NetTest Enhances its SDH/SONET Tester

NetTest introduced a new "Jitter and Wander" option for its SDH/SONET module, a component of the company CMA 5000 Multi Layer Test Platform. NetTest's Optical Transport Analysis (OTA) module is a field portable tester designed to help network engineers to minimize the effects of recurrent phenomenon such as network clock synchronization and wander and timing instabilities during the installation, commission and maintenance of broadband networks. In addition to testing jitter and wander from DS1/E1 up to OC-48/STM 16, the OTA module also provides automatic jitter tolerance measurements, jitter transfer measurements and test reports.
http://www.nettest.com

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Zhone and Tellium Complete Merger

Zhone Technologies completed its merger with Tellium. Immediately prior to the consummation of the merger, Tellium implemented a one-for-four reverse stock split. The combined company's shares will commence trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol "ZHNE" effective 14-Nov-03.


The combined company is named Zhone Technologies and will be headquartered in Oakland, California.
http://www.zhone.com/

• In July 2003, Zhone Technologies, a provider of next-gen local loop access solutions, first announced its plans to merge with Tellium, a developer of core optical switching systems. At the time, Mory Ejabat, current chairman and CEO of Zhone Technologies, said that combining the two businesses would create a comprehensive solution for local, metro and long distance service providers. Tellium would also contribute its $149.8 million in cash to the combined company, which would retain the name Zhone Technologies. Ejabat would continue as chairman and CEO of the combined operation. In the long term, the combined company plans to offer access and transport solutions that bridge existing copper-based loops and fiber optics. Zhone has acquired eight companies over the past four years.

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Myrio Raises $9 Million in New Investment

Myrio, a start-up based in Kirkland, Washington, raised $9 million in new funding for its middleware solutions for IP-based video services. Myrio has sold its software suite and associated managed services to 18 service providers worldwide.


New investors include Siemens Venture Capital, which led the round, and individual industry executives. The company's three existing venture capital investors -- Ridgewood Capital, NeoCarta Ventures and Alexander Hutton Venture Partners -- also invested in this round.
http://www.myrio.com

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Zhone Announces its Triple Play over Copper Solution

Zhone Technologies outlined its product suite for telcos delivering triple play services over their copper infrastructure. Zhone's Single Line Multi-Service product family now offers both copper or fiber interfaces, supporting TDM, IP or ATM protocols with uplinks including T1/E1 IMA, DS3, E3, OC-3, STM-1, OC-12, STM-4, 10bT, 100bT, and GigE. Line side services include G.SHDSL, ADSL, ADSL2, ADSL2+, VDSL and PON.


Zhone is also supplying a residential gateway that combines the functions of a DSL modem, router, Integrated Access Device and up to four video decoders. The device eliminates the need for set top boxes. It uses existing inside wiring (copper and coax) and existing TVs, peripherals and electronic devices for tuning.
http://www.zhone.com/

• In September 2003, Zhone Technologies unveiled a PON solution for its Single Line Multi-Service (SLMS) architecture, which is designed to enable telephone carriers to deliver the triple-play of voice, data and video services to their subscribers over a single network. Zhone is introducing new Multiple Access Line Concentrator (MALC) PON optical line termination (OLT) cards. Designed for CO, RT, outdoor cabinet or basement deployment, Zhone's MALC media- and protocol-agnostic packet loop carriers can be configured for traditional and next generation architectures, including ATM packet loop carrier, optical line termination unit, ATM/IP DSLAM and traditional DLC. Zhone's implementation supports the B-PON standard (G983.3). Zhone will also be introducing a PON Residential Gateway that serves as the ONT/ONU for connections directly to residential subscribers. The device delivers up to four POTS voice ports, fast Ethernet and RF video over a single fiber input. The unit also features the ability to distribute Ethernet over coaxial cable for homes where Cat 5 wiring is not available. The Ethernet signal is converted inside the ONT to an 802.11 RF signal which is then combined with the video signal on the coaxial cable.

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BT Reaches 1.5 million Wholesale ADSL lines

Citing a "challenging" regulatory environment and lower pricing, BT reported that its quarterly group revenues decreased by 2% year on year to GBP 4.568 billion. New wave initiatives, especially broadband and enterprise solutions generated a 25% increase in turnover in the quarter to GBP 761 million compared to the prior quarter . However, this strong growth was more than offset by a 6% decline in turnover from the group's traditional business. BT blamed a substantial proportion of the decline in traditional turnover on regulatory changes, especially reductions on fixed to mobile termination rates. Other regulatory changes affected private circuits and directory enquiries. Some major highlights:

• free cash flow improved 6% to GBP 585 million



• earnings per share improved by 19% to 4.4 pence



• BT was serving 1.5 million wholesale ADSL lines as of 31-October-2003, more than triple the number of connections 12 months ago.



• BT's market share of fixed to fixed voice minutes declined from the first quarter by 0.8% points to 41.2% with this level of decline being similar to the experience in the first quarter.

http://www.btplc.com

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SkyStream Debuts MPEG-4 Encoding and Transcoding

SkyStream Networks announced MPEG-4 encoding and transcoding capabilities for its Mediaplex-20 platform, which provides delivery of video content over IP and ATM networks in low-bandwidth environments. At this week's TelcoTV 2003 conference in Las Vegas, SkyStream is showing the Mediaplex-20 encoding digital video in dual MPEG-4 formats -- ASP and H.264 -- out of the same chassis. The new Video Repurposing (VRP) architecture of the Mediaplex-20 enables transcoding from MPEG-2 video to MPEG-4 format, MPEG-4 encoding of analog video, transrating from one video bit-rate to another, video stream replication for delivery of streams to different platforms simultaneously, and bandwidth rate reduction with bandwidth policing.
http://www.skystream.com

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Metalink's QAM VDSL Shipments to Korea Top 200K

Metalink has now shipped over 200,000-ports of its QAM VDSL chipset to South Korea. The company said its four-band QAM VDSL products are being used by Korean operators to deliver 50 Mbps IP-VDSL over single-pair copper wires. The chipsets support the ITU, ETSI, Chinese, and ANSI band allocation plans.
http://www.metalinkBB.com

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StarBand Cleared to Exit Chapter 11

StarBand, a provider of two-way satellite Internet services, received approval from a U.S. bankruptcy court to emerge from Chapter 11 protection by the end of the month. The company said its capital structure has significantly improved with the conversion of approximately $113 million of bank debt to equity. In addition, approximately $90 million of debt to Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. will convert to equity and a $14 million post-emergence note. Further, StarBand and Gilat have entered into a new technology and hardware supply agreement providing for $7.5 million in additional financing.


StarBand has recently launched new residential price plans for its two-way satellite service with monthly fees starting at $39.99.
http://www.StarBand.com

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Broadstream Offers Outsourced Video Headend

Broadstream Communications, a start-up based in Seattle, announced a turn-key video headend service for telcos planning to offer triple-play services. Broadstream will outsource the head-end infrastructure so that telcos pay only a monthly fee, avoiding the cost of building their own headend facilities. The Broadstream service will also provide the digital TV programming -- including broadcast network content, specialty channels, movies, sports and local programming -- as well as digital music programming. Broadstream initially plans to offer over 100 video and audio programs through agreements with major broadcasters across the country. Broadstream will commence its service in Q1 2004.


Broadstream's edge platform -- located typically at the telcos Central Office -- will incorporate SkyStream Networks' Mediaplex-20 Video Delivery Platform -- a multi-channel, high-density switched video headend system that provides advanced encoding with built-in pre-processing, video multiplexing and de-multiplexing, video rate-shaping, transrating, stream replication, DVB to IP gateway and ATM to IP and DVB/ASI conversion, in a single chassis. Broadstream and SkyStream have formed a strategic alliance targeting the U.S. telco triple play market.
http://www.broadstream.tvhttp://www.skystream.com

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Amino, Kasenna and Minerva Launch NetVision

Minerva Networks, a supplier of video networking infrastructure, Kasenna, a supplier of video management and delivery software, and Amino Communications, a specialist in set-top boxes, unveiled a joint solution for the delivery of interactive television services over broadband networks. The new "NetVision" platform combines service management software (middleware), video management and delivery software, client software and a set-top box.


The back-office management software (Minerva iTVManager) and the video management and delivery software (Kasenna MediaBase XMP) run on Linux servers. The middleware client component has been optimized for the Amino set-top box. The solution supports live TV, VOD, NVOD, SVOD, Pay-per-View, Caller ID, e-mail and Web access. Amino, Kasenna and Minerva are working closely together to add advanced features such as Time-shifted Television and Personal Video Recording (PVR).


SureWest Communications has selected the NetVision solution for its triple-play services.
http://www.kasenna.com
http://www.minervanetworks.com

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Cisco and Paradyne Tests IP Video over DSL

Cisco Systems and CC&I Engineering, which specializes in switched digital video systems integration, have built what is described as one of the largest IP test beds for consumers video services over DSL. The test bed at Cisco's Customer Proof-of-Concept Lab (CPOC) in San Jose uses Cisco's Catalyst switches and Paradyne's IP-based DSLAMs connected over a fiber ring using Gigabit Ethernet.


The companies said their tests showed that Paradyne's compact (1U) GranDSLAM 4200IP maintained "excellent video quality" even when the combined multicast video and best-effort Internet traffic offered to the network was at 185% of capacity. In addition to measuring processing capability, the network was tested for jitter - a critical signal synchronization condition - that was shown to be less than 1 millisecond, nearly 50 times better than CC&I's design.
http://www.paradyne.com
http://www.cci-eng.com

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PMC-Sierra Debuts SERDES for OBSAI Basestation Spec

PMC-Sierra announced a SERDES transceiver that complies with the new Open Base Station Architecture Initiative's (OBSAI) Reference Point 3 (RP3) interface specification. OBSAI comprises over 50 industry companies working together to define wireless base station specifications. The RP3 interface interchanges formatted air interface user data as well as fast control data between the baseband processors and the radio (RF) modules.


PMC-Sierra's QuadPHY 10GX is a 4 port bi-directional 1.2 to 3.2 Gbps serial transceiver that allows base station manufacturers to evolve to higher speed serial links required by higher density baseband and radio cards thereby reducing systems costs.
http://www.pmc-sierra.com

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Thomson Unveils Intel-based Video Compression Platform for DSL

Thomson introduced a new, Intel-architecture-based video delivery platform for DSL, cable or satellite network operators. Thomson's "Cobra" platform will support current and next-generation video codecs, including MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Part 2, Windows Media 9 Series, and MPEG-4 Part 10 (JVT). The company said it has worked closely with Intel, Microsoft TV and Alcatel to create an efficient platform for delivery of a wide range of services, including Internet, audio and video content and gaming. Thomson's Cobra platform will support a range of set-top box designs, such as:

• a basic set-top box receiver that delivers streaming audio and video content and supports interactive applications.



• a set-top box receiver with a hard-drive to receive video on demand programming over DSL networks.



• a set-top box receiver with a hard-drive and tuners to support advanced personal video recorder (PVR) capability for easy to use program recording and playback.



• a set-top box receiver with a hard-drive, PVR capability, and an optical drive such as CD or DVD for program recording and playback.

http://www.thomson.net

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SBC Provides 2004 Outlook, Updates Major Trends

SBC Communications expects to see its wireline revenue stabilize and then return to growth by the end of 2004, said Edward E. Whitacre Jr., SBC Chairman and CEO, at a company-sponsored conference. The company is hoping to save $1.3 billion in annual expenses by 2006 by further trimming its capital expenditures and improving its overall productivity. Some major trends underway at SBC include:

• the company is on-track to launch a bundled SBC DISH TV video service in early 2004. SBC will have pricing flexibility in launching the service and will be able to control the customer relationship. SBC also plans to add interactive features through the TV set-top box.



• SBC is expecting continued growth in DSL net adds in 2004. The company currently has 3.1 million DSL users. SBC estimates that more than 50% of DSL locations passed today are capable of 4-6 Mbps service.



• SBC's consumer growth strategy will continue to focus on service bundling. Adding long distance to an access line reduces the company's churn rate by 9%. Churn drops by 61% when a DSL line is added to an SBC bundle. Together, long distance and DSL reduce churn by 73%.



• Cingular Wireless' national GSM/GPRS network conversion is ahead of schedule and 92% complete across the company's existing geographic footprint. Currently, 40% of Cingular customers have GSM- enabled handsets.



• SBC's consumer retail long distance penetration is expected to reach more than 40% company wide by year end 2004.



• SBC is updating and standardizing systems at its call centers and network service centers over the next two years to improve customer service, simplify operations and increase productivity. SBC is reducing its number of call centers by about one-third by standardizing technologies and processes. And in SBC network center operations, the company expects to substantially reduce its roughly 500 locations - down from 600 a year and a half ago.



• SBC will continue to expand its national data network in 2004 as it pushes enterprise services into new markets. The SBC IP backbone and out-of-region networks - which reach more than 30 major metropolitan markets outside the company's traditional service area - are up and running now.



• Strong access-line performance in the Midwest - similar to trends in the Southwest and West following long distance launches.



• CAPEX for 2004 will be approximately $5 billion, excluding Cingular.

http://www.sbc.com

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Nortel Networks Provide VoIP Migration in Dominican Republic

CODETEL, a Verizon company and the Dominican Republic's principal telecom service provider, has selected the Succession Media Gateway 9000 for its VoIP network migration. Under terms of a recent agreement, Nortel Networks will deploy an IP network for CODETEL, transitioning its local access network, international long-distance and other voice and data traffic onto one packet-switched infrastructure. The deployment will include Nortel Networks Succession Communication Server 2000 superclass softswitches and Passport Packet Voice Gateways, as well as Nortel Networks Passport 15000 and Passport 20000 Multiservice Switches.
http://www.nortelnetworks.com

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Nortel Network Adds IP Capabilities to Succession Media Gateway 9000

Nortel Networks has added IP network support to its Succession Media Gateway 9000, its next generation access platform that already supported ATM. The Succession Media Gateway 9000 enables subscriber lines to connect directly to an ATM/IP packet backbone for delivery of switched services such as POTS and non-switched services such as ADSL. It supports standards-based control protocols and next generation DSP technologies. The platform can be deployed at all point of presence locations, including wire centers, co-location cages, outside plant enclosures, and customer premises. The Succession Media Gateway 9000 also has the ability to host existing TDM peripherals and industry-standard DLCs, providing an upgrade path for both DMS and third-party switching centers to packet capability.


Nortel Networks has been delivering Succession Media Gateway 9000 lines since Q4 2002. The company expects to have more than 150,000 lines in-service on the Succession Media Gateway 9000 by the end of 2003.


CODETEL, the incumbent carrier in the Dominican Republic, will be the first service provider to deploy new IP capabilities on Nortel Networks Succession Media Gateway 9000. CODETEL will deploy Succession Media Gateway 9000 onto the IP network to transition its voice traffic onto the packet network.
http://www.nortelnetworks.com

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FCC Opens Additional 5 GHz Spectrum, Harmonizing with Global Rules

The FCC made available an additional 255 megahertz of spectrum in the 5.470-5.725 GHz band for used by Radio Local Area Networks (RLANs) and unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) devices. This increases the spectrum available for use by unlicensed devices in the 5 GHz region of the spectrum by nearly 80% -- and is a significant increase in the spectrum available for unlicensed devices across the overall radio spectrum. The FCC order will also harmonize the spectrum available for these U-NII devices throughout the world, enabling manufacturers to reduce product development costs by allowing the same products to be used in many parts of the world.


In order to provide U.S. federal government users with additional protection from harmful interference, the order requires that U-NII devices operating in the 5.250 5.350 GHz and the 5.470 5.725 GHz bands employ dynamic frequency selection (DFS) -- a listen-before-talk mechanism -- and transmit power control (TPC).
http://www.fcc.gov

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