TI Introduces New VoIP Solution for Customer Gateways

Texas Instruments unveiled its latest VoIP gateway solution combining its digital signal processing (DSP) technology and Telogy software. The solution delivers multiples of eight low-bit rate or 16 pulse code modulation (PCM) telephony channels and it supports a range of functionality for customer premises equipment (CPE) gateway applications. Toll quality voice is achieved through a full implementation of features that include echo cancellation, voice playout software with adaptive jitter buffering, tone detection/generation, voice activity detection, and low-bit rate and/or PCM vocoders. The new solution also supports T.38 fax relay, and can be combined with an external microprocessor running TI´s Telogy Software for packet processing and host applications.
http://www.ti.com/sc/broadband

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Native Networks Raises $11.5 Million for Ethernet over SONET/SDH

Native Networks, a start-up headquartered in London with R&D in Petah Tikva, Israel, raised $11.5 million in third round funding for its metro Ethernet over SONET/SDH solutions. The company's platforms can transport and aggregate Metro Ethernet packets alongside legacy circuits/TDM services in their "native" form over existing optical networks. The equipment can support Layer-2 Metro Ethernet services such as Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS). The new funding was led by Infinity and JVP. Other existing investors taking part in the round were Alta Berkeley Venture Partners, Anschutz Investment Company, Apax Partners, Delta Capital Investments, Israel Seed Partners, SkyPoint Capital Corporation, and Soros Private Equity Partners. Native Networks has raised $39.5 million to date.
http://www.nativenetworks.com

• In February 2003, Alcatel announced a partnership with Native Networks under which it is leveraging Native Networks' Metro Ethernet technology to introduce enhanced transport and aggregation of Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet services, along with Packet Ring functionality, for its Optical Multi-Service Nodes (OMSN) equipment. The companies said these new, managed Ethernet features could be introduced incrementally through an add-on card to existing OMSN networks, or equipped as needed in new installations.

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Alcatel Gains RUS Acceptance for FTTU Platform

Alcatel has received technical acceptance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Services (RUS) for the Alcatel 7340 Fiber-to-the-User (FTTU) solution. RUS oversees a multi-billion dollar budget designed to encourage the availability of telecommunication services in rural or under-served areas. Rural independent telephone operating companies (IOCs) can now qualify for subsidization of their fiber-based service rollouts based on the Alcatel FTTU solution.
http://www.alcatel.com

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Disney Expands Use of its DIG Motion Video Application

Walt Disney Internet Group is expanding the use of its proprietary DIG Motion video technology to the Movies.com and Abc.com sites. After a one-time activation process, DIG Motion technology automatically launches full-motion video clips, typically lasting one to three minutes, when a consumer visits a participating site. Video is pre-downloaded directly to users' computers so there is no buffering, streaming or waiting. The technology first debuted on ESPN.com in February 2003 and has since been activated by more than 1.8 million site visitors and it averages 800,000 views daily.
http://www.dig.com

• Walt Disney Internet Group's DIG Motion video technology pushes Windows Media Encoder 9 Series content down to a viewer's PC several times daily. The video will play automatically when logging on to ABC.com, ESPN.com, or Movies.com.
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  The Walt Disney Internet Group operates data centers in Seattle and Orlando. It's 2,000 servers handle about two billion page views per month.
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  In May 2003, The Walt Disney Internet Group named Marianne Marck as vice president of engineering. She previously was senior vice president, technology infrastructure, for CNET Networks. Prior to her tenure at CNET, she served as manager, dataserver engineering, at Sybase. The Walt Disney Internet Group provides operational management for Disney's Internet affiliates, including Disney.com, ESPN.com, and ABCNEWS.com.

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Xelerated Raises $12.5 Million for Fast Network Processors

Xelerated, a start-up based in Burlington, Massachusettes, raised $12.5 million in new funding for its high-performance network processors. Xelerated's X10q chip provides up to 40 Gbps of programmable packet processing with deterministic execution. Investors in the funding round included Atlas Venture, Alta Partners and Startupfactory. The company has raised $26 million to date.
http://www.xelerated.com

• In April 2003, Xelerated 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 to fit on a single, low-cost chip providing unparalleled cost/performance. The 200 data flow processors are organized in a synchronous pipeline with each processor executing a single instruction. This makes them appear to the programmer as a single 80 BOPs processor with a fully deterministic execution time. An X10q reference design system running at 4*10 Gbps was demonstrated at NetWorld+Interop in Las Vegas.

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IDT Introduces New Processor for Wireless LAN Gateways

IDT (Integrated Device Technology) introduced an integrated communications processor aimed at SME/SOHO wireless gateways. The new processor features a 32-bit MIPS CPU core operating at up to 180 MHz, enabling both single and dual-band WLAN designs, and is compatible with a range of real-time operating systems, including Linux and VxWorks. The addition of two Ethernet media access controllers (MACs) with industry standard media independent interfaces (MIIs) provides connectivity to other networking devices and equipment. It also integrates a 16-bit PCMCIA version 2.1 interface that provides system designers with a seamless connection to a range of peripherals and chipsets, including WLAN solutions. Additional features include a 32-bit version 2.2 peripheral component interconnect (PCI) controller, as well as an SDRAM memory controller.
http://www.idt.com

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Linksys Launches Wireless-B Media Adapter

Linksys launched a $199 (MSRP) Wireless-B Media Adapter that lets consumers access digital music and pictures stored on their PC via their TV and stereo systems. The media adapter enables the user to stream MP3 and play WMA music files on the home TV and stereo system. Linksys is also tying the device into Internet music services, such as the RHAPSODY digital music service from Listen.com and MusicMatch. Linksys is a division of Cisco Systems.

http://www.linksys.com

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Fujitsu Integrates Cabinets for Occam's Broadband Loop Carrier

Fujitsu Network Communications is providing integrated cabinets to Occam Networks to house Broadband Loop Carrier (BLC) products. The BLC is a complete loop carrier solution that delivers ADSL and lifeline POTS services from a single, converged access network.
http://www.fnc.fujitsu.com
http://www.occamnetworks.com

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EPM-Bogotá Selects AFC for Remote Terminal Broadband

EPM-Bogotá, the largest alternative carrier in Bogotá, Colombia, will deploy Advanced Fibre Communications' (AFC's) AccessMAX and Telliant platforms for simultaneous delivery of remote voice and high-speed DSL services to residential and small to medium-size business subscribers. The project is the first deployment of broadband services via remote terminals in Bogotá, Colombia. EPM-Bogotá will also be able to use the network to deliver ISDN, E1 and G.shdsl services over copper and fiber transports. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.afc.com

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Equinix Builds Momentum for its GigE ISP Exchange

Equinix has passed the 100th customer mark for its Equinix GigE Exchange service, which facilitates ISP and content data traffic exchange, or "peering," amongst Equinix customers. Over the past 12 months, the service has experienced customer growth of nearly 200 percent and a 30 times increase in traffic volume. In addition to Equinix's New York IBX centers, Equinix GigE Exchange is currently available in Equinix's U.S. IBX centers located in the greater Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Silicon Valley areas, and in Equinix's Asian IBX centers in Sydney, Australia and Tokyo, Japan. Key customers include SBC Internet Services, Yipes Communications, ICG Communications, Net Access Corp., Yahoo!, Google, MSN, Cox Communications, British Telecom, Japan Telecom, Telefonica, Electronic Arts, Sony Online, Time Warner and Verio.
http://www.equinix.com

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Cogent Supplies Low-Cost Bandwidth to The Quilt

Cogent Communications will provide high quality/low cost bandwidth to a number of regional GigaPoPs that are partipants in The Quilt, an initiative led by over twenty research and education networking organizations in the US. Participants in The Quilt provide network service for over 150 Internet2 universities and thousands of other educational institutions. Cogent is prividing bandwidth at the equivalent of $10 per megabit per month to regional GigaPoPs, such as MAGPI (Mid-Atlantic GigaPoP in Philadelphia for Internet2), the Northern Crossroads (NoX), MERIT and CENIC. The deal will eventually result in over 15 Gigabits of additional Cogent IP transit ports with participants of the Quilt in 2003 and 2004.
http://www.cogentco.com
http://www.thequilt.net

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Broadcom Delivers 6th Generation Layer 2+ Switch-on-a-Chip

Broadcom introduced its sixth generation Layer 2+, Ethernet switch-on-a-chip featuring a software management suite for remote-office/branch-office (ROBO) and small-to-medium business (SMB) environments. The new chip combines all of the functions of a standalone 9-port Fast Ethernet switch system, including the integration of memory, physical layer (PHY) transceivers, media access controllers (MACs), address management and a non-blocking switch fabric. In addition, the chip's architecture allows it to cascade to 16, 24, or 32 port Fast Ethernet switching systems through a 3.2 Gbps expansion bus. The switch supports 802.1Q (VLAN), 802.1p (four priority queues), DiffServ, ToS, 802.1D (Spanning Tree), 802.1x protocols, IP multicast and IGMP snooping for video streaming applications. The software suite includes drivers and an application programming interface (API) and system development kit to accelerate the product development cycle for a Layer 2+ managed switch. Sampling is underway.
http://www.broadcom.com

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CinemaNow Selects SAVVIS for Hosting its Video Service

CinemaNow, which provides VOD Internet access to over 3,000 feature-length films, selected SAVVIS to provide managed hosting services for IP-based video-on-demand distribution. CinemaNow said more than one million unique users per month are using its website on either a pay-per-view or subscription basis. CinemaNow offers both download and streaming options for viewing its library of films.
http://www.savvis.net

• CinemaNowhas developed its own "PatchBay" proprietary content-on-demand distribution and digital rights management system. It has also licensed "PatchBay" to Walker Asia and Chunghwa Telecom (film distribution), NHL.com (sports programming), Phish (musical group), CenterSpan (peer-to-peer network) and Arescom (hotel broadband provider).
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  CinemaNow was founded in 1999 and its investors include Lions Gate Entertainment, Microsoft and Blockbuster. The company is located in Marina del Rey, California.

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Telefónica Tests Equipe's E3200 MPLS Convergence Switch

Telefónica completed testing of Equipe Communications' E3200 MPLS Convergence Switch at its R&D labs in Madrid. Telefónica's test bed consisted of two Equipe 3200 switches and two Juniper Networks M-Series routers. Telefonica I+D evaluated the E3200 in a number of key applications: 1) interworking of ATM traffic over a Juniper MPLS network, 2) label switching as an MPLS LSR, 3) delivery of both ATM and MPLS on the same physical port ("Ships-in-the-Night"), and 4) native ATM switching. Equipe said that even under severe congestion, its E3200 switch was able to preserve traffic contracts for constant bit-rate (CBR) ATM services over MPLS.
http://www.equipecom.com

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T-Systems Offers Web Portal for Tracking SLAs

T-Systems, a division of Deutsche Telekom, began offering a standardized performance monitoring tool to its customers in all its major business centers around the world. The fully customizable, DecisionPilot DASHBOARD Web portal provides customers with aggregated views from uptime status of applications to real-time SLA tracking.
http://www.t-systemsus.com

• In June 2003, T-Systems, Deutsche Telekom's IT and network integration business, opened a new headquarters for the Americas in New York City. T-Systems' growth strategy is based on a "Follow Our Customers" philosophy.
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  In 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 address and adapt to specific requirements at each site in terms of availability, class of service mix, service level agreement and support parameters. Four "application-aware" classes of service are available. The service runs entirely over an IP backbone.

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America Online Offers TiVo Programmability

American Online will begin offering a service that lets its members who are also TiVo subscribers program their TiVo DVRs online. For TiVo subscribers with a broadband-enabled DVR, the command to record the program typically will be received nearly immediately. TiVo preferences can also be managed online.
http://www.aol.com
http://www.tivo.com

• TiVo currently reports a total subscriber base exceeding 703,000.

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Microsoft and Ensim Build OSS for Hosting Applications

Microsoft and Ensim Corp. are collaborating on a hosting operations support system (OSS) for service providers. The solution combines Microsoft .NET technologies, including Active Directory, Windows Server and Visual Studio .NET, with Ensim's hosting process automation technology. Ensim Unify delivers reusable hosting OSS capabilities -- service resource management, provisioning, metering, monitoring, authentication and self-management. In particular, it promises out-of-the-box support for hosted Exchange 2003 Services and Web sites built on ASP.NET.
http://www.microsoft.com
http://www.ensim.com

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Atrica Raises $17 Million for its Metro Ethernet Switches

Atrica, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California, raised $17 Million in the first close of its fourth round of funding for its optical Ethernet gear. Atrica is currently shipping three different carrier-class optical Ethernet systems along with an integrated service provisioning and management system. The new funding includes a strategic investment from Intel Capital. The first close of the funding round also includes existing investors -- Accel Partners, Ascend Technology Ventures, Benchmark Capital, Challenge Fund, Innovacom (the venture capital subsidiary of France Telecom), Gemini Israel Fund, Investor Growth Capital, JK&B Capital, and St. Paul Venture Capital. This round of funding builds upon the $117 Million Atrica has already received from industry notables such as 3Com and from global service providers such as BellSouth, Bezeq, SBC Communications, (via Aurum-SBC Ventures), Saturn Venture Partners, and Telia.
http://www.atrica.com

• In May 2003, announced three additions to its portfolio of carrier optical Ethernet products. Atrica's Optical Ethernet Systems -- including 10 Gigabit Ethernet and integrated WDM -- are positioned as an alternative to SONET/SDH-based equipment or RPR architectures. Key features of the Atrica optical Ethernet platform include high port densities in NEBS-compliant chassis, an MPLS architecture capable of supporting large numbers of flows, SLAs, sub-50 millisecond resiliency, integration with circuit switched networks, Ethernet CES for support of TDM traffic, and point and click OAM&P. Atrica's existing A-8000 chassis scales up to 320 Gbps and is designed for core network deployments. The new products include the A-4100 optical Ethernet aggregation switch and the A-2140 edge switch. The A-4100, which is designed for small POP environments, is an eight-slot chassis that scales up to 80 Gbps. It supports MPLS over Gigabit and 10 GigE links. The smaller, A-2140 optical Ethernet Edge switch is a customer premise device supporting a variety of 10/100/1000 Ethernet, Circuit Emulation Services (CES) of T1/E1, OC-3/STM-1 ports.
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• At the time, Atrica said it expects to ship over 50,000 optical Ethernet ports in Q2 2003. The company said over ten carrier worldwide are either testing or deploying its systems. Announced customers include: France Telecom, Al-Pi Telecomunicacions of Spain and Hokkaido Telecom Network in Japan.

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India's Tata Teleservices First to Deploy Motorola's CDMA Mobile SoftSwitch

Tata Teleservices Ltd., one of the leading private telecom operators in India, has deployed Motorola's SoftSwitch for CDMA (MSS-C) on a CDMA2000 1X network. The MSS-C provides the features of a traditional circuit switch, yet takes up to five times less space and three times less power. The companies said traditional circuit switches cannot continue to scale and evolve cost effectively to meet the requirements of the wireless local loop (WiLL) market in India. Tata Teleservices launched its mobile service network in early July. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.motorola.com
http://www.tataindicom.com/

• In May 2003, Motorola completed its acquisition Winphoria Networks, a start-up providing packet based mobile switching centers for wireless networks. Financial terms were not disclosed. Motorola said adding Winphoria's soft-switch will address a long-standing need in its network infrastructure portfolio. Motorola's Global Telecom Solutions Sector (GTSS) business unit entered into an OEM agreement with Winphoria in August 2002. The branded Motorola Soft-Switch (MSS) subsequently entered its first commercial trial in Asia. CDMA 1X network customer trials are currently underway in North America and Asia, with limited commercial introduction slated for June 2003.



• The Winphoria switch is a packet-based platform using next generation hardware and software capable of more than one million Busy Hour Call Attempts (BHCA). The CDMA interface between the Motorola radio access network (RAN) and Winphoria switch is fully compliant with the IS-634 interoperability standard, commonly called the Interoperability Specification (IOS) open standard. In March 2002 the two companies announced successful completion of interoperability tests of the current IOS feature set in use by CDMA carriers globally. The platform also supports Qualcomm's GSM1x technology, which allows GSM carriers to take advantage of the spectral efficiency and enhanced data throughput of CDMA2000, while maintaining existing GSM services and network infrastructure. The GSM1x architecture allows subscribers to utilize existing GSM SIM cards to establish calls with a CDMA2000 air interface.

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