Taqua Names Telco and MSO Customers for its Class 5 Switch

The North-Eastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company has chosen Taqua's iX7000 next-generation Class 5 switch to replace its eight switch, DMS-10 network as part of a DSL-based triple play service. The telephone company needed to replace its existing Class 5 switches for numerous reasons, including GR303 requirements to work with its new NGDLC deployments.Separately, Huntel Systems and Midcontinent Communications have each deployed Taqua's iX7000 to deliver Class 5 voice services as part of their HFC-based triple play service offerings. Huntel Systems...

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Akamai Deploys Content Servers on China Telecom Backbone

Akamai Technologies will deploy its content servers on China Telecom's backbone with the aim of improving the quality and reliability of Internet content and applications delivery for China's Internet users. Akamai currently has over 14,000 servers deployed widely in 1,100 subscriber ISP networks in 70 countries. http://www.akamai....

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Italy's FastWeb Deploys Kasenna's Media Servers

Italy's FastWeb has deployed Kasenna's MediaBase XMP to manage, distribute and deliver video content for its expanding IP video subscription service. Kasenna's MediaBase XMP provides a standards-based video management and delivery platform for acquiring, managing, distributing, and delivering audio and video on demand. The platform handles deployment of video from narrowband to broadband to broadcast using open standards (MPEG-4, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and Windows Media 9). Omnia Communications, based in Milan, is providing the system integration services...

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Tut Systems Supplies Content Processor for IPTV in Maine

Oxford Networks, a telecom service provider based in Buckfield, Maine is commercially deploying digital TV services over its FTTH network using VideoTele.com's Astria digital TV solution. Oxford Networks is using the platform to deliver more than 160 channels of digital TV, pay-per-view and digital music channels. The carrier is currently deploying what is described as the largest FTTH network in New England. http://www.tutsystems....

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Zarlink Develops Ethernet "Pseudo-wire" Processor

Zarlink Semiconductor unveiled an Ethernet pseudo-wire processor for data services based on work underway in the IETF's PWE3 (pseudo-wire emulation edge-to-edge) working group. The idea is to transparently tunnel layer 2 traffic - such as Ethernet - across IP or MPLS packet-switched networks by creating virtual LAN connections, called pseudo-wire connections. By providing a single network framework for LAN data transport, pseudo-wire services potentially could provide more efficient and cost-effective data services.Zarlink's new, dedicated, single-chip,...

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Nortel Networks Broadens Circuit-to-Packet Interoperability Testing

Nortel Networks announced seven new members of its circuit-to-packet interoperability test program: Aepona Ltd., BroadSoft, Leapstone Systems, Pactolus, Paradyne, Personeta, and sentitO Networks. Nortel Networks established its VoIP and multimedia interoperability testing program in May 2003 to help service providers accelerate time-to-market of packet voice and new SIP-based multimedia services. New program members will focus on enabling interoperability of Nortel Networks Succession Communication Server (CS) 2000 superclass softswitches and Nortel...

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Bell Canada Adopts BCE Emergis' eBilling services

The Bell ExpressVu satellite TV service has selected BCE Emergis' eBilling services, joining three other Bell Canada units that have already adopted the online billing service. With the addition of Bell ExpressVu to webdoxs, Bell Canada customers across the country will have virtually all of their bills available electronically via one or more of BCE Emergis' eBilling services. These bills include Bell Canada wireline and wireless, and most recently, Bell Canada's One Bill, which allows Bell Canada customers who subscribe to more than one service...

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Washington Post: Baby Bells Want Manufacturers' Clout

An unusual meeting last month attended by the CEOs of Verizon Communications, SBC Communications and BellSouth along with representatives of Fujitsu, Intel, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nortel Networks and Siemens AG has raised industry antitrust issues, according to The Washington Post. The purpose of the meeting allegedly was to persuade network equipment manufacturers to join telecom industry lobbying aimed at reforming the broadband regulatory structure. According to the article, the network equipment manufacturers want nothing to do with...

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Former AT&T Chairman Who Oversaw Historic Divestiture Dies at Age 82

Charles L. Brown, the retired chairman and CEO of the former American Telephone & Telegraph Company, has died at the age of 82 following a lengthy illness. Before retiring in August 1986, Brown had headed one of the largest corporations in U.S. history.In 1982, Brown made the decision to divest all of the Bell Telephone Companies as a means of settling antitrust litigation with the federal government. His action produced the largest corporate reorganization in history. He also led AT&T's initial efforts to establish business units and...

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Cisco to Acquire Latitude for Rich-Media Conferencing

Cisco Systems agreed to acquire publicly-held Latitude Communications, a provider of enterprise conferencing solutions, for approximately $80 million in cash. Cisco will pay $3.95 for each outstanding share of Latitude. Latitude's MeetingPlace product integrates with enterprise desktop scheduling applications such as IBM/Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook, as well as with data collaboration and instant messaging solutions such as IBM/Lotus Sametime. The MeetingPlace product also integrates with Cisco CallManager, enabling users to schedule, attend,...

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Telekom Serbia Rebuilds with Alvarion's Wireless Broadband

Telekom Srbija, the incumbent telecom operator in the Republic of Serbia, selected Airspan Networks and Alvarion as strategic suppliers to held rebuild the communications infrastructure in the war-torn country. Telekom Srbija plans to deploy more than 100,000 new telephony and data lines based on wireless last mile solutions. The carrier currently provide fixed and mobile services to some 2.4 million subscribers. http://www.airspan.com http://www.alvarion....

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Level 3 Providing Detroit Metro Fiber to Sprint

Level 3 Communications signed an agreement to lease dark fiber in Detroit to Sprint. Financial terms were not disclosed. Sprint is using Level 3's metropolitan fiber to eliminate the access transport charges it would otherwise pay to a local exchange carrier. Level 3's metro fiber connects key traffic aggregation points throughout the region, including ILEC central offices and voice switching sites. When the fiber is lit, Sprint can hand off traffic directly to local phone companies, without having to lease access circuits at retail rates. h...

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Cisco Delivers 802.11g Access Points and Multi-Mode Client Adapters

Cisco Systems announced 802.11g Aironet Access Points as well as 802.11g radio upgradeable modules for existing Cisco Aironet 1200 and 1100 Series APs. The APs currently support Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) will also be supported in hardware and enabled for all Cisco Aironet 802.11g devices in 2004 via a free software upgrade after ratification of the IEEE 802.11i standard. In addition, Cisco will provide IEEE 802.11a/b/g enabled client adapters in CardBus and PCI form factors supporting Windows XP and Windows...

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8x8 Enhances its VoIP Calling Service

8x8 has added several advanced calling features to its Packet8 voice and video communications service, including call waiting, call waiting caller ID, hold, call alternate and 3-way conferencing. The company also added several support and diagnostic features to its Desktop Terminal Adapter model 310 (DTA-310), including voice prompt support, missing IP address indicator, network problem indicator and improved functionality for downloading new firmware. http://www.8x8....

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University of Cambridge Deploys Procket Routers

The University of Cambridge has deployed Procket Networks' PRO/8801 router into its research network to develop deep packet inspection applications. The University of Cambridge is seeking to identify and understand new traffic patterns created by large scale scientific computations and downloads such as the GRID. The University's Computer Laboratory, which is working with the Centre for European Nuclear Research (CERN) and the UK Particle Physical Science Research Council, chose to deploy Procket's PRO/8801 routers because of their adaptive packet...

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