Marconi Introduces Next-Gen Multihaul WDM

Marconi introduced a new, scalable, WDM transmission platform that could serve metro, long-haul and ultra-long haul distances of up to 4,000 km. The Marconi "SmartPhotoniX Multihaul" platform leverages Marconi's SmartPhotoniX transmission technology, which uses dispersion-managed solutions. Marconi said the basic philosophy behind its new platform is to provide modular and flexible architecture with "plug and play" features that reduce the time taken to provision new services, such as lighting up additional wavelengths to satisfy bandwidth demand....

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Agilent Offers VoIP Service Assurance for SIP Push-to-Talk

Agilent Technologies announced an OSS analysis system for monitoring the voice quality of wireless SIP-based push-to-talk (PTT) services. Push-to-talk enables wireless users to connect in a "walkie-talkie" mode with other individuals or with groups of mobile phone users at the push of a button. There is increasing interest in using SIP to establish and maintain the connection between PTT-enabled handsets. The new Agilent OSS NgN Analysis System enables VoIP service providers to monitor, troubleshoot and identify call quality and failure issues...

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SureWest Selects Allied Telesyn for FTTH

SureWest Communications has agreed to purchase 5,000 of Allied Telesyn's Broadband Residential Gateways and single fiber media converters for its FTTH deployment in the Sacramento, California area. Allied Telesyn's residential gateway distributes traditional voice and multiple IP-based services throughout a home, including broadband Internet access, VoIP, broadcast television, and video on demand. The gateway features two analog phone ports, three 10/100 Ethernet LAN ports, and supports IGMP for secure and efficient multicast video. http://www.alliedtelesyn.com...

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Shaw Cablesystems Calls on Canadian Regulator to Stop Below Cost DSL

Shaw Cablesystems, Canada's second largest cable and Internet service provider, filed a petition asking the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to order a stop to anti-competitive pricing of DSL. Shaw is especially concerned about aggressive DSL promotional packages from Telus in Alberta and British Columbia. Shaw contends that Telus' "predatory pricing practices" could significantly reduce competition in the Internet access market in western Canada. Shaw specifically asks the CRTC to forbid Telus from offering...

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Data Connection Marks its 22nd Year of Profitability

Data Connection, a privately-held developer of networking software, and its MetaSwitch subsidiary, announced record earnings were $12 million on record revenues of $40 million for its fiscal year ended 30-Aug-03. This marks the 22nd straight year of profitability for Data Connection. The company noted increases in performance from all three of its divisions. The Internet Application Group (IAG) enjoyed strong continuing success with its web-conferencing solution, MeetingServer, and its carrier-class unified communications suite. Customers include...

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Nortel Networks Enhances Optical Ethernet Portfolio

Nortel Networks unveiled significant enhancements to its Optical Ethernet portfolio, including new features on the Ethernet over Fiber solution. Nortel Networks estimates that in the long term Ethernet over Fiber (EoF) will allow service providers to lower access costs by 35-50% compared to traditional Frame Relay and ATM solutions. EoF, which is based on the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard, can span distances of up to 70km. Nortel Networks said its newest EoF innovation, called the Logical Provider Edge, leverages the benefits of MPLS with the...

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Nortel Networks Introduces Media Application Server

Nortel Networks introduced a Media Application Server for delivering customized packet telephony applications that incorporate speech recognition, text-to-speech, and DTMF detection and other processing-intensive capabilities. Nortel Networks will implement enhanced media processing capabilities in software rather than hardware. The new Media Application Server, which will work with Nortel Networks Multimedia Communication Server 5100 and 5200, will support open interfaces -- such as SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and VoiceXML (VXML). ...

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SnowShore Debuts Software Media Server

SnowShore Networks introduced a Software Media Server designed for advanced SIP and VXML services. The 1U appliance, which is driven by dual Intel Xeon processors and a Linux OS, is a multi-function media processing platform that supports multiple SIP, MSCML and VXML services including announcements, IVR, unified messaging, and conferencing services. The media server features an entry-level 25-port capacity that can scale up to 250 ports in 25 port increments. It is capable of supporting multiple applications simultaneously or could be dedicated...

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Telica Unveils PLUS, its Second-Generation Softswitch Architecture

Telica unveiled its new PLexus Unified Service Architecture (PLUS), a second generation, carrier-grade softswitch supporting a mix of legacy TDM, packet, Class 4, Class 5, wireline and wireless services. Telica said scalability to process an increasing number of packets and signaling messages was a chief design requirement of the second generation platform. Its new PLUS architecture, which leverages is existing Plexus 9000 platform, consists of a Media Gateway, a Media Gateway Controller, a Signaling Gateway and a related management suite. New...

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Level 3 Introduces VoIP MARKETPLACE

Level 3 Communications introduced a new (3)VoIP MARKETPLACE service targeted at call center operators, voice portals, and conferencing providers. The service allows customers to establish a local presence on the PSTN and receive locally dialed calls. Calls can be placed into the network viaLevel 3-assigned or customer-ported local telephone numbers. Level 3's softswitch platform converts the calls to IP and routes them to Level 3's MPLS-enabled backbone for delivery to the customer's own IP voice application. Local VoIP-PSTN presence is provided...

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Vonage Activates 50,000th Broadband Phone Line

Vonage has activated its 50,000th broadband telephony line. The company said it is now adding more than 2,000 lines to its SIP-based network every week. The number of completed calls has topped the 60 million mark and call volumes continue to grow. Vonage believes it represents over half of all broadband telephone lines and calling activity in the U.S., based on a June 2003 report from Merrill Lynch. http://www.vonage....

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AT&T Announces New VoIP Capabilities for Large Enterprises

Beginning in 2004, AT&T will offer VoIP as an option on its managed Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, which runs over its MPLS backbone. AT&T said its corporate VoIP service would deliver the first global VoIP-specific and ITU standards-based service level guarantee for voice quality. To monitor call quality, customers could view online reports with the scored quality of each and every call placed. The VoIP service would also benefit from dynamic real-time bandwidth allocation and prioritization between voice and data traffic. The...

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Tut Systems and Teleste Partner on TV and VOD

Tut Systems and Teleste announced today a joint marketing and sales agreement to offer standards-based video solutions for FTTP/FTTH, Fiber to the Curb (FTTC), and hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) networks. The joint system architecture, which is based on the global DVB-C open transmission standard for digital TV, optimizes the use of RF-based analog, RF-based digital, and IP-based digital TV channels over fiber and cable networks. The architecture is an extension of Tut Systems' IP TV over xDSL and Teleste's analog and digital product lines aimed at HFC...

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Telcordia Unveils "Elementive" Management Portfolio for IP, Optical and Wireless

In what it calls a pivotal shift for the telecommunications industry, Telcordia Technologies unveiled its "Elementive" portfolio for managing IP, optical and wireless networks. The open, configurable Elementive portfolio is based on industry standards including J2EE and TMF 513, and would let carriers implement modularized OSS/BSS components either from Telcordia or its partners. The Elementive Portfolio is comprised of three solution sets:the Telcordia Managed IP Portfolio, which allows carriers to optimize resources and lower costs, speed...

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Cisco Authorizes Up to $7 Billion in Additional Stock Repurchases

Cisco Systems' board of directors authorized up to $7 billion in additional repurchases of its common stock with no termination date. The board had previously authorized up to $13 billion in stock repurchases. The company said it continues to evaluate the best uses for its cash.As of July 26, 2003, the company had repurchased and retired 548 million shares of Cisco common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $7.8 billion since inception of the program, and the remaining authorized amount for stock repurchases under the program was $5.2 billion....

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Lucent Gets Court Approval for Shareholder Settlement

Lucent Technologies received preliminary court approval of its agreement to settle pending shareowner and related litigation against the company, its current and former officers and directors, and certain other defendants. The deal was first announced on 27-March-2003. http://www.lucent....

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Verizon Introduces BroadRoute Service for PBXs

Verizon Communications began offering s new "BroadRoute" service for small and medium-sized businesses with ISDN PRI-compatible PBXs. Verizon BroadRoute works by connecting the businesses' LAN and PBX equipment to a Verizon-provided PBX/IP converter. The converter, in turn, connects to the Verizon network via a dedicated T-1 line. The BroadRoute service enables customers to remotely route incoming calls to alternate destinations. In addition, Verizon provides round-the-clock, toll-free technical assistance, extended bandwidth and additional Internet...

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Verizon Cuts Estimates for Second Half of the Year

Citing soft demand for business voice services, ongoing consumer landline services technology substitution, and adverse state and federal regulatory rulings, Verizon Communications cut its financial outlook for the rest of the year. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) before special items are now expected to be in the range of $2.56 to $2.60, down from earlier estimates of $2.70 to $2.80. Comparable revenue growth for the year remains in the 0% to 2% range. Verizon is reducing its planned CAPEX for 2003 to $12 billion to $12.5 billion, down from...

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