Spirent Adds PPPoE Testing for its Avalanche

Spirent Communications announced new software for its Avalanche product line that enables equipment manufacturers and service providers to effectively test real application traffic running over Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE). The solution could be used to test Video on Demand (VoD), bandwidth on demand, premium services and differentiated service offerings from an end-user perspective. The PPPoE testing feature in the new Network Edition 6.1 software release offers high rates of PPP session setups, large user handling capabilities,...

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Global Crossing Emerges From Chapter 11

Singapore Technologies Telemedia (ST Telemedia) consummated its acquisition of Global Crossing, enabling the a newly restructured Global Crossing to emerge from Chapter 11 proceedings. ST Telemedia invested $250 million in Global Crossing for a 61.5% equity share of the company. In addition to its $250 million equity investment, ST Telemedia has agreed to purchase $200 million in senior secured notes that originally were to be distributed to former creditors. Under the final, amended plan of reorganization, the $200 million cash injection by ST...

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BT Launches Consumer VoIP over Competing Cable Modems

BT launched a consumer VoIP service that runs over competing cable modem services. Customers are provided with a broadband VoIP adapter that enables them to access the BT network without having to reconnect their telephone line to BT through the circuit switched network. BT's "Broadband Voice" service is initially being marketed in areas where there is a heavy concentration of NTL and Telewest cable modem subscribers. The service costs £7.50 per month, allowing customers to make as many UK evening and weekend calls of up to an hour for no extra...

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Global Telecom Regulators Set Course for Universal Access

Telecom regulators from more than 80 countries met in Geneva as part of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to discuss the steps that nations could take to bridge the digital divide and ensure universal access to communications. The 4th annual Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) agreed on a list of best practice regulatory guidelines for achieving this universal access. They called for regulatory reform at the highest level of government and urged political leaders to treat communications as a tool for development rather than a...

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Nokia's Jorma Ollila Calls for Universal Access Goal by 2015

"The ambition of universal access is to create, by 2015, an information society in which half the people of the world, an estimated 4 billion, will have access to tools and services that help them interact more, know more and achieve more," said Jorma Ollila, Chairman and CEO of Nokia, in a speech for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, Switzerland. Ollila said that achieving this Universal Access must be a mutual goal and responsibility of the private sector, the public sectors and civil society as a whole. Nokia estimates...

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Alcatel Evolves its Market Strategy

The financial picture for major carriers is much more improved in the last two years as evidenced by their reduced debt loads, restructured balance sheets, and restored free cash flows, said Hubert de Pasquidoux, Chief Operating Officer, Alcatel North America & CEO, Alcatel Canada, speaking at the Lehman Brothers' Fifth Annual T3 Conference in New York. However, the carriers must keep their eyes on the top line of their balance sheets, as fixed voice revenues continue to erode, mobile voice business are maturing, and new data services often...

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Tekelec Selects Octasic VoP Processors for the SanteraOne

Tekelec has selected Octasic to supply echo cancellation silicon for its SanteraOne platform. Octasic's voice processing engines feature uniquely designed capabilities specialized for key VoP requirements. Its line of echo cancellation devices offers densities of 128, 256, 512, or 672 channels, with 64 or 128 ms tail echo cancellation available for all capacities. The base devices offer standard echo cancellation and VQE features, including high quality noise matching, manual gain control, adaptive level control, acoustic echo control, and G.168...

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Verio Launches North American IPv6 Gateway Services

Verio announced the availability of the first large-scale IPv6 commercial service in North America. The NTT/VERIO IPv6 Gateway Services, which are delivered over the newly upgraded NTT/VERIO Global IP Network, consists of three different solutions: IPv6 Native Service, which offers customers a dedicated IPv6 connection, IPv6 Tunneling Service, which uses an existing IPv4 connection, and IPv6 Dual Stack Service, which delivers a balance of both native and tunneling services. Verio's IPv6 service offers many of the same features as IPv4 connectivity,...

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Terayon Unveils New FlexCMTS Architecture

Terayon Communication Systems unveiled its new "FlexCMTS" architecture, which lets cable operators engineer their networks at the traffic level instead of the port level. Terayon noted that current CMTS line cards have a fixed ratio of downstream and upstream ports, which often results in large amounts of unrecoverable capital due to stranded and unused ports. Second, Terayon observed that large amounts of capacity become significantly underutilized due to a network's performance being limited to that of the lowest performing DOCSIS modem, often...

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SBC Highlights Key Opportunities for 2004

"Market conditions are much better now than a year ago," said Randall Stephenson, CFO of SBC Communications, speaking at the Lehman Brothers Fifth Annual Telecom, Trends & Technology Conference in New York. Stephenson highlighted five key priorities in 2004 for SBC: 1. Broaden the Bundle -- SBC has already bundled local access, long distance and DSL. It will soon add DBS video services in Q1. SBC believes much of its growth potential will come from expanding its ability to bundle various communications products and services, Stephenson...

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Telcordia Extends Wireless Strategy through Acquisition

Telcordia Technologies acquired intellectual property from DAX Technologies, a software developer based in Holmdel, New Jersey, that enables it to extend its wireless strategy and its recently announced "Elementive" portfolio. The acquisition includes a suite of fault and performance management software capabilities for Radio Access Networks. Financial terms were not disclosed.Telcordia said the DAX technology, coupled with its own software, would be used for two new products for wireless carriers within Telcordia's Mobile Assurance Portfolio:...

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Chattanooga Utility Selects Wave7 Optics

EPB Telecom, a subsidiary of the electric utility company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, selected Wave7 Optics for a new fiber-to-the-business network deployment. EPB Telecom plans to provide businesses in Chattanooga with up to 500 Mbps in symmetrical services. EPB Telecom, a subsidiary of the electric utility company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, selected Wave7 Optics for a new fiber-to-the-business network deployment. EPB Telecom plans to provide businesses in Chattanooga with up to 500 Mbps in symmetrical services. Wave7 Optics is providing its Last...

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TELUS Mobility Selects Alcatel for Nationwide Backbone

TELUS Mobility selected Alcatel to provide a cross-Canada communications backbone. The multi-year contract provides for the deployment of microwave radio technology as an alternative to wireline transmission. Financial terms were not disclosed. TELUS Mobility currently has over 3 million customers across Canada. http://www.alcatel....

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Force10 Delivers Faster Performance to the Friendster Network

Friendster, a fast-growing online community that connects people through shared friends, has deployed Force10 Networks' E-Series switch/routers. Since launching its web service eight months ago, Friendster has seen fast subscriber growth accompanied by dramatic increases in network traffic. Friendster will initially deploy 120 Gigabit Ethernet ports to handle its two million subscribers. As traffic increases, Friendster can add new Gigabit Ethernet ports or expand to 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports. http://www.force10networks....

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Global Telecom CTOs Issue "Vision Statement"

Meeting this week at the ITU's World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva, some thirty Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) drafted a 'Vision Statement' outlining their thoughts on the future of communications. Some of the key messages from the joint statement included:growing confidence that the telecom industry is emerging from a "tough period"there exists a real "market" pull for new services driven by the convergence of information, computing and telecommunications.the ITU is in a key position to facilitate the move to a converged architecture...

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Verizon Outlines Strategic Network Goals

"We are allocating as much cash as possible into higher growth, less regulated opportunities," said Mark Wegleitner, Verizon's Chief Technology Officer, speaking at the Lehman Brothers' Fifth Annual T3 Conference in New York. Verizon is evolving in a unique way compared to its peers and competitors, he said, because of the company's belief that being a facilities-based carrier and controlling the network is ultimately the key method of ensuring truly differentiated services. Wegleitner believes that Verizon's scale makes it possible to built the...

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