Alcatel Reports Q1 Sales of EUR 2.96 Billion, Soft Markets

Alcatel reported Q1 sales of EUR 2.961 billion, down 31.1% year over year and down sequentially by 34.3%. Loss from operations was registered at EUR 161 million and net loss at EUR 461 million, or a diluted loss of EUR 0.39 per share ($0.43 per ADS). Alcatel cited seasonality and currency exchange issues for the weaker performance. It also noted that carrier markets continue to be soft, and the economic and geopolitical environmental may add a few points to the 15% degradation it had previously predicted for 2003. The non-carrier market is better...

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SpectraLink Offers 802.11b Wireless Phones

SpectraLink announced an 802.11b NetLink Wireless Deskset priced at $499 and incorporating a speakerphone, large display, and special feature keys. A docking station version will be priced at $299. In the docking station configuration, the user has the option of using the NetLink Wireless Deskset's traditional wired handset or the NetLink Wireless Telephone handset to roam throughout the enterprise. http://www.spectralink....

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Transparent Networks Ceases Operations

Transparent Networks, a start-up that was developing a 3D MOEMS (micro-opto-electronic-mechanical-system) mirror array switch, is ceasing operations and will liquidate its assets. The company's intellectual property includes optical signal processing and MEMS-based technology. A buyer is being sought. Transparent Networks was based in Milpitas, California. http://www.transparentnetworks.comIn March 2002, Transparent Networks previewed its 3D MOEMS mirror array integrated with high-voltage high-density VLSI electronics. The single chip array...

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Marvell Targets Gigabit Ethernet Switching for SMBs and SOHOs

Marvell is extending its Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switch silicon to target the Small-to-Medium Size Business (SMB) and SOHO market segments. Marvell is introducing a single-chip Prestera-DX GbE packet processor solution for 24-, 16- and 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switches. The Prestera-DX devices achieve non-blocking performance and high integration by combining all of the Gigabit MACs, the packet buffer memory, a powerful switch engine, and SERDES in each port into a single chip. The Prestera chip supports enterprise-class QoS features as well as...

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Project MESA to Define Standards for Wireless Public Safety Networks

Project MESA, an international partnership project between the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), adopted an accelerated work plan to complete technical specifications for public emergency response networks by as early as the end of 2004. Project MESA said it recognized that completely new thinking in the field of radio technology and wireless networking is required to meet the advanced needs of users. The Project's work to date has involved the definition by the public...

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Apple Launches the iTunes Music Store

Hoping to create the next great consumer application, Apple launched its iTunes Music store, an online service that lets customers download music for $0.99 per song, including the rights to burn songs onto an unlimited number of CDs for personal use, listening to songs on an unlimited number of iPods, playing songs on up to three Macs and using songs in any application on the Mac. The iTunes Music Store features over 200,000 songs from music companies including BMG, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal and Warner. Apple also introduced its...

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Wanadoo tops 1.6 million broadband customers

As of 31-March-2003, Wanadoo had 8.786 million Internet access customers in Europe, including 1.613 million subscribers to ADSL and cable broadband service. Wanadoo added 251,000 new customers during Q1, of whom 239,000 signed up for broadband service. Broadband users represented 18.4% of the total Wanadoo user base. The Wanadoo portal service delivered 2.408 billion Web pages in March 2003, up 60% compared to a year earlier. Wanadoo, a subsidiary of France Telecom, is expecting revenue growth of 25 to 30% for 2003. http://www.wanadoo....

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Marconi Launches Multiservice IP VPN Solution

Marconi introduced a new multiservice IP VPN solution that uses Ethernet over MPLS with the IETF "Martini" draft standard on its ASX and TNX line of multiservice switch-routers. Marconi's solution supports multiple differentiated Ethernet services, such as VoIP, packetized video and real-time data transport simultaneously over the same Ethernet port. At the same time, Marconi's multiservice switch-router platform could also concurrently support Frame Relay, private line and ATM services. The solution is provided using a new four-port 10/100...

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IDT Builds Octal Transceiver for High-Density Line Cards

IDT (Integrated Device Technology) introduced its new SuperJET family of J1/E1/T1 transceivers, including a monolithic octal density device designed for next-generation universal line-card designs in communications systems. IDT's new SuperJET transceivers, which integrate and expand upon its universal line interface unit and framer functionality, provide configuration flexibility, jitter performance and signaling support across octal, quad, dual and single densities. The IDT SuperJET devices target J1/E1/T1 interfaces in access concentrators, wireless...

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TI's Single-Chip ADSL Integrates Line Driver

Texas Instruments announce the integration of a complete ADSL router, including the 12V line driver, on a single chip. The chip is implemented in a 130nm copper CMOS process. By including the line driver, communications processor, power management and hundreds of passive components on a single device, TI estimates that it reduces the total system chip and passives count by up to 50% over competitive solutions. TI said its advanced process technology allows it to mix and match digital, analog, RF and memory components on a single device. htt...

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Occam and VocalData partner on IP Centrex Solution

Occam Networks and VocalData have created a joint solution enabling carriers to offer hosted IP telephony services. Occam's Ethernet & IP-based broadband loop carrier, which streamlines the access network by integrating the functionality of several types of network equipment, resides in the service provider network and acts as a voice gateway for VocalData's VOISS solution. VocalData's VOISS system can be configured to deliver hosted PBX, IP Centrex, business trunking, residential services, and enhanced applications such as conferencing, unified...

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Court Approves ICO's Globalstar Acquisition

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved the sale of Globalstar's assets to ICO Global Communications for an investment of $55 million. ICO will receive a 54% equity stake in the new operating company. The remaining equity will be distributed to Globalstar's creditors, which include Loral Space & Communications, Qualcomm Incorporated and holders of Globalstar L.P. bonds. It is estimated that $4 billion has been spent thus far on Globalstar and its mobile satellite communications network. ICO Chairman Craig O. McCaw said he believes that Globalstar...

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Celite Introduces DSL Headend for In-building Ethernet

Celite Systems, a start-up based in Austin, Texas, introduced its DSL Headend technology for multi-dwelling units. The Celite box would enable local exchange carriers and building owners to deliver broadband services to an entire apartment or condominium complex, office high rise, hotel or other multi-dwelling unit with one installation process at the telephone equipment room. Celite runs Ethernet over existing building wiring, without requiring line splitters or filters. DSL lines are multiplexed for the trunk back to the network. http://www....

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Agere Offers Two New Integrated VoIP Phone Chips

Agere Systems introduced two new VoIP chips for residential and enterprise IP phones. The new devices include both dual and single Ethernet-port system-on-a-chip solutions. The VoIP chips support wide-band codecs for enhanced voice quality, three-way teleconferencing, and full-duplex speakerphone capability with self-adaptive Acoustic Echo Cancellation. Both single-chip solutions couple Agere's DSP 1600 core with an ARM940T microcontroller, allowing manufacturers to use the same software for a range of IP phone designs. Agere said its IP Phone...

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Nortel Networks Announces Visitor-Based Networking for Hotels, Convention Centers

Nortel Networks introduced a package of integrated network solutions for hotels, convention centers, airports and other enterprises looking to provide travelers and mobile PC workers with temporary connectivity needs. Nortel Networks said its Visitor-Based Networking could help hotels turn their IT costs into a profit center. The line-up includes elements from Nortel Networks Passport, Shasta and Baystack product lines, as well as its new wireless LAN portfolio. A special visitor-based Internet portal enables users to access the service and create...

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Sprint and Nortel Chosen for Mandalay Resort Network

The Mandalay Resort Group, which owns 16 hotels and casinos -- including the Mandalay Bay, Excalibur and Circus Circus, selected Nortel Networks and Sprint to build a seamless network across four states. Sprint has deployed Nortel Networks' Optical Ethernet solution, including Passport 8600 Routing Switches, as well as its Shasta 5000 Broadband Service Node, the Passport 8000 Ethernet Switch series, WLAN-Access Point 2220, WLAN-Security Switch 2250 and the Baystack portfolio of Ethernet switches. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.nortelnetworks.com...

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MCI Issues Monthly Operating Results, Comments on CAPEX Trend

MCI recorded $2.03 billion in revenue for February and $2.1 billion for March. Operating income was $44 million in February and $84 million in March. MCI's capital expenditures for February were $36 million, including $18 million for PP&E and $18 million for related software. Capital expenditures for March were $51 million, including $18 million for PP&E and $33 million for related software. The company said it is comfortable with the projected capital spending levels on its core IP backbone, and that it would try to gain efficiencies...

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Jury Rules in Favor of CIENA in Patent Case vs. Corvis

A jury of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware issued its verdict in favor of CIENA in its litigation against Corvis Corporation for patent infringement. Corvis' CorWave system was found to infringe on CIENA's patent titled "WDM Optical Communication System With Remodulators." CIENA plans to move for an injunction prohibiting sales of infringing products. http://www.ciena....

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IPv6 Forum Creates Acceptance Standard With 'IPv6 Ready' Logo

The IPv6 Forum launched a logo branding program called "IPv6 Ready" to designate products that have passed a set level of interoperability. The IPv6 test and conformance bodies providing the certification include the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Lab, the TAHI Test Event, the ETSI IPv6 Plugtest, IRISIA and Connectathon. IPv6 products have been shipping for some time and the new logo program is expected to reinforce that message in...

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Air Force Command and Control Network Expands with net.com's Promina

Network Equipment Technologies was awarded a $5 million contract by General Dynamics Decision Systems for expansion of the United States Air Force's voice, video and data command and control network. The USAF's Theater Deployable Communications (TDC) Integrated Communications Access Packages (ICAP) Program network, which is currently composed of net.com's Promina 400 platforms, is being expanded by another 40 Promina 400 nodes and will additionally incorporate a Promina 800 node at each of five larger sites. The TDC ICAP network nodes are all...

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Multiservice Switching Forum Plans Interoperability Events

The Multiservice Switching Forum (MSF) announced plans for a global interoperability event to take place next year. Global MSF Interoperability (GMI) 2004, which will be conducted simultaneously in Europe, North America and Asia, will demonstrate a deployable and operationally ready IP telephony network with Network Management, enhanced QoS and security features. The Forum plans to unveil physical architecture scenarios for GMI 2004 later this year. The MSF also elected its new leadership for two year terms. The new board of directors includes...

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RouteScience Releases Version 3.0

RouteScience released version 3.0 for its PathControl platform, which optimizes a company's multiple ISP links by providing real-time performance measurements of paths across the Internet to end users. Using these performance metrics and customer preferences for ISP link costs, RouteScience's PathControl platform determines the best ISP path for end-users and can then automatically update the organization's edge routers with the best path routing information. The new software can dynamically discover and measure performance from end to end, or...

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Xelerated Demonstrates 4x10Gpbs Network Processor

Xelerated, a start-up based in Burlington, Massachusetts, announced the availability of its X10q-e Network Processor, a high-performance processor aimed at switches for enterprise backbones and metro Ethernet. The company describes its core technology as a "data flow processor" built in a .13 micron process. The chip architecture is optimized for the efficient movement of data, eliminating the need for complex inter-processor interconnects as well as redundant data and instruction storage. This allows 200 data flow processors and ten I/O processors...

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Net2Phone and HNS Announce VoIP via Satellite Service

Net2Phone and Hughes Network Systems (HNS) have jointly developed an integrated capability to deliver Net2Phone's VoIP service over HNS' DIRECWAY broadband by satellite service. The companies said this is the first integrated satellite VoIP solution with bandwidth prioritization to be offered to enterprises and consumers globally. HNS has integrated Net2Phone's VoIP telephony interface into its Voice Appliance terminal, which will operate over the DIRECWAY satellite service worldwide. HNS will market the integrated Net2Phone capability through...

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Broadcom Introduces Multiprotocol Mapper

Broadcom introduced a low- power, variable-rate transceiver/mapper device for developing single linecard solutions that feature a host of transmission protocols and speeds from the same physical link. The chip provides interfaces at data rates ranging from 155 Mbps up through 2.666 Gbps. The services supported by the device include telecom services at OC-3, OC-12 and OC-48; datacom services at Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps); and Fibre Channel services (1- and 2- Gbps). Broadcom said the multi-protocol capabilities make its new mapper well-suited for...

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Cisco Introduces Wireless IP Phone

Cisco Systems introduced three new IP phones, including a model that operates over 802.11b WLANs. The Cisco Wireless IP Phone 7920 is targeted for use by employees in hospitals, warehouses, retail stores, universities and other highly mobile work environments. The phone is priced at $595 and is expected to ship next month. Cisco also introduced two entry-level, wireline IP phones priced on par with digital PBX phone sets ($165 and $130). http://www.cisco....

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Foundry Networks Announces Next Generation, 10GbE Enterprise Switch

Foundry Networks introduced its BigIron MG8 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) switch, one of the first in a series of 10-Gigabit Ethernet products powered by its fourth generation Terathon ASIC chipset. The BigIron MG8 is a high performance Layer 3 backbone switch optimized for high-density Gigabit Ethernet and 10GbE deployments, including enterprise backbones, converged campus networks, supercomputing clusters, grid computing and storage networks. The platform offers 1.28 Tbps of total non-blocking switching capacity and wire-speed forwarding in all...

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Foundry Debuts Terabit-Capacity 10 Gigabit Ethernet Router for Metro and ISP Nets

Foundry Networks introduced a new 10 Gigabit Ethernet Router with up to four Terabits of switching capacity and 1.5 billion packets per second of routing performance per rack. The new NetIron 40G router offers 40-Gigabits of capacity per slot, allowing for higher density modules and a path to 40 Gbps connections in the future. The NetIron 40G provides a density of up to 256 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 32 10GbE ports in each 13 rack unit high system; and 768 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 96 10GbE ports per 7 foot rack. Route processors perform hardware...

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XO Names Grivner as CEO

XO Communications named Carl J. Grivner as its new CEO, replacing Daniel Akerson, who resigned in January. Grivner most recently served as Chief Operating Officer at Global Crossing. Prior to joining Global Crossing in June 2000, Grivner served as CEO of Worldport Communications and before that he served as CEO, Western Hemisphere, of Cable & Wireless PLC. He has also worked for AFC and Ameritech. http://www.xo....

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Alcatel Announces Frame Relay-to-Ethernet VPN Service Interworking

Alcatel introduced Frame Relay to Metro Ethernet Service Interworking capability, enabling service providers to offer Ethernet access through their widely-deployed Frame Relay networks. The capability allows carriers to offer switched VPN services to their customers with the choice of mixing Frame or cell relay with Ethernet access to the same VPN. For example, a corporate head office might wish to upgrade to metro Ethernet access at 200 Mbps rates while preserving its existing Frame Relay VPN to all its remote locations. The Alcatel Service...

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Wipro to provide Home Gateway solution for Intel Net Processor

Wipro Technologies announced a Home Gateway software solution optimized for and integrated with Intel's IXP425 network processor. The Wipro Home Gateway middleware solution could be used in a home CPE for sharing a broadband Internet connection, home files and device sharing, in-home wireless LAN connectivity, IP Telephony (VoIP), VPN connectivity, video on demand, and for home security and home video surveillance applications. Wipro is also working on multimedia streaming capabilities that would let home users enjoy music or video files on various...

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MPLS/Frame Relay Alliance Plans Interoperability Demo

The MPLS/Frame Relay Alliance will conduct a live demonstration of Frame Relay and ATM over MPLS and Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS) interoperability at SUPERCOMM 2003, scheduled for June 3rd to 5th in Atlanta. In addition, the MPLS/Frame Relay Alliance members will demonstrate multi-vendor interoperability of Fast Re-Route (FRR), Layer 2 pt-to-pt Ethernet Services, and Layer 3 RFC 2547-bis VPN operation. http://www.mplsforum....

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Sprint Announces Frame Relay over DSL Services

Sprint introduced a Frame Relay over DSL (FRoDSL) service aimed at enterprise customers. Sprint FRoDSL is an end-to-end connection-oriented layer 2 protocol utilizing DSL as a way of gaining inexpensive access from the customer's premise to Sprint's Frame Relay network. In addition, Sprint FRoDSL leverages the service delivery and trouble resolution processes associated with Frame Relay. http://www.sprint....

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