch for Mobile Wireless Networks

Telica has expanded its Plexus 9000 Class 4/5 switching platform to include packet-based wireless capabilities, including Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC), Soft MSC Media Gateway and an All-IP Wireless Solution. The announcement adds support for applications that can be applied in wireless network architectures; 2G, 2.5G or 3G, including GSM, GPRS, EDGE, CDMA, TDMA, CDMA2000, and UMTS. Telica said the flat topology of wireless networks is proving difficult to scale because of the large number of highly-meshed trunks required between Mobile...

Read More

Cisco Adds SAN Extensions to DWDM Platform

Cisco Systems announced several new enhancements to the Cisco ONS 15530 Multiservice Aggregation Platform, including an 8-Port Fibre Channel/Gigabit Ethernet Aggregation Card, 2.5-Gbps ITU Trunk Card and new protection switch modules. The aggregation card carries up to eight Fibre Channel, fiber connectivity (FICON), or Gigabit Ethernet signals on a single 10-Gbps wavelength. The 2.5-Gbps ITU trunk card aggregates multiple enterprise system connection (ESCON), Fibre Channel, FICON, and Gigabit Ethernet services over a single ITU wavelength. ...

Read More

Alcatel Expands Metro Transmission Platform

Alcatel announced three additions to its metro transmission portfolio:the Alcatel 1642 Edge Multiplexer, an economical customer premise equipment (CPE) that delivers TDM and Ethernet services to large and medium enterprises; the Alcatel 1662 SMC, a flexible multi-service system for SDH, Ethernet, and ATM service delivery in metropolitan networks; the Alcatel 1692 Metro Span Edge, a CWDM transport system for metro access and enterprise networks that supports both point-to-point and ring network topologies.http://www.alcatel....

Read More

Nortel Networks Introduces OPTera Long Haul DWDM Terminal

Nortel Networks introduced its OPTera Long Haul DT, a next generation DWDM terminal designed for lowering the cost of extended distance optical routes. The new terminal provides improved competitive density and footprint, increased distance without the cost of Raman amplifiers, tunable lasers to lower sparing costs, service-transparent interfaces and upgraded operations tools. Optus expects to be first to deploy OPTera Long Haul DT in its Australian network in July 2003. http://www.nortelnetworks....

Read More

TeleSym Launches Wi-Fi Telephony Software for Centrino Devices

TeleSym released its SymPhone Client software that provides Internet telephony capabilities for Wi-Fi connected notebooks running Windows. The SymPhone System extends the functions of the office telephone to any location with Wi-Fi and broadband Internet connectivity, without paying cellular airtime charges. Users can make and receive calls over the Internet from a mobile computer, throughout a building or campus, at home and at public Wi-Fi hotspots. Factory and warehouse users could also use SymPhone as an intercom or cordless phone on their...

Read More

Intel Launches Centrino Mobile Initiative

Intel officially launched its Centrino mobile technology initiative for integrating wireless capability into a new generation of mobile PCs. Intel Centrino mobile technology includes a new mobile processor, related chipsets and 802.11 wireless network functions that have been optimized, tested and validated to work together. In addition to wireless communications, Intel Centrino mobile technology includes features designed to enable extended battery life in thinner and lighter notebooks. The wireless components conform to 802.11b Wi-Fi standards...

Read More

CeBIT 2003: Siemens Cautiously Optimistic

Speaking at CeBIT 2003, Volker Jung, a member of Siemens' Corporate Executive Committee, said his company is "cautiously optimistic" about an economic recovery. Targeted growth areas for the company are IP convergence, broadband access, mobile devices, mobile networks and IT services. Siemens' fixed network business (Siemens ICN) still presents a mixed picture: while enterprise sales are stable and profitable, the carrier business continues to battle a difficult market. Siemens ICN is making progress in its restructuring efforts and aims to...

Read More

CeBIT 2003: Marconi's Parton Notes Progress in Restructuring

Mike Parton, Marconi's CEO, said his company has essentially completed the task of restructuring its core business and streamlining operations. Speaking at CeBIT, Parton said Marconi has successfully retained its key customers and continued to bring strategically important new products to market. Parton also outlined Marconi's vision, where future business falls into four primary areas: Optical Networks, Broadband Routing and Switching, Broadband Access (European access, next generation voice networks, and fixed wireless), and Services. Parton...

Read More

IBM to Take Over BellSouth's Hosting Business

IBM will assume responsibility for BellSouth's e-business hosting operations in Atlanta and Miami. The facilities will be connected to IBM's global hosting infrastructure and will act as key hubs for the delivery of on-demand services in the southeastern US. BellSouth will then jointly market IBM e-business hosting services, which will be delivered using BellSouth's Internet access, Metro Ethernet, Network VPN and DSL services. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.ibm.com http://www.bellsouth....

Read More