OIF Approves Expanded Tunable Laser Spec

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) approved a multi-source Tunable Laser Implementation Agreement that addresses module physical (electrical) interface, communications interfaces and optical performance parameters for continuous wavelength (CW) tunable laser modules. The new agreement was passed in record time, going from proposal in February 2003 to completion last month. This new IA builds upon the OIF's first tunable laser specification, which was released in November 2002.http://oiforum....

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AMCC Reports a Rise in Network Silicon Order Bookings

In a presentation at the Smith Barney Citigroup Semiconductor Conference in Monterey, California, Dave Rickey, President, CEO and Chairman of AMCC noted increased order activity since early April. In a press statement, he said "new bookings remain robust as some customers lay in several months of backlog." However, Rickey observed that it was too early to characterize the bookings as a "significant trend" and he did not update the financial guidance that AMCC provided to its investors on 23-April-2003. http://www.amcc....

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Jasomi Announces 6 New Deployments for PeerPoint Gateway

Jasomi Networks announced 6 new customer deployments for its PeerPoint network boundary traversal and session controller. New customers include Primus Telecommunications, New York-based WorldWide Telco, Texas-based Addaline.com, Austrian registry nic.at GmbH, LibréTel and Teleplus Consulting. Jasomi's boundary traversal SIP gateway enables companies and carriers to route inbound SIP traffic without bypassing a firewall. http://www.jasomi....

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Marconi Demonstrates 480 Gbps Switch-Router in MPLS Interoperability Event

Marconi Corporation demonstrated its BXR-48000, a 480 Gbps switch-router, in a multi-vendor IP/MPLS interoperability demonstration sponsored by the MPLS/Frame Relay Alliance at this week's SUPERCOMM trade show in Atlanta. The demo tests Fast Re-Route techniques, Layer 2 point-to-point services, virtual private LAN services and Layer 3 RFC 2547-bis VPN operation. The BXR-48000 supports multiple fast-reroute techniques from several edge router vendors, enabling it to aggregate numerous edge devices into a common core infrastructure. http://www.marconi.com...

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Marconi Announces GigE Module for Switch Routers

Marconi Corporation introduced a one-port Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) network module for its ASX and TNX families of multiservice switch-routers. The module allows service providers to deliver SLAs by mapping Ethernet traffic to the QoS guarantees offered by ATM networks, allowing them to provide VoIP, Video over IP and VPN services. Operators can also offer transparent LAN services, private line services and DSLAM aggregation with the module. http://www.marconi....

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Marconi Enhances Video Conferencing Virtual Presence System

Marconi Corporation announced product enhancements to its ViPr Virtual Presence System for high-resolution, real-time, multimedia communications between geographically dispersed locations. The ViPr System merges video-conferencing and IP-based voice services to deliver DVD-quality video and CD-sharp sound on a platform optimized for point-to- multi-point desktop communications. The ViPr Series II integrates a touch screen, camera, speakers, and other components into a compact, desktop platform. In addition, the enhancements include several SIP-based...

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CoManage Upgrades OSS, Signs Marconi as Reseller

CoManage Corporation released a new version of its TrueSource data integrity product. TrueSource 4.0 includes the new Discrepancy Analytics Engine, which identifies and prioritizes the root causes of discrepancies between asset inventory records in databases and the live network, and offers recommended resolution plans to fix them. CoManage claims that the Analytics Engine can reduce discrepancy repair by an estimated 95% when compared with traditional manual methods. The upgrade also features enhanced support for IP Networks, covering the core,...

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Broadcom's GbE and ADSL Silicon Selected for Occam's Loop Carrier System

Occam Networks is using Broadcom's ADSL and Gigabit Ethernet silicon technologies for delivering and aggregating broadband traffic on its new BLC 6000 Loop Carrier System. The design utilizes the Broadcom BCM6410/20 BladeRunner ADSL Central Office (CO) chipset, which enables high-speed access capability from the CO or remote terminal (RT). Aggregation and transport of the user traffic is powered by a family of Broadcom Gigabit Ethernet devices, which include the BCM5691 StrataXGS GbE multi-layer switch chip, the BCM5421S GbE PHY) device, and...

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MCI Selects Nortel Packet Voice Technology for Converged Network Transition

MCI has deployed Nortel Networks Succession superclass softswitches and Passport Packet Voice Gateways to create a next generation packet voice network and move toward its goal of a single voice and data network on a common IP core. Under the phase of the transition, MCI has evolved existing Nortel Networks DMS circuit switches to Succession Communication Server 2000 superclass softswitches. In addition, the service provider will have deployed 51 Passport gateways by the end of June. MCI expects to carry 25% of its domestic voice traffic over...

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TiMetra Unveils its Next Generation Service Routers

TiMetra Networks, a start-up based in Mountain View, California, unveiled its family of scalable, carrier-class routing platforms for the delivery of new, private data services as well as Internet access. TiMetra believes the introduction of highly granular VPN services requires a fundamental design shift in routing platforms, similar to the change from multiprotocol corporate routers circa 1995 to Internet-class IP routers circa 1998. Rather than retrofit core routers for advanced services such as MPLS tunneling, destination-based billing and...

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Deutsche Telekom's T-Systems Seeks Growth in North America

T-Systems, Deutsche Telekom's IT and network integration business, is opening a new headquarters for the Americas in New York City. T-Systems' growth strategy is based on a "Follow Our Customers" philosophy. It is targeting network solutions for the North American operations of multinational corporations that already do business with T-Systems in Europe. http://www.t-systemsus.comIn April, Deutsche Telekom's T-Systems division extended its IP-VPN MPLS network services into North America. T-Systems is offering custom-built MPLS solutions that...

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Sycamore and Siemens Announce Integrated Optical Solutions

Siemens and Sycamore Networks have reached several milestones in their joint efforts to integrate Siemens' DWDM long haul transmission, SDH systems, and network management systems with Sycamore's SN 16000 intelligent optical switch. Highlights of the completed development work include:transport integration of the Siemens DWDM transmission system SURPASS hiT 7500 and Sycamore's SN 16000 intelligent optical switch, thereby eliminating the need for back-to-back client transponders at switching locations. This reduces the number of O/E/O (optical...

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Infineon Introduces New QAM-VDSL Modem-on-Chip, Announces Design Win with Huawei

Infineon Technologies introduced a new Modem-on-Chip (MoC) solution for access line card and customer premises equipment (CPE) designs. Infineon's chip incorporates the digital transceiver, analog front end (AFE) and line driver for a VDSL modem. The new VDSL5100i chip also features Infineon's Adaptive Hybrid technology, which enables filterless designs, thereby reducing the number of external components and associated cost, for both line card and CPE devices. Infineon said its VDSL chip provides an aggregate data rate of more than 100 Mbps, including...

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Eleven DSL Suppliers Commit to DMT VDSL

Eleven DSL semiconductor and system vendors announced their commitment to discrete multi-tone (DMT) modulation as the line code for standard-compliant very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber lines (VDSL). The companies noted that over 36 million ADSL lines deployed worldwide at the end of 2002 were using DMT modulation. The companies claim the technology will scale to more than 70 Mbps downstream and over 50 Mbps upstream on existing telephone lines. The backers of DMT VDSL include Alcatel, Analog Devices, Broadcom, Ericsson, Ikanos Communications,...

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Infineon Offers Ethernet Switch-on-a-Chip, EoVDSL

Infineon Technologies introduced a Layer2+ Ethernet Access Switch Switch-on-Chip solution for accessswitch designs handling standard Ethernet, Ethernet-over-Fiber, and VDSL links. Infineon's "Purple" Switch-on-a-Chip silicon could be used in seven different switch configurations, ranging from 48Fast Ethernet (FE) + 2 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports up to 8 GbE ports. The range of applications supported by the Purple Switch-on-Chip include IP-DSLAM/DLCs, high port count workgroup switches, GbE aggregators, LAN Access Switches, cellular base stations...

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Bell Labs Sets Its Sights on Services

Bell Labs will focus more of its efforts on solving the direct technical issues of Lucent's customers. The increased direct customer interaction is expected to enhance the field support capabilities of Lucent Worldwide Services (LWS) and shorten product development cycles for new technologies being developed inside the lab. An example of Bell Labs' efforts includes a "Bandwidth Recovery" researchservice that will help carriers recover stranded capacity in their SONET/SDH, ATM and MPLS/IP networks. Specifically, Bell Labs is developing algorithms...

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Lucent Unveils Compact iGEN Voice Switch

Lucent Technologies unveiled a compact switch for delivering Class 5 switching and other key voice features in the small central offices of independent telephone companies, CLECs and cable companies. The new iGEN Compact Switch scales from 32 to 10,000 subscribers. It features a "switch-on-a-pack"architecture that integrates all of its functionality into a single shelf, rather than multiple cabinets used by smaller legacy switches. It provides key support for GR303, V5.2, ISDN, SS7, AIN, cable and telephone applications. http://www.lucent.c...

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AT&T Now Serves 3 Million Residential Local Customers

AT&T reached the 3 million customer milestone for residential local access lines. AT&T noted that thecompetitive local service market is flourishing only where state regulatory commissions set reasonablerates for unbundled network elements. AT&T said it is hopeful that a number of state commissions that are reviewing wholesale rates, including those in Georgia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Texas, will set rates that will foster the growth of local service competition. Including business lines, AT&T now has more than 7 million...

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Agilent Introduces Compact System for Remote Testing of Fiber Optic Networks

Agilent introduced its accessFIBER 53000 Series compact remote fiber test unit for management and monitoring of physical fiber networks. The system gathers data from remote fiber optic test probes placed throughout a service provider's network to provide real time visibility into fiber breaks and troubleshoot problems such as unstable links and fiber degradation. The accessFIBER Remote Fiber Test Unit provides details to pinpoint the exact location of fiber breaks and enables electronically distributed work orders to rapidly handle repairs. ...

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AT&T to Raise Bar on Customer Service, Launch Wi-Fi

Speaking at the opening of Supercomm 2003 in Atlanta, David Dorman, CEO of AT&T, said his company will invest $500 million towards "improving the customer experience" on its networks. This targeted spending, which is part of the existing capital expenditures already budgeted for 2003, is aimed at making AT&T into "an easier company to do business with." While customers already perceive AT&T as reliable and stable, Dorman said the vision is to put customers in charge of ordering, provisioning, adjusting and monitoring custom services...

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