Bookham Acquires Cierra Photonics for Thin-Film Components

Bookham Technology will acquire the business and assets of Cierra Photonics, a developer of thin-film filters and other optical components. Cierra has developed an Advanced Energy Deposition (AED) technology, which is a specialized process for wafer-scale deposition that results in thin-film components that will have lower costs, higher yields and better optical performance than conventional components. The acquisition was valued at £2.25 million. Cierra Photonics is based in Santa Rosa, California and has approximately 39 employees.
http://www.bookham.com
http://www.cierraphotonics.com/

• In September 2002, Bookham Technology and Cierra Photonics formed a technology and commercial partnership for WDM products, such as optical add/drop multiplexers (OADMs). Bookham Technology is contributing its ASOC design and manufacturing technology for fabricating integrated optical circuits on a silicon substrate, together with its integrated GaAs and InP tunable lasers and modulators. Cierra Photonics brings to the partnership its thin-film filters, based on the company's Advanced Energetic Deposition (AED) technology for waferscale integration. Under the two-year deal, Bookham will also be the exclusive distributor for Cierra Photonics' optical channel filters in Europe.

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World Radiocommunication Conference Concludes

After four weeks of negotiations, the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) concluded with a number of major decisions on the use of radio frequency spectrum globally. Key points include:

• WLANs -- the ITU agreed to allocate 455 MHz of unlicensed spectrum in the 5-GHz band for global WLAN use. Once the agreement achieves final plenary approval, 100 MHz of spectrum (5.150-5.250 GHz) will be allocated for indoor WLAN use, while an additional 355 MHz will be allocated for mixed indoor/outdoor use (5.250-5.350 GHz and 5.470-5.725 GHz). The international agreement at the WRC effectively opens at least 19 non-interfering 5GHz channels for global WLAN use.




• IMT-2000 -- the ITU reaffirmed its support for the continuing deployment of mobile wireless communications by recognizing the need to provide a global vision for the future development and advancement of IMT-2000. As part of this commitment, ITU will study technical and operational issues for migrating to IMT-2000 networks, especially in developing countries, including use of the satellite component of IMT-2000 for suitable coverage of these countries.




• Communications for Disaster Relief -- the ITU approved a resolution that will pave the way for the deployment of new technologies for wideband and broadband public protection and disaster relief applications. At present, public protection and disaster relief applications are mostly narrow-band, but future systems are expected to operate at up to 100 Mbps. Countries are urged to use regionally harmonized bands for public protection and disaster relief to the maximum extent possible, taking into account the national and regional requirements and also having regard to any needed consultation and cooperation with other concerned countries. They are also to encourage public protection and disaster relief agencies and organizations to utilize relevant ITU-R Recommendations in planning spectrum use.




• High Altitude Platform Stations -- some countries have notified ITU of their intent to deploy high altitude platform stations (HAPS) in the bands 47.2-47.5 GHz and 47.9-48.2 GHz. While the decision to deploy HAPS can be taken on a national basis, such deployment may affect neighboring administrations, particularly in small countries. This decision includes a new resolution on the potential use of the bands 27.5-28.35 GHz and 31-31.3 GHz by HAPS in the fixed service.

http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2003/19.html

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NEC Completes World's Longest Single-Photon Transmission Over 100Km

NEC, the Telecommunications Advancement Organization of Japan (TAO) and the Japan Science and Technology Corporation completed a 100-km-long single-photon transmission using a quantum cryptography system over low cost optical fiber. The companies said their demonstration paves the wave for quantum cryptography transmissions in metropolitan optical networks. The system uses a low-noise photon receiver developed jointly by NEC and the Imai Quantum Computation Information Project, and a high performance transmitter developed by NEC and TAO. The transmitter is equipped with a filter that can purify the single-photon spectrum.
http://www.nec.co.jp/press/en/0307/0401.html

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Bahrain's PTT Selects Ericsson for Packet Migration

Batelco, the public network operator in Bahrain, selected Ericsson for the migration of its fixed network to packet technology. The contract includes both Ericsson's ENGINE Multi-Service Network and Ethernet DSL Access solutions. Ericsson's ENGINE softswitch integrates voice and data traffic. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.ericsson.com/multiservicenetworks

• In October 2002, Bahrain Telecommunications Co (Batelco), has selected the Cisco Metro Ethernet Switching portfolio to provide Gigabit Ethernet access over fiber connections to government offices and commercial organizations. Batelco will initially connect all of Bahrain's government ministries to the network. The deployment will use Catalyst 3550 switches at the network edge, together with the Cisco ONT 1031 (Optical Network Terminator) within customer sites, and Cisco 7600 and Cisco 7200 Series Internet routers in the broadband aggregation layer. The new architecture will also include the Cisco Ethernet Subscriber Edge Solution Engine for managing the fiber end-points within customers' premises. MPLS is used within the core to differentiate and streamline traffic types, and to provide the basis for VoIP, and video services in the future. Cisco is working with Schlumberger Network and Infrastructure Solutions on the project.

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Comcast to Sell Its Stake in QVC to Liberty Media for $7.9 Billion

Comcast agreed to sell its stake in QVC, its on-air shopping channel, for approximately $7.9 billion to Liberty Media Corporation. The precise components of the consideration will be determined over the next several weeks subject to certain procedures set forth in a new stock purchase agreement entered into by the parties. Comcast said the cable business continues to be its primary focus and that the proceeds from the sale of QVC would boost its financial position and better enable it to invest for future growth.
http://www.comcast.com

• In 2002, QVC recorded more than $4.4 billion in sales and generated more than 150 million phone calls from its cable television audience. QVC has 11,000 employees and is based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with additional U.S. telecommunications centers in San Antonio, Texas, Port St. Lucie, Florida, and Chesapeake, Virginia.



• In June 2003, Paul G. Allen, the Chairman of Charter Communications and one of the founders of Microsoft, completed his acquisition of Comcast's interest in CC VIII, LLC, a joint cable venture with Charter Communications, for approximately $728 million in cash, consistent with an original put agreement. Comcast said it will use the proceeds to pay down debt incurred in connection with the acquisition of AT&T Broadband in November 2002.

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HP to Acquire Identity Mgt Software from Baltimore Technologies

HP agreed to acquire substantially all of the SelectAccess software assets of Baltimore Technologies, a UK-based developer of network security products, for £8.3 million in cash. The technology will become part of HP's Adaptive Management software portfolio, providing more secure user access to network services and enterprise resources. SelectAccess Web-based single sign-on for a seamless user experience across extranets, intranets and portals.
http://www.hp.com
http://www.baltimore.com/

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