Octasic Offers Latest Voice Quality Enhancement Chips

Octasic introduced a new series of echo cancellation and voice quality enhancement (VQE) modules for telecom equipment manufacturers. The OCT9600 series is a family of voice processor modules offering a range of densities from 256 to 4032 channels. These modules are powered by Octasic's OCT6100 echo cancellation chips, which use a unique echo cancellation algorithm to improve voice quality. Advanced features of the modules include ITU G.169 automatic level control, automatic noise reduction, integrated debugging and monitoring, extensive in-band signaling tone detection, audio conferencing, announcement storage and playback, and in-path tandem free operation (TFO) capabilities.
http://www.octasic.com

• Octasic was founded in 1998 and has been an outsourced design house for ATM and IP voice-over-packet solutions for major telecommunications vendors, such as Ericsson, Alcatel, Nortel Networks, NEC and Fujitsu. The company is now developing its own line of ASICs for key VoP functions: packetization, aggregation and mediation; compression; and echo cancellation. Octasic offers specialized processors performing each one of those individual functions.
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  See the Octasic White Paper A Deterministic Approach to Echo Cancellation.

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Alcatel Tunes is Metro Ethernet Switching Portfolio

Alcatel introduced a Smart Continuous Switching (SCS) feature providing carrier-class reliability for its OmniSwitch 7000 and 8000 series of metro Ethernet products. SCS distributes intelligence functions throughout network interface modules, rather than through a central processor, to ensure that there is no interruption of services or performance during the loss of a critical network element. The Alcatel OmniSwitch also features a distributed ASIC and network processor architecture to ensure no single point of failure. The OmniSwitch line can also be tied into the Alcatel 5620 Network Manager to provide one-touch provisioning of VLANs and to centralize other management tasks. In addition, the OmniSwitch can be combined with VPN functionality on the Alcatel 7670 Routing Switch Platform (RSP) so that a carrier can support all flavors of VPNs (FR, ATM, IP) from a consolidated PoP.
http://www.alcatel.com

• In April 2003, 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 new capability for the Alcatel 7670 RSP 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. The new software maps the Ethernet VLAN IDs into Frame Relay DLCI / ATM VCI parameters. While recommending its own OmniSwitch metro Ethernet solution, Alcatel said the new Service Interworking capability would be able to support any standard Ethernet VLAN implementation.
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  Alcatel has shipped over 7,000 units of its OmniSwitch line for metro Ethernet deployment.
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  Alcatel has 22 publicly announced customers for its 7670 RSP, including SBC, Bell Canada, Telus, Cable & Wireless, China Telecom, BT, France Telecom, Deutsche Telecom and others.

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Marconi to Resell Laurel's Service Edge Router

Marconi will resell Laurel Networks' Service Edge Router as part of its networking solutions for U.S. federal government network operators and global service providers. Under the partnership, Marconi introduces the BXR-5000, a scalable 160 Gbps per rack platform (80 Gbps in and 80 Gbps out) that supports the aggregation of high-density Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) into a high-speed multiservice core over OC-48c / STM-16 or OC-192c / STM-64. The edge router complements Marconi's BXR-48000, a 960 Gbps (480 Gbps in and 480 Gbps out) switch-router by supporting high-density, high-speed aggregation using Packet over SONET/SDH. In addition to providing aggregation of high-density GigE and IP services, the edge router addresses federal government market requirements for IP QoS solutions. Marconi's Broadband Routing and Switching group (formerly FORE Systems) and Laurel Networks share a common company heritage and both are based in Pittsburgh.
http://www.marconi.com
http://www.laurelnetworks.com

• In April 2003, Marconi's Broadband Routing and Switching group and Riverstone Networks formed a partnership focused on metro Ethernet solutions. The partnership combines Riverstone's IP-based metropolitan routers and carrier-class features with Marconi's multiservice switch-routers, optical transport and broadband access solutions, and its softswitch.
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  In April 2003, Laurel Networks introduced 10 Gbps SONET/SDH and Gigabit Ethernet Physical Interface (PHY) cards for its flagship ST200 Service Edge Router. The platform enhancements include a 1-port OC-192c/STM-64 SONET/SDH PHY card that scales to 8 ports per ST200 (16 per telco rack) and supports Packet over SONET (POS), Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), High-level Data Link Control (HDLC) and Frame Relay encapsulations. Laurel is also introducing a 1-port 10 Gigabit Ethernet PHY card that scales to eight ports per system (16 per telco rack) and supports advanced Ethernet over MPLS capabilities including 802.1Q VLANs and 802.1p prioritization. To meet the needs of growing MPLS networks, the ST200 10 Gbps SONET/SDH and Gigabit Ethernet PHY Cards support 256k MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs).
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  Laurel Networks is headed by Atul Bansal, previously president of FORE Systems' Network Control Technology. Its senior management staff also includes Stephen Vogelsang, previously senior director of strategic and technical marketing at FORE Systems; Robert Warden, who previously managed the hardware engineering teams at FORE Systems responsible for the design, implementation, and market introduction of new ATM and IP switching systems; Robert Rennison, previously a Principal Engineer at FORE Systems responsible for core Internet switching products; Dimitris Varotsis, a principal engineer at FORE Systems responsible for MPLS switching; a Jeffrey Prem, a software developer at FORE Systems.

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Juniper Advances Network Security Across its Platforms

Juniper Networks introduced new network security capabilities across its E-, M- and T-series platforms. New capabilities within Juniper's J-Protect security solution include:

• Adaptive Services Physical Interface Card (PIC) and enhanced Tunnel Services Module add integrated, high-performance Network Address Translation (NAT) and Stateful Firewalling capabilities
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  Monitoring PIC (M-PIC) delivers integrated high-performance Flow Monitoring to the portfolio
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  Port Mirroring in the E-series simplifies traffic monitoring and analysis
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  New J-Protect Professional Services facilitate and enhance security best practices

Juniper Networks noted that security incidents continue to grow in frequency and sophistication and that the network itself has become a potential target, or multiplier, of attacks. The company said its goal is to secure the network by providing high performance protection across all devices and across the control plane, to protect the user by safeguarding data flows, and to reduce capital and operational burdens by minimizing the need for separate security devices.
http://www.juniper.net

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Telica Chooses DCL for VoIP Software

Telica has licensed Data Connection Limited's (DCL's) DC-MGCP, DC-Megaco, DC-SIP and DC-ATM software for its Plexus 9000 softswitch-based switching platform. DCL's SIP, MGCP and Megaco/H.248 products provide portable source code for VoIP applications, with support for advanced distributed and fault-tolerant architectures. The Telica Plexus 9000 is a carrier-grade switch that includes all the elements of a softswitch-based solution, media gateway, media gateway controller and signaling gateway, to provide Class 4/5 switching for the PSTN as well as for ATM and IP networks. Data Connection's DC-SIP provides a full SIP User Agent and Proxy to the latest RFCs, and DC-MGCP/Megaco provides flexible MG and MGC function.
http://www.dataconnection.com

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BellSouth Captures 19% of Consumers and 33% of Businesses in Long Distance

Marking the first anniversary of gaining regulatory approval to offer long distance voice services in Georgia and Louisiana, BellSouth said it has captured 18.5% of residential customers and 32.9% of mass market business long distance customers in those states. BellSouth now serves more than 1.9 million long distance customers region-wide.
http://www.bellsouth.com

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Switch and Data Announces Positive Net Income

Switch and Data, a provider of carrier-neutral interconnection and colocation services, reported two consecutive months of positive net income following its acquisition of PAIX. Switch and Data, which is a privately held firm, has seen a 91% increase in revenues from April 2002 to April 2003 and reports current annualized monthly revenues of $74 million, which is ahead of plan. The company expects positive net income for the full year. Through April, Switch and Data added 53 new customers to its interconnection and colocation facilities bringing its total customer base to 442 and interconnections to more than 7,500 cross connects.
http://www.switchanddata.com/

• In March 2003, Switch and Data Inc. acquired the assets of PAIX.net, a leading Internet peering exchange provider with facilities in Atlanta, Dallas, New York, Palo Alto, Seattle, and Vienna, Virginia. Switch and Data's acquisition is inclusive of all PAIX sites. Financial terms were not disclosed. Switch and Data also provides neutral interconnection and colocation services in the US.
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  PAIX, the Palo Alto Internet Exchange, was originally opened by Digital Equipment Corporation in July 1996. AboveNet acquired PAIX in May 1999 from Digital/Compaq for $75 million. Metromedia Fiber Network agreed to acquire AboveNet Communications in June 1999 in a stock swap valued at about $1.55 billion at the time. AboveNet had co-location facilities in operation in San Jose, California and Vienna, Virginia at the time.

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Lithuanian Telecom Deploys Cisco MPLS Core

Lithuanian Telecom (AB Lietuvos Telekomas) is deploying a 10 Gbps MPLS IP core based on Cisco 12000 Series routers. The backbone will be used to help underpin next-generation services such as video content delivery and Ethernet access. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.cisco.com

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White Rock Adds High-Density DS1 and Fast Ethernet

White Rock Networks is adding high-density DS1 and 10/100 Fast Ethernet support to its VLX2020 OC-48/192 SONET platform. The new ETS2 tributary shelf plugs into White Rock's VLX2020 Main Shelf, creating an OC-192 SONET ADM with DS1, Fast Ethernet, DS3, Gigabit Ethernet, and OC-n services in a single network element occupying only five rack units in height. Up to 672 DS1 or 192 Fast Ethernet services (in addition to multiple OC-n, Gigabit Ethernet and DS-3 services) can be delivered directly from a single OC-48/192 SONET network element. Each DS1 can be directly mapped into either a DS3-mapped STS-1 or a VT1.5-mapped STS-1 SONET payload. White Rock Networks said this unique direct DS1-to-DS3 mapping lowers carriers' CAPEX costs and simplifies their network architecture by integrating the DS1-to-DS3 M13 multiplexing function directly into the DS1 interface card. This eliminates the need for separately managed M13 multiplexers or the DS3 transmux cards required in competitors' ADMs when carriers want to hand off customer DS1 services as DS3s elsewhere in their network. The new ETS2 tributary shelf, which will be available in August, can also be combined with White Rock's other optical network building blocks.
http://www.whiterocknetworks.com

• In March 2003, Tellabs announced a strategic investment in White Rock Networks. Under the agreement, Tellabs will market and sell a customized version of the White Rock VLX2020, which is a compact next-generation SONET add/drop multiplexer. Tellabs also adds to its portfolio a customized version of the White Rock VLX1010, a WDM platform that supports a seamless migration from coarse WDM to dense WDM. Financial terms were not disclosed.
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  In December 2002, White Rock Networks closed $42 million in fourth-round venture funding for its next-generation optical transport systems for the local metro transport market.
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  White Rock has taken a unique approach to the MSPP problem by breaking it into pieces - modular, stackable product elements. White Rock also features a software-based control plane that transforms their modular "building-blocks" into a single network element. White Rock Networks has raised $144 million since its inception in 1999.

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Tellabs Launches 5500 NGX-MX Transport Switch

Tellabs introduced its NGX family of next-generation transport switches designed to integrate bandwidth management and transport functions while scaling up to 5,376 STS-1 equivalent capacity (2,688 STS-1s for fully-protected TDM applications). The new Tellabs 5500 NGX-MX transport switch reduces central office floor space requirements by 90% compared to first-generation digital cross-connects and stacked add/drop multiplexers (ADMs). Integrating digital cross-connect and transport systems into one switch also reduces inter-machine tie-trunks that would otherwise be needed between separate network elements. The new switch is part of the re-branded Tellabs NGX transport switching portfolio. This line-up includes:

• the Tellabs 5500 NGX transport switch (formerly the Tellabs 5500 NGX next-generation cross-connect), which provides OC-48 transport, dense optical connectivity, efficient ring and broadband traffic support and data capabilities;
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  the Tellabs 5500 NGX-S transport switch (formerly the Tellabs 6400 transport switch) -- a compact, single-shelf multi-bandwidth management solution that features STS/VT and M13 bandwidth management flexibility and converges it with SONET and data transport;
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  the new Tellabs 5500 NGX-MX transport switch -- a scalable, multi-bandwidth management solution that builds on the Tellabs NGX-S transport switch to add non-blocking growth for up to 5,376 STS-1 equivalents (2,688 STS-1 capacity for fully-protected TDM applications). The Tellabs 5500 NGX-MX transport switch will be available in Q3.;
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  the Tellabs 7120 NGX advanced transport node -- a compact OC-48/192 SONET transport system for distributed transport nodes with advanced bandwidth grooming and multi-service transport capabilities.

http://www.tellabs.com

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AT&T Introduces New Recovery, Availability Services

AT&T introduced new, integrated recovery, availability and reliability services to help businesses meet recent regulatory and legislative requirements for certain business sectors (particularly financial services and health care) to implement more comprehensive risk mitigation plans. The new services include:


AT&T StorageConnect Service, which enables clients to extend their remote replication, backup and multi-vendor SAN between their premises and/or AT&T Internet Data Centers (IDCs), over any distance, virtually any bandwidth and storage protocol. The service offers bandwidth choices from 10 Mbps to 1 Gbps, and supports Fiber Channel, Enterprise System Connection (ESCON) and/or Fiber Connectivity (FICON) protocols.


AT&T Direct Control allows hosting customers to remotely and securely access their servers, located in AT&T's U.S.-based Internet Data Centers (IDCs), using an Internet browser. AT&T Direct Control empowers clients to set thresholds for warning and alarm notification, view and receive real-time alarm notification, and access business-oriented dashboard views with drill down capability, indicating a near real time status of all clients' monitored elements.
http://www.att.com

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SureWest Deploys Minerva for its Triple-Play Service

SureWest Communications is using Minerva Networks' video services management software to offer interactive television services to its subscribers. SureWest provides a "triple-play" bundle consisting of digital television, high-speed data and telephone services to residential customers in the Sacramento, California region. Minerva's client server middleware manages the delivery of the television services over the IP network.
http://www.minervanetworks.com

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Canada's Shaw Communications Combines VoD with Internet Ordering/Control

Shaw Cablesystems launched a new cable video-on-demand service that uses an Internet-based customer interface to control the two-way cable service. Customers access Shaw On Demand's online ordering system through a secure Shaw web site There they can browse the library of available content, view full motion movie trailers and previews, and place their orders. Within seconds of initiating their order, their selection is available for a 24-hour viewing period through the Shaw Digital Terminal on their home television. The company believes it is the first North American MSO to integrate such Internet functionality into its two-way digital cable network. Shaw also announced availability of HDTV service in its Edmonton cable network.
http://www.shaw.ca

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NTT Communications Deploys Vivace MPLS Multiservice Switch

NTT Communications has completed installation of Vivace Networks' Viva Multi-Service switch in its national network in Japan. NTT Communications is using the Viva Multi-Service node as a consolidated edge and core router. The network is currently delivering Ethernet over MPLS services nationwide. The deployment allows NTT Communications to offer a full range of service offerings including new IP, Ethernet, Frame Relay and ATM services on a single platform. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.ntt.com
http://www.vivacenetworks.com

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NTT DoCoMo Plans 4G Field Trial

NTT DoCoMo is planning to launch a trial 4G mobile network at its R&D facilities in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The field trial will employ Variable Spreading Factor Orthogonal Frequency and Code Division Multiplexing (VSF-OFCDM) and Variable Spreading Factor Code Division Multiple Access (VSF-CDMA) technologies. VSF-OFCDM enables downlink connections of extremely high speeds, both indoors and outdoors, while VSF-CDMA realizes high-speed, high-efficiency packet transmissions for the uplink. DoCoMo has previously demonstrated 4G performance rates of 100 Mbps for the downlink and 20 Mbps for the uplink.
http://www.nttdocomo.com

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Lucent Introduces SONET Mux Small/Medium Enterprises

Lucent Technologies introduced its next-generation SONET access multiplexer for enterprise installations in North America. The new Metropolis DMXplore Access Multiplexer is a single shelf, multi-service access device that enables 16 protected or unprotected DS-1s over an OC-3 interface. The unit, which is designed for fiber to the business and fiber to the curb applications, provides a pre-provisioned set of cross-connections (fixed mapping), which aids in quick deployments. The Metropolis DMXplore is supported by Lucent's Navis Optical Management solution.
http://www.lucent.com

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Sony Combines DVD, DVR and Gaming

Sony introduced a new home entertainment box that combines a DVD player, digital video recording capabilities and a PlayStation 2 console. Sony's PlayStation 3 is not expected until 2004.
http://www.sony.co.jp

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