Verizon Cites Gains in Enterprise Data Services

Five months after announcing an ambitious plan to expand its high-speed data network nationally, Verizon Communications reported that 150 of the company's largest business customers have signed contracts for advanced services provided over the network. In the first phase of the expansion, Verizon built out infrastructure throughout the Northeastern US, specifically to connect states such as New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, among others. In Q1, Verizon added long-distance connections in the Northeast for its Regional Frame Relay, SONET...

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Net to Net Technologies Offers a 2-port Loop Bonding ADSL Modem

Net to Net Technologies introduced ADSL Loop Bonding technology that could be used for offering "Triple Play" services, especially IP TV. Net to Net's ANE8420-S modem allows telcos to bond two copper pairs together to deliver 21 Mbps out to 10,000 feet from the central office or remote terminal. At 15,000 feet, the technology supports 12 to 15 Mbps rates. The Loop Bonding is based on Net to Net's Ethernet-based IP DSL technologies,http://www.nettonet....

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Gilat to Provide Large-Scale Satellite Rural Telephony Network in Tibet

China Telecom selected Gilat Satellite Networks to provide a large-scale, satellite-based rural telephony network in Tibet. China Telecom initially will purchase a DialAway hub, 14 gateways and 1,300 VSAT terminals for public call offices to serve the region's remote villages. The tender indicates that the contract can be extended to a total of 5,000 VSATs. Each DialAway remote site supports up to six toll-quality voice channels on the network, providing as many as 4-5,000 voice lines. Gilat has already supplied such a satellite telephony system...

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BT Chooses CIENA as a Strategic Partner

BT has selected CIENA's LightWorks product portfolio as part of its new, next-generation network. The global three-year deal will place CIENA in the role of a strategic supplier of optical transport and switching equipment and network management software. Products covered by the contract include CIENA's CoreDirector, CoreStream, ONLINE Metro, ONLINE Edge and MetroDirector K2. Also, BT will use CIENA's ON-Center Management system, which combines element, network and service management capabilities, along with simple point-and-click provisioning....

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Deutsche Telekom Tests "Basic" Public Telephones

In response to the declining use of public telephones in many locations, Deutsche Telekom is carrying out a national pilot test involving the implementation of "basic" public telephones until the end of 2005. The basic phones would allow emergency calls to be made, calling cards to be used or reverse charge calls to be initiated. However, they would not have coin and telephone card slots, which are susceptible to vandalism and represent an on-going cost to the company. http://www.telekom...

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Remote Alaska Town Builds Satellite-Connected Wi-Fi Network

Coffman Cove, Alaska, a small town of 240 people that is accessible only by ferry or air, will install a municipal wireless hotspot with a 2-mile radius from its center. The community voted for SkyFrames' Satellite Broadband Services to install the 802.11 equipment with omni-directional antennas and provide a T1-equivalent network backhaul to the Internet. The city-run ISP has 55 customers willing to pay for the service. http://www.skyframes....

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Sprint North Supply to Distribute SanteraOne Platform

Sprint North Supply was selected as the first nationwide wholesale distributor for Santera Systems' SanteraOne integrated voice and data switching platform. Sprint North Supply is a supply chain solution provider serving network service providers, manufacturers and resellers throughout North America. http://www.santera.com http://www.sprintnorthsupply....

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SureWest Turns a Profit, Cites Triple Play Success

SureWest Communications, an integrated communications provider based in Roseville, California, reported Q1 net revenues of $47.4 million and net income of $0.7 million, or $0.05 per share. The company has nearly 17,000 DSL subscribers and over 15,000 'triple-play' revenue generating units (RGUs). SureWest, which has 100% DSL availability in its service area, has a DSL penetration density of 17.8% of primary residential lines and 12.3% of ILEC access lines.Consolidated capital expenditures related to operations totaled $11.3 million in the first...

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IDT Terminates Bid to Acquire ITXC, Comments on Global Crossing

IDT Corporation terminated its proposal to acquire all outstanding shares of ITXC and said it will enter into negotiations with the company. IDT said it would not take any action to acquire the shares of ITXC for the next thirty days without ITXC's consent. It gave no assurance that a deal would be reached.Separately, IDT reiterated its desire to purchase Global Crossing following Hutchison's decision to drop its bid. IDT has long been a vocal critic of the proposed Asian investment in Global Crossing, arguing that it poses "grave and unnecessary...

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SMC to Support Wi-Fi Protected Access by June

SMC Networks announced that its portfolio of wireless networking products will include support for the new Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) by June. WPA is an extension of the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) technology. http://www.smc....

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Cable & Wireless and CODETEL Deploy Nortel Networks' Passport

Cable & Wireless Jamaica and CODETEL (the Dominican Republic's main telecommunications services provider) have each deployed Nortel Networks' Passport 20000 Multiservice Switches. Both carriers will use the Passport 20000 as a core switching platform for voice and data traffic. The Passport 20000 also positions CODETEL to increase capacity for ATM, Frame Relay, private line and other existing services, while introducing IP VPNs and Layer 2 VPNs. Financial terms were not disclosed. Nortel Networks said the installations mark the first deployment...

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Canada's Microcell Emerges from Chapter 11, Eliminates C$1.6 Billion in Debt

Microcell Telecommunications, a Canadian wireless service provider, completed the bankruptcy reorganization process, reducing its total debt obligations by approximately C$1.6 billion and its annual interest obligations by a range of C$160 million to C$200 million. The company emerges with approximately C$125 million in cash and C$25 million in credit. Microcell operates a GSM network and serves one million customers across Canada. http://www.microcell...

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