F5 Acquires MagniFire WebSystems for Application Firewall

F5 Networks has acquired MagniFire WebSystems, a start-up based in New York with R&D in Israel, for $29 million in cash. MagniFire's TrafficShield security appliance combines application-layer filtering with network and encryption technology to defend against "zero-day" web infrastructure attacks. F5 Networks said the acquisition complements its acquisition of uRoam and its FirePass SSL VPN product for secure remote access last July. http://www.f5networks.com/http://www.magnifire.c...

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Verizon Remains Deadlocked with MCI and AT&T

Following marathon negotiations over the Memorial Day weekend, Verizon Communications issued a statement blaming the government's position for the failure to reach commercial agreements with MCI and AT&T. "The positions of all sides are clearer now, there was some movement, and we'll continue to do everything we can to reach fair agreements with wholesale customers," said Tom Tauke, executive vice president of public affairs at Verizon. "But the negotiations are frustrated by the position of the government." The majority of the FCC is seeking...

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XO Calls on FCC Chairman to Open Key Negotiations

XO Communications expressed its strong opposition to what it believes are the "secret and exclusive" FCC-sponsored negotiations among the four regional Bell operating companies (RBOCs), AT&T and MCI that have taken place over Memorial Day weekend. "It is unfortunate that the FCC Chairman has engaged in secret and exclusive negotiations that serve to undermine the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was enacted to foster competition and protect consumers and businesses from the local monopolies," said XO Communications Chief Executive Officer,...

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Communications Workers Union Seeks Universal Service Rules for VoIP

The Communications Workers of America is calling on the FCC to define VoIP as a telecommunications service and therefore subject to the same regulations that govern other telecommunications services providers -- including universal service support, emergency and public safety access, consumer protections and disability access. In a filing with the FCC, the union notes that the current model ensured universal, affordable, high-quality telephone service for every household and business in the United States. "Now, as we move into the next generation...

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Aleron Broadband Services Deploys Axiowave

PowerNet Global Communications (PNG), an emerging national wholesale and retail carrier, began offering "ATM-Grade SLAs" for IP services. The carrier is using Axiowave Networks' XCR128 service convergence router across the IP network of its wholly owned Aleron Broadband Services. New services include Toll-Quality VoIP, ATM-Grade IP-VPNs, and ATM-Grade transit. PNG/Aleron is now guaranteeing worst-case latency and jitter levels for the industry's first ATM-Grade IP-VPNs (point-to-point worst-case latency under 65 ms and worst-case jitter under...

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Axiowave's Router Promises ATM-Grade QoS for IP

Axiowave Networks, a start-up based Marlborough, Massachusetts, unveiled its core/metro routing platform designed to deliver "ATM-grade" quality of service for IP traffic. Axiowave, which was founded in 2000 by Ray Stata and Mukesh Chatter (formerly Lucent/Nexabit) is betting that the prevailing IP/MPLS business model is flawed because service providers are...

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Allied Telesyn Teams with General Bandwidth

Allied Telesyn will resell General Bandwidth's G6 VoIP Media Gateways in support of packet voice services alongside its TN9000 series MultiService Access Platforms (MAP) and RG600 Residential Gateway CPE products. As part of Allied Telesyn's Triple Play service offering of voice, video, and high speed data over IP, Allied Telesyn will be integrating the G6 VoIP Media Gateway, a NEBS Level 3 certified circuit-to-packet gateway, with its own carrier grade, Ethernet/IP-based access portfolio. The G6 platform is a fully redundant, carrier grade VoIP...

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Riverstone Debuts 10 Gbps Ethernet Edge Router

Riverstone Networks introduced an "Ethernet Edge Router" that combines the standard elements of a multiservice edge router - an IP/MPLS control plane, multiple interface types, and the ability to converge traffic over MPLS. The new ASIC-driven Riverstone 15008 Ethernet Edge Router employs a distributed and modular operating system architecture that allows the...

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AT&T Names Chief Marketing Officer for Business

AT&T appointed Kathleen R. Flaherty Chief Marketing Officer of the unit that serves business customers in the U.S. and globally. Flaherty will head a new organization that consolidates all AT&T business marketing functions -- product, price, promotion and placement -- into a single group focused on delivering higher-value services, applications and solutions to AT&T's domestic and multinational business. Flaherty most recently served as the president and chief operating officer of Winstar International. She will report to AT&T...

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Bluefire Secures $10 Million for Wireless Firewalls

Bluefire Security Technologies, a start-up based in Baltimore, raised $10 million in series C financing for its security software that protects wireless handheld devices, data and networks. The company's flagship product, Bluefire Mobile Firewall Plus, is a security solution for handheld devices, providing firewall, intrusion prevention, integrity management, encryption, authentication and policy-based enterprise security management features that enable the safe use of mobile and wireless applications. The new funding came from Grotech Capital...

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Sprint Expands Portfolio with DISH Satellite TV

Sprint has begun offering DISH Network satellite TV services in its 18-state local telephone operating territory. http://www.sprint....

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Tellabs Enhances Grooming of Digital Crossconnects

Tellabs has added support for Telcordia's GR-303 Voice Circuit Concentration to its Tellabs 5320L and Tellabs 5320LS digital cross-connects. The enhancement more effectively grooms incoming T-1s so that fewer voice switch ports are required to support the same level of service. With fewer voice switch ports, Tellabs estimates that network operators can realize savings from 75% to 83%. The Tellabs 5320L/5320LS systems also now have surveillance port support that enables network operators to monitor thousands of DS-0 circuits simultaneously, which...

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Broadcom and BroadLight Team on FTTP

Broadcom and BroadLight announced joint solutions for building cost-effective FTTP optical network units (ONUs) for delivering voice, video and data services to residential users. The system design is based on BroadLight's advanced broadband passive optical network (BPON) transceivers and media access controllers (MACs) and Broadcom's access technologies for carrying voice, video and data to and throughout the home. Broadcom and BroadLight are co-marketing the solutions to telecommunications system vendors and service providers worldwide. htt...

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Tiscali Selects UTStarcom's IP DSLAMs

Tiscali awarded a two-year contract to UTStarcom or deployment of its AN-2000 IB IP-based DSLAM in its multiservice broadband network, which will offer integrated Internet, telecommunications, and entertainment services in eight European countries. UTStarcom is also supplying Tiscali with NetRing optical Ethernet switches and iNetMan network and subscriber management software. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.utstar....

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BellSouth Adds to Metro Ethernet Portfolio

BellSouth is enhancing its Ethernet transport services for business customers by adding new solutions for business continuity, data and storage center connectivity, sharing of medical and technical imaging, video and VoIP. The Metro Ethernet Service enhancements, known as Premium Service options, are initially available in Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Raleigh, with deployments to take place in additional metro areas throughout 2004. With BellSouth's Premium Service, customers have several available options including committed...

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Amedia Unveils Ethernet-based FTTP Solution

Amedia Networks, formerly TTR Technologies, unveiled an active Ethernet-based Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) access solution. The company's Ethernet Switched Optical Network (ESON) technology, which was licensed from and jointly developed with Lucent Bell Labs, provides QoS mechanisms for delivering triple play services at up to 100 Mbps bandwidth per subscriber. The Amedia portfolio includes:The PG1000 Premises Gateway: customer premises equipment located at the subscriber's home or business to enable ultra-broadband high QoS access, wirelessly...

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MCI and Qwest Reach Commercial Agreement for Wholesale Services

MCI and Qwest Communications reached a landmark agreement on wholesale pricing and services -- marking the first commercially negotiated wholesale agreement between ILEC and major CLEC. The deal was reached after five weeks of mediated negotiations. Cheryl Parrino, former chairman of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, served as mediator. The agreement maintains existing prices through 31-Dec-2004; creates a transition period through January 2007; provides...

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Agilent Ships 10 Millionth ASIC Embedded SerDes Channel

Agilent Technologies shipped its 10 millionth embedded serializer/deserializer (SerDes) channel for storage, enterprise computing and network equipment manufacturers. Agilent's ASICs integrate more than 200 SerDes channels onto a single 0.13 micron CMOS chip, each operating at up to 3.125 Gbps. http://www.agilent....

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Oman to Become Hub for Region's First Terabit Cable System

Omantel, the national telecoms operator in Oman, has signed a dual landing station agreement with FLAG Telecom for the FALCON cable system. This new high-capacity resilient loop will provide multiple landings throughout the Gulf region, with submarine links stretching to Egypt in the west and to Hong Kong in the east. The Gulf loop and east and west links will interconnect at two landings in Oman. Omantel has also signed a capacity agreement with FLAG Telecom, purchasing international connectivity on the FALCON cable system, providing direct connectivity...

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Nokia Adds "Light Messaging" to Latest Camera Phone

Nokia unveiled its latest camera phone -- the Nokia 3220 -- featuring transparent grips which pulsate with light effects to indicate calls, messages, and in sync with the beat of ringtones. By waving the Nokia 3220 from side to side, the LED lights of the Nokia Xpress-on Fun Shell light up to "write" a message that appears to float in mid-air. The Nokia 3220 is a tri-band camera phone that will be available in two versions: a GSM 900/1800/1900 primarily for the European and Asian markets, and a GSM 850/1800/1900 primarily for the Americas. Shipments...

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TTR Technologies Changes Name to Amedia

TTR Technologies, a supplier of Ethernet and FTTP access solutions, has changed its name to Amedia Networks. Shares in the company have begun trading under the symbol AANI (OTCBB:AANI). http://www.amedianetworks....

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Global Crossing Outlines VoIP Regulatory Vision to FCC

Global Crossing believes that the FCC's recent decision in the Free World Dialup docket compels it to treat all IP-enabled services as information services subject to exclusive federal jurisdiction. In comments filed in response to the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) concerning the proper regulation of IP telephony, Global Crossing argues that "the FCC must establish simple, uniform rules and put an end to the constant gamesmanship that currently plagues the industry." Key points of Global Crossing's "REFORM" agenda include:Rationalize...

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Ericsson Awarded $58 Million Contract in Jiangsu

Jiangsu Mobile Communication Company awarded a US$58 million expansion to Ericsson. The expansion will increase network capacity in southern Jiangsu Province to 10.91 million lines and pave the way for 3G. http://www.ericsson....

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Ubicom Offers Wireless Print Server

Ubicom introduced a secure wireless print server solution based on its IP3023 packet processor. The print server solution is compatible with 802.11a/b/g and 10/100 Ethernet. Key radio vendors which include Agere, Atheros and Conexant are supported. Ubicom also introduced a platform for developing a secure wireless broadband router for gaming enthusiasts. The company said its IP3023 wireless network processor enables Internet game acceleration that is over five times faster on game response times than traditional routers. With its high-speed...

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Alcatel Scales DSL Management Suite

Alcatel's DSL management system successfully passed the mark of managing 4 million DSL lines on a single element platform. The Alcatel 5523 ADSL Work Station (AWS) was tested in treating alarms in both normal conditions as well as in stress conditions with avalanches of alarms caused by simulated network outages. At the same time, configuration of new lines and performance management continued unabated, in a configuration with 200 screen operators working on the network. Alcatel said the test establishes that its AWS can enable DSL operators...

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Brazil's VIVO Tests CDMA2000 1xEV-DO with Lucent

VIVO will launch a CDMA2000 1xEV-DO trial network in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo using equipment from Lucent Technologies. Lucent will upgrade 120 base stations to support CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, allowing VIVO customers to access the network using laptop PCs and PDAs equipped with 1xEV-DO wireless modem cards. http://www.lucent.comhttp://www.vivo.com...

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Terayon Announces Resignation of CEO

Company co-founder Dr. Zaki Rakib will step down as CEO of Terayon Communication Systems to spend more time with his family. A search for a new CEO is underway. Upon effectiveness of his resignation, Dr. Rakib will be appointed Chairman of the Board, replacing Shlomo Rakib in that capacity. Company co-founder Shlomo Rakib, currently Chairman, President and Chief Technology Officer, will remain President and CTO, and will continue to serve as a member of the Board after relinquishing his role as Chairman. http://www.terayon....

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Looking Glass Turns EBITDA Positive

Looking Glass Networks, a privately-held provider of metropolitan telecommunication transport services, announced a financial milestone -- turning adjusted EBITDA positive, after excluding certain non-cash charges in the first quarter. Looking Glass' first quarter 2004 recurring revenue also increased over 60% from the same period in 2003. The company said that by owning physically diverse fiber networks, electronics and facilities, it has been able to sustain revenue growth and profit margins with controlled operating expenses. Its network interconnects...

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California Approves New "Telecom Bill of Rights"

The California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved a new "Telecom Bill of Rights" aimed at protecting consumer interests. The new rules apply to all forms of telecommunications service: local and long-distance, wireline and wireless, and prepaid phone cards and services. Key provisions of these rules include the following. Carrier Disclosure: Service agreements or contracts may not incorporate other information by reference, except for (1) terms and conditions from PUC-approved tariffs, (2) information contained in referenced material...

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iBasis Adds Telekom Malaysia to its VoIP Service

Telekom Malaysia has established a direct VoIP interconnection with The iBasis Network for exchanging inbound and outbound international voice traffic. Telekom Malaysia's multi-vendor VoIP infrastructure is now directly interconnected with iBasis' Cisco Powered Network. iBasis has certified gateways, gatekeepers, softswitches, and session border controllers from nine vendors for interoperability with its network. Telekom Malaysia joins the more than 230 carriers worldwide who have formed relationships with iBasis to send and receive international...

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Edgewater Names New CTO

Edgewater Networks, a start-up offering a line of VoIP CPE appliances, named Douglas Wadkins as is new CTO. Wadkins joins Edgewater from Cisco Systems, where he held a number of positions including corporate business development and engineering and marketing roles in the voice technology area. He came to Cisco via its acquisition of Vovida Networks, a provider of call control software for IP networks utilizing an open source business model. Edgewater Networks is based in Santa Clara, California. http://www.edgewaternetworks....

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Spain's R Cable Selects Nortel's DWDM

R Cable, a cable telecom operator in Spain's Galicia region, selected Nortel Networks for a DWDM network linking seven cities. R has deployed Nortel Networks Optical Line System 1600, which supports up to 320 Gbps per fiber pair. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.nortelnetworks....

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France Telecom Readies Business VoIP Push

France Telecom announced plans for an IP telephony solution for small-to-midsize businesses. The forthcoming e-Telephony service will be a hosted IP solution on the France Telecom/Equant network. It will provide on-net calling as well as interconnection with the PSTN via IP gateways. The e-Telephony service will include new features such as integrated messaging, call rerouting and simple, centralized network management by either the operator or a customer-designated administrator via a secure Web page. France Telecom published the following rates...

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Equant Reports Surge in Demand for VoIP

Equant reported an 85% increase in the number of customer sites using VoIP from 700 to 1,300 over the last 12 months. More than 130 multinational corporations - more than 10% of all Equant IP VPN customers - are now using the company's VoIP VPN capabilities. Equant also announced a series of programs to spur further acceleration in the adoption of IP-based voice and video solutions by multinational corporations. These include: Expanded global coverage: Following recent regulatory approval in 17 additional countries, Equant's Voice for IP VPN...

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Softbank to Acquire Japan Telecom

Softbank Corp. agreed to buy Japan Telecom Co. (JT) from Ripplewood Holdings, a U.S. investment firm, for about 340 billion yen (US$3.0 billion). The deal combines Softbank's rapidly growing broadband business with JT's stronger cash flows from corporate voice and data services. Japan Telecom has 170,000 corporate customers and 1.67 million Internet access subscribers. JT operates a 10,000km nationwide fiber backbone and MPLS data network. As of 10-May-2004, Softbank's Yahoo! BB service had 4 million ADSL users and about 3.8 million VoIP users....

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Verizon Builds 10 Gbps SONET Service for Medical Group

UMass Memorial Health Care, the largest health care system serving central Massachusetts, awarded a seven-year, $9.6 million contract to Verizon to provide a managed SONET service that will allow medical specialists to collaborate in the diagnosis and care of patients throughout the region. The 10 Gbps service will transport critical patient history and diagnostic data to the academic medical center from three campuses, four community hospitals and several additional care facilities. http://www.verizon....

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MCI Opens VPN Network Gateway to Public IP Networks

Representing the second phase of its Secure Interworking Gateway (SIG) strategy, MCI announced the deployment of a VPN Network Gateway that enables corporate customers to bridge their private data networks with public IP networks. MCI said the new platform gives its customers a means to derive more life and functionality from their existing Frame, Private IP and IP VPN networks. The VPN Network Gateway allows companies to use multiple technologies for dedicated connections and local loop access on a site-by-site basis. As a network-based solution,...

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TowerStream Adds Wireless POP on Top of Empire State Building

TowerStream, a fixed wireless ISP, has added a new PoP at the top of the Empire State Building in NYC. The latest addition to the company's network, which includes the MetLife Building and 32 6th Avenue, allows for increased wireless to businesses within a ten-mile radius of Manhattan. As an active member of the WiMAX Forum, TowerStream said it is likely deploy WiMAX Forum Certified products once they enter the market next year. http://www.towerstream.c...

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BellSouth Pledges Uninterrupted Service to Wholesale Customers

BellSouth announced that there would be no disruption of service if current rules on wholesale leasing of its unbundled network elements (UNEs) are vacated next month. Specifically, BellSouth pledged to take no unilateral action to disconnect service to its wholesale customers as a result of the recent order of the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals, which is due to go into effect on June 16. http://www.bellsouth....

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Cingular Selects Lucent for Trial 3G HSDPA Network in Atlanta

Lucent Technologies will deploy a 3G UMTS trial network in the Atlanta market for Cingular Wireless. The UMTS network will operate in Cingular Wireless' 1900 MHz spectrum, and will include testing of High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), a technology that will ultimately support data speeds of up to 14.4 Mbps according to the company. The network also will be designed to support VoIP in the future. Lucent's UMTS solution can support HSDPA with a software-only upgrade to its existing equipment. Lucent will also supply its Merlin U520 UMTS...

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Pedestal Networks Appoints VP of Marketing

Pedestal Networks has appointed Corey Geiger as vice president of marketing. Prior to joining Pedestal, Geiger held several executive positions at Advanced Fibre Communications, including vice president of product management and marketing. At AFC, Geiger also served as vice president of operations, and vice president of global customer and professional services. Previously, Geiger held senior director positions in sales and marketing at DSC Communications (since acquired by Alcatel). He also held technical and marketing positions in the US and...

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OFC and NFOEC to Combine into One Event

The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC) and the National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (NFOEC) will combine into a single event now scheduled for March 6-11, 2005 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. The stand-alone NFOEC meeting, originally planned for September 12-16 in Anaheim, California, will not be held. Telcordia Technologies has turned over assets and management of its NFOEC event to OFC. http://www.ofcconference.orghttp://www.telcordia....

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Net Insight Provides OC-48/STM-16 Module for Triple Play

Net Insight announced the availability of a 2-port OC-48/STM-16 X-ADM switching mulitplexer module for its Nimbra transport platform. The Nimbra platform combines next-gen SDH/SONET transport, Ethernet and specific video and legacy interfaces for multi-service networks. The new module will allow for interconnection of up to seven double-rings in its Nimbra One multi-service switch. Net Insight's solution is aimed at carriers delivering triple-play services. http://www.netinsight....

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ALLTEL Selects ADTRAN DSLAMs

ALLTEL has selected ADTRAN's Total Access HDX, Total Access 1200 and Total Access 1100 platforms for central office, remote terminal and outside plant locations. Specifically, ALLTEL will deploy the Total Access HDX in central office and larger remote terminal locations. In addition, the Total Access 1200 Series of Mini-DSLAMs will be deployed in smaller central offices and remote locations. The environmentally hardened Total Access 1100 OSP DSLAMs are being deployed by ALLTEL in outside plant locations. Financial terms were not disclosed. ht...

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China Netcom's Liaoning Communication Selects Redback

China Netcom's Liaoning Communication Corporation is deploying Redback Networks' SmartEdge 800 Service Gateway systems to provide business and consumer broadband access and services in the northeastern Chinese province. In the implemented configuration, Redback's SmartEdge Service Gateway systems will simultaneously manage consumer broadband and business IP services on a single, unified "converged edge" platform. Financial terms were not disclosed. The Redback Service Gateway platforms integrate the B-RAS functionality of Redback's SMS family...

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Spirent Adds ADSL2 Diagnostic Module

Spirent Communications unveiled an ADSL2 module for its REACT Diagnostic OSS, which helps service providers improve DSL service activation, monitor performance, and better isolate service problems from the central office to the home. The new technology is offered with Spirent's service assurance solution -- REACT diagnostic software and CopperMax testhead series. http://www.spirentcom....

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ALLTEL Selects Calix for Central Office DSLAMs

ALLTEL has selected the Calix C7 ultra-broadband loop carrier (UBLC) for deployment in select central office DSLAM applications. Calix equipment is already deployed in ALLTEL's outside network. Financial terms were not disclosed. Operating as a DSLAM, the Calix C7 supports up to 480 DSL interfaces in a compact 8RU enclosure. With integrated POTS splitters, the Calix C7 is able to support voice on every line and, with integrated IGMP functionality, enabling the platform to support video services. In central office applications, the Calix C7 is able...

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Comcast Confirms Plans for Residential VoIP

At its annual meeting of shareholders, Comcast confirmed plans to offer residential VoIP services across its entire cable system by 2006, pending a successful market acceptance in the three VoIP rollouts it currently has underway -- Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Springfield (MA). The company expects 50% of its cable plant to be VoIP ready by year-end 2004 and to have 95% of its cable plant VoIP ready by year-end 2005. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said the company's vision is to provide a fully integrated triple-play service in which telephony is...

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Charter's First All-Digital Network Deploys nCUBE

Charter Communications is using nCUBE's all digital advertising system and on-demand platform for its all-digital network in Long Beach, California. Charter activated its all-digital network in January. The service includes the two key elements that define an all-digital system -- a digital advertising system, provided by nCUBE, and a digital compression system, provided by Harmonic, which encodes the program line-up. http://www.ncube....

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360networks to sell Canadian assets to Bell Canada, CallNet

360networks will sell its Canadian assets, primarily Group Telecom, to Bell Canada for US$205 million in cash. Bell will also purchase selected northern U.S. interconnection assets and related liabilities. 360networks said it would use the cash to pay off its debt. Following the closing of the deal, 360networks will focus on its US operations, which include a long-haul network footprint with metro access rings and a regional network across the Western U.S. with unique reach into rural markets. Bell Canada intends to retain 360networks' facilities...

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Comcast and T-Mobile Open Outdoor Wi-Fi Hotspot

Comcast and T-Mobile USA are opening an outdoor Wi-Fi hotspot at Philadelphia's historic Headhouse Square Plaza. The companies will offer free, public access for the first six months. The deployment is T-Mobile's first outdoor hotspot. T-Mobile's U.S. hotspot network now covers more than 4,600 locations. http://www.t-mobile.c...

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Tacit Networks Secures $16.9 Million for Storage Caching

Tacit Networks, a start-up based in South Plainfield, New Jersey, secured $16.9 million in its second round of financing for its enterprise remote office IT solutions. Tacit has developed an enterprise storage caching appliance designed to enable low-latency file sharing among geographically dispersed locations. The platform leverages a unique Storage Caching/ Internet Protocol (SC/IP) developed by Tacit Networks that is interoperable with existing storage, network and hardware infrastructure. The Tacit Storage Cache attaches directly to the...

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Shaw Selects Telution's Order Management and Service Assurance Software

Shaw Communications will deploy Telution's COMX order management and service assurance software to improve its ability to flexibly deliver "triple play" service bundles, including voice services, to its Western Canadian customer base. Telution's COMX is an application set that helps client companies improve operations, service delivery, and customer support. Telution said its software enhances an operator's ability to flexibly add VoIP to its product mix, while managing complex workflow situations related to voice ordering and complex service...

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Agere's Mini 801.11g Module Delivers 6 Mbps at 100m

Agere Systems announced a small-form-factor 802.11g mobile Wi-Fi module specifically designed for handheld consumer devices such as PDAs, media players, Smartphones, handheld video game devices, and digital cameras and camcorders. Measuring only 20x29 millimeters, the mini-module delivers an extended range of up to 100 meters at 6 Mbps. Using Agere's WaveLAN chip set -- which includes an RF transceiver, media access controller, baseband processor and power amplifier -- the module delivers output power of 14 dBm at 54 Mbps operation and 16 dBm...

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Wayport Adopts New Wi-Fi Business Model, Team with McDonald's

Wayport announced a new business model aimed at driving more mobile broadband customers to its Wi-Fi hotspots. Wayport's "Wi-Fi World" strategy seeks strategic partners for offering ubiquity, accessibility, quality, uniformity, value and simplicity of mobile broadband connections. The strategy offers network broadband providers an additional type of venue for providing DSL access along with in-store branding opportunities. The company is also seeking roaming partners at $32/month per Wi-Fi World site. Wayport has been selected to Wi-Fi enabled...

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Motorola Extends Push-To-Talk Across GPRS, CDMA2000 and Wi-Fi

Motorola introduced an IMS-based solution that extends Push-To-Talk connectivity across and between GPRS, CDMA2000 1X, and WiFi networks. This is a network-based solution, aligned with Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) standards, that does not require modification to standards-based Push-To-Talk over Cellular (PoC) clients. Motorola said its Cross-Technology PoC solution would also be compatible with future Data Rate for Global Evolution (EDGE), High Speed Packet Downlink Access (HSDPA), Wideband CDMA/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (W-CDMA/UMTS),...

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Data Connection Rounds Out its IP Routing Suite with RIP

Data Connection Limited (DCL) has added a Routing Information Protocol (RIP) product to its suite of IP Routing and MPLS software. DC-RIP is a fully portable, source code solution that implements full mandatory RIPv2 protocol support, as defined in RFC 2453, together with advanced features such as Split horizon with Poison Reverse, Triggered Updates and Authentication through plain text and MD5. The company said its DC-RIP has already been licensed by a number of equipment manufacturers. http://www.dataconnection....

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Puerto Rico's Liberty Cablevision Offers VoIP System-wide

Liberty Cablevision of Puerto Rico has launched residential VoIP service to all of its 300,000 users using Net2Phone's fully managed end-to-end cable VoIP service. Under the terms of the original six-year agreement, Liberty Cablevision maintains ownership of the customer, service brand, and Tier I customer and technical support, while Net2Phone supports the back office platform, switching and transport, ongoing operations and Tier II+ technical support to deliver a fully managed QoS IP solution. Net2Phone tracks and monitors voice quality and...

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Analog Devices Launches Blackfin Fusiv Platform

Analog Devices (ADI) unveiled its "Blackfin Fusiv Platform" aimed at integrating media processing, network processing and voice processing in a single system. ADI's Fusiv-Vx 150 and the Fusiv-Vx 200 processors integrate fast, secure network and voice processing in a system-on-chip (SOC) product. ADI is also supplying an integrated and optimized software solution. The company said its Fusiv-Vx 200 processor can achieve 31 times the small-packet mixed-system VPN throughput of its nearest competitor, delivering wire-speed fast Ethernet routing,...

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T-Mobile USA Acquires California/Nevada GSM Net from Cingular

T-Mobile USA will terminate its wireless network sharing joint venture with Cingular Wireless and instead acquire 100% ownership of the shared GSM networks in California and Nevada for $2.5 billion. The purchase price of $2.5 billion will be offset by $200 million related to the unwinding of the joint venture, resulting in a net cash payment of approximately $2.3 billion to Cingular. In addition, T-Mobile USA will: provide network services to Cingular under a wholesale arrangement until Cingular's customers in these markets transition to the networks...

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Intersil Acquires BitBlitz for SerDes Devices

Intersil has acquired BitBlitz Communications, a start-up that supplies high-speed serializer-deserializers (SerDes), retimers and transponders, for $2.5 million in cash. In addition, Intersil has agreed to pay contingent consideration of up to $5 million if certain performance milestones are met in 2004 and 2005. BitBlitz is based in Milpitas, California. http://www.intersil....

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BigBand Networks to Acquire ADC's CMTS

BigBand Networks will acquire the IP Cable Business Unit of ADC Telecommunications, including its Cuda and FastFlow product lines, for an undisclosed sum. ADC will become a minority interest holder in BigBand Networks as part of the agreement. The acquisition does not include the Homeworx cable telephony system that had also been a part of the business unit. BigBand Networks will continue sales and full service for Cuda and FastFlow customers, including operation of technology and business activities in Westborough, Massachusetts, as well as other...

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SMC's Wireless Cable Modem Router Among First to Receive CableHome 1.1 Certification

SMC Networks has received one of the first CableHome 1.1 certifications for its EZ Connect Wireless Cable Modem Router. CableHome 1.1, released last year, builds on the original CableHome 1.0 with improved residential gateway security features, introduces standardized prioritized Quality-of-Service for home LANs, and adds support for home servers, telecommuters and home offices. The SMC EZ Connect Wireless Cable Modem Router combines DOCSIS 1.1 cable connectivity, an integrated 4-port switch and an 802.11g access point in one device. http://w...

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StrataLight Provides 40 Gbps Transport for Cisco/MCI Demp

StrataLight Communications, a start-up based in Campbell, California, supplied the 40 Gbps optical transport equipment that interconnected two Cisco CRS-1 core routers over MCI's intercity fiber in the demonstration event for the new Cisco core router. Specifically, the routers, both equipped with short-reach 40-Gbps OC-768c optical client interfaces, were interconnected over MCI fiber facilities using StrataLight OTS-4000 Optical Terminal Subsystems in conjunction with Cisco ONS 15454 SONET MultiService Transport Platforms, which provided optical...

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MCI Demonstrates 40-Gbps Across IP Backbone

MCI demonstrated the fastest IP intercity transmission ever across its IP backbone -- a single trunk filled with 40-Gbps of traffic at an event hosted at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California by Cisco Systems. The technology trial took place over MCI's optical fiber network between PoPs located in San Francisco and San Jose, carrying 40 Gbps of traffic over a single full-duplex Optical Carrier (OC)-768c interface. Two IP routers were connected across the MCI network via a wavelength utilizing StrataLight's OTS-4000 Optical...

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SBC Reaches New Labor Contract with Union

SBC Communications and the Communications Workers of America tentatively agreed to a new five-year contract covering 100,000 SBC employees. Key terms of the deal include: Wages: The agreement will provide for average base wage increases of 2.3% per year for the life of the contract and lump sums averaging $300 per year. Health Care: The agreement helps the company rein in health care costs, which have been growing at double digit rates annually. No monthly contributions will be required, but co-payments for drugs, doctor visits, emergency room...

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Cisco Unveils its Carrier Routing System

In a public event marking the 20th anniversary of its founding, Cisco Systems unveiled its next generation CRS-1 Carrier Routing System, a carrier-class, terabit-scalable, core routing platform aimed at large service providers and research organizations. The Cisco CRS-1, which was developed in-house over a period of four years and at cost of $500 million, leverages a series of hardware and software...

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Thai Telephone Selects Redback's SmartEdge Platform

Thai Telephone & Telecommunication has selected Redback Networks' SmartEdge platform. Initially, the new nationwide network will provide MPLS VPN and ADSL broadband services to businesses. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.redback....

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Cavium Offers Secure, Multi-Gigabit NIC

Cavium Networks, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California, introduced a family of secure Ethernet NICs that deliver up to Quad GbE Inline IPsec functionality and TCP offload functions. The network adapters utilize Cavium Networks' NITROX II In-line security processor to significantly accelerate IPsec, SSL and Wireless LAN security processing, offload TCP functions and support both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic in enterprise server and appliance configurations. http://www.cavium.c...

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VeriSign to Acquire Jamba for Wireless Content Services

VeriSign announced plans to acquire Jamba! -- provider of wireless content services in Europe -- for approximately $273 million in cash and VeriSign stock. Berlin-based Jamba! serves millions of wireless subscribers in nine European countries through distribution and billing relationships with carriers, including Vodafone, T-Mobile and KPN. In addition, Jamba! has worked with leading content publishers to build a downloadable library of over 50,000 individual products, including popular music, graphics, games and applications. VeriSign described...

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FiberNet Deploys Lucent Accelerate VoIP solution

FiberNet, a West-Virginia-based telecommunications company, is deploying Lucent's Accelerate portfolio to deliver VoIP services over residential broadband connections, including cable modem, DSL, T1 and Ethernet connections. FiberNet is affiliated with Fanch Communications, formerly the largest cable television system operator in the state. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.lucent....

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Aperto Launches Stackable Single-Sector Base Station

Aperto Networks introduced a stackable single-sector broadband wireless access (BWA) base station supporting QoS with intelligent classification of traffic and dynamic per-subscriber link optimization. The 1-RU PacketWave 760 is packaged in a modular, pay-as-you-grow, single-sector Access Point form factor for the unlicensed and licensed 2.5 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. It is based on the same architecture as Aperto's existing PacketWave 1000 (PW 1000). Separately, Aperto announced its roadmap for WiMAX Forum certification, multi-vendor...

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TelCove Selects Fujitsu FLASHWAVE for Metro Ethernet Transport

TelCove, which operates fiber-optic networks in 50 markets across the eastern U.S., is activating a new metro and intercity Ethernet service with Fujitsu Network Communications' FLASHWAVE 4000 Multi-Service Provisioning Platforms (MSPPs) as a key transport component. TelCove's Metropolitan Ethernet Transport service leverages the existing SONET network to provide 10/100Base-TX and Gigabit Ethernet services. The Ethernet over SONET (EoS) capabilities of the FLASHWAVE 4000 MSPPs allow TelCove to utilize existing network capacity and provide these...

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Millennial Net Raises $15M for Sensor Wireless Meshes

Millennial Net, a start-up based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, closed $15 million in Series B funding for its ultra low-power, self-organizing, wireless mesh networking systems. Millennial Net's deployment-ready, wireless mesh networking system targets sensor and electronics OEMs and system integrators. The system combines mesh networking software and tiny micro-power hardware elements, called i-Beans, that allow instrumentation and sensing devices like gauges, sensors and actuators to connect and communicate with each other over self-organizing,...

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Juniper Marks Two Years Since T-Series Launch

Marking the second anniversary of its T640 routing platform, Juniper Networks announced that the core routing platform is now deployed by customers in over 60 production networks worldwide. Major customers include China Telecom, China Unicom, Cox Communications, Dacom, DREAM TRAIN INTERNET, France Telecom, Hokkaido Telecommunication Network (HOTnet), Japan Telecom, Korea Telecom, NTT Communications, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) for the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency's GIG-BE Program, SK Telecom, T-Com (a division...

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PowerDsine Files for IPO

PowerDsine filed a registration statement with SEC for an initial public offering of its ordinary shares. PowerDsine designs, develops and supplies integrated circuits, modules and systems that enable the implementation of Power over Ethernet in local area networks. http://www.powerdsine....

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AT&T To Build MPLS VPN for Booz Allen

AT&T was awarded a $5 million contract to build an MPLS-based VPN solution for Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., a strategy and technology consulting firm with more than 14,000 employees across six continents. AT&T packaged a secure VPN that integrates multiple services, including IP-enabled Frame Relay and ATM services, DSL-to-Frame Relay, and leased-line access connecting directly to the AT&T global IP backbone. . http://www.att....

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Bookham Acquires Onetta for Optical amplifiers

Bookham has acquired Onetta, a start-up supplying optical amplifier modules and subsystems, for £13.0 million ($23.3 million). Onetta's Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFA) incorporate advanced optics, control electronics and firmware to provide leading edge performance. Onetta is based in Sunnyvale, California. http://www.bookham.comhttp://www.onetta.comIn February 2001, Bookham announced $56 million in second round funding. Investors include HarbourVest Partners, Sumitomo Corporation, J.P. Morgan H&Q, J&W & Seligman, Sequoia Capital...

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Broadcom Introduces 4 Gbps Fibre Channel Fabric switches

Broadcom introduced 4 Gbps Fibre Channel fabric switch devices for us in storage and server Fibre Channel fabric interconnect solutions. In addition, they are designed to enable the replacement of traditional loop-switch architectures in high-density enterprise storage arrays. Broadcom said the industry adoption of 4 Gbps Fibre Channel products at 2 Gbps price points is expected to duplicate the highly successful and similar transition to 2 Gbps from 1 Gbps Fibre Channel. http://www.broadcom....

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Lucent to Acquire Telica for $295 million

Lucent Technologies agreed to acquire Telica for approximately $295 million in stock and options (92.7 million shares), plus additional employee-related cash payments, for its softswitch platform. Janet Davidson, president of Lucent Technologies' Integrated Network Solutions (INS) business, said the acquisition would strengthen the company's "Accelerate" VoIP portfolio and enable it to address a much wider range of network build-outs. She said Telica's 2500 port media gateway and signaling gateway complements Lucent's own softswitch solutions....

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Zhone Adds to its Management Team

Zhone Technologies announced several additions to its management team: Larry Orr will serve as vice president of operations; Michael Fischer has joined the company as vice president of independent carrier and channel sales; Doug North has joined as director of Canadian Sales; Lori Martin has joined as director of information technologies; Paul Castor has joined as director of legal affairs; Stephen Klein has joined as director of triple play marketing. http://www.zhone....

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Accenture and AT&T Team to Provide Managed Messaging Solutions

Accenture and AT&T have formed an alliance to market and deliver managed messaging solutions on a global basis to large and medium enterprises and U.S. government agencies. The offering, Enterprise Messaging Service, aims to reduce the total cost of ownership of an organization's e-mail and other messaging platforms. The offering includes hosted messaging services based on the Microsoft Exchange Server platform and provides a foundation for future optional, advanced capabilities such as enterprise-class secure instant messaging and unified...

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Verilink Announces New Vice President of Marketing

Verilink has appointed Mr. Sab Gosal to the position of Vice President of Marketing. Prior to joining Verilink, Gosal was Director of Product Marketing for Polaris Networks. Gosal has also held key positions for other major companies such as VINA Technologies, Cisco Systems, Fujitsu Europe Telecom and British Telecom. http://www.verilink.c...

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BT Continues Investment in the Americas

BT unveiled an international strategy that includes continued investment in the Americas. Highlights of the plan include:Expansion of its MPLS infrastructure, including new nodes in Charlotte, NC, St. Louis, Cleveland and Minneapolis. Nodes in Phase I cities (Detroit, Denver, Houston, Miami, Seattle, Washington, DC, Toronto and Mexico City) were activated on schedule in Fall 2003 When completed, the Americas network will include 23 POPs.Offer a "Manager of Networks" service that integrates the products and services of multiple network suppliers...

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Elantic Closes Acquisition of Dominion Telecom

Elantic Networks closed its acquisition of Dominion Telecom. The new company, Elantic Telecom, provides wholesale fiber bandwidth and carrier services to long-distance, international, wireless carriers, CLECs, cable companies and large enterprises across its fiber network, which spans 16,000-miles east of the Mississippi. The sale, announced previously in March, was awaiting regulatory approval by the FCC and regulators in 11 states. Elantic Networks, was formed to own and operate telecommunications networks. Investors in Elantic include MC Venture...

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Chelsio Shows Fasters 10GE Adapter Card

Chelsio Communications, a start-up based in Sunnyvale, California, announced it has broken through the 10 microsecond (μs) latency barrier for 10-Gigabit Ethernet -- a new record, according to the company. Chelsio has developed a TCP (Transport Control Protocol) offload engine (TOE) in silicon, significantly raising the performance and latency bar for 10G Ethernet adapters. Chelsio is also the first to deliver 10G iSCSI in silicon. Chelsio is demonstrating its host bus adapter this week at the Grid Today 2004 conference in Philadelphia. In...

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Seranoa's Service Concentrators Address T1 Backhaul Congestion

Seranoa Networks, a start-up based in Boxborough, Massachusetts, introduced a new family of Service Edge Concentrators designed to reduce the number of backhaul circuits used to deliver T1-based packet and TDM services to business subscribers over current SONET/SDH metro access networks. Seranoa said the by leveraging IP at the edge of a metro network its platforms could increase access bandwidth efficiency two-to-five fold, resulting in a significant reduction in operational costs. However, unlike other TDM-over-IP architectures, Seranoa's...

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ShoreTel Selects eyeP Media Softphones

eyeP Media, a start-up based in Switzerland, announced a VoIP softphone based on MGCP for use with ShoreTel's IP telephony system. http://www.eyepmedia....

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Sprint Pushes its Nationwide Walkie-talkie Service

Sprint la launchinga new line-up of feature-rich moblie devices, along withand more affordable pricing, for its nationwide walkie-talkie service. Since launching the Sprint PCS Ready Link push-to-talk service in November 2003, the company has signed up 275,000 customers. In addition to business customers, Sprint is seeing significant adoption among teens and families. Customers can add Sprint PCS Ready Link to their service plan for a $10 monthly recurring cost, or they can select Sprint PCS Ready Link and a Sprint PCS Vision Pack for a $20...

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VSNL and NTT Com Launch IP-VPN Service in India

NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com) is partnering with Videsh Sanchar Niger Limited (VSNL) to launch its MPLS*-based Arcstar Global IP-VPN service in India. The partners will install an MPLS switch in Mumbai before starting service by the end of May. NTT Com will be the second global company and first Japanese company to partner with VSNL to provide MPLS services in India. http://www.ntt.comhttp://www.vsnl.c...

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