Path 1 Supplies Vyvx With Video-over-IP Gateways

Path 1 Network Technologies supplied the Video-over-IP gateways that were used by Vyvxx for the live HDTV broadcast backhaul of Super Bowl XXXVIII. The HDTV feed was backhauled over an MPLS-enabled fiber-optic network, end-to-end at 270 Mbps. Path 1's Cx1000 Video Gateway uses embedded processors and patent-pending algorithms to shield the video signals from severe network impairments and preserve the broadcast-quality video at standard definition, High Definition and uncompressed video at speeds up to 270 Mbps. The gateway handles issues like...

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AFC Finalizes 5 Year FTTP Supply Deal with Verizon

AFC signed a definitive agreement with Verizon to provide its FiberDirect solution for the carrier's FTTP initiative. Under the terms of the agreement -- which extends through 2008 -- AFC's FiberDirect solution will provide Verizon with the central office and premises electronics, or "active" elements. Financial terms were not disclosed.In September 2003, AFC introduced its Full Service Access Network (FSAN) compliant B-PON solution based on its widely-deployed AccessMAX multiservice access platform. AFC's solution is based on a passive optical...

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Sprint Confirms Customer Service Outsourcing Deal with IBM

Sprint announced a five-year, multi-billion dollar customer-service outsourcing deal with IBM Business Consulting Services. IBM will help Sprint improve its customer-service experience through better customer segmentation, more efficient call routing, reduced average call handle time and a higher rate of first call resolution. IBM will also help Sprint implement user-friendly interactive voice response systems and web-based services.IBM will also take over management of Sprint's existing vendor-operated call centers and will assume management...

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TIA Calls for Regulatory Restraint on VoIP

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) issued a call for a national policy on VoIP and pleaded for regulatory restraint. TIA basic position is that regulation should not be applied to VoIP without thorough justification that it is necessary as a matter of public policy."We believe that a single federal policy for VoIP regulation is a must and, in fact, the nature of the technology demands such an approach. A patchwork of regulatory obligations across the states would threaten the continued rise of these new, dynamic and competition-enhancing...

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Tauzin to Step Down from Key Congressional Committee Covering Telecom

Citing health issues, W.J. "Billy" Tauzin (R-LA) will step down from his position as Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees telecommunications related issues. In recent years, Tauzin has been an outspoken critic of the FCC and its decision to allow state commission to set rates for unbundled network element (UNE). In 2002, he sponsored the Tauzin-Dingell Broadband Legislation (H.R. 1542), which was widely seen as favoring the Regional Bell Operating Companies. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 273 to 157 to...

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France Telecom Posts Higher Profits, Reaches 3 Million DSL

France Telecom's 2003 overall revenues increased 3.4% on a comparable basis (-1.1% on a historical basis) to EUR 46.121 billion , driven by growth of wireless and DSL. Following a year of financial restructuring, the company posted operating income reached EUR 9.5 billion at the end of 2003, a 45.5% increase on a comparable basis (40.3% on a historical basis). Some highlights of its financial report:Orange was serving nearly 50 million wireless customers at the end of 2003. Non-voice services experienced strong growth, representing 12.7% of network...

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Sprint Outlines 2004 Expectations

"Sprint has turned the corner," said Gary Forsee, Sprint chairman and CEO, although it still faces "significant challenges related to competition, pricing regulation and technology." At its annual investment community meeting in New York, Sprint outlined its financial expectations for 2004, including:Sprint PCS Group anticipates total service revenue growth to be in the high-single digits in 2004. The growth in revenues is expected to be driven by a larger customer base, stable ARPU aided by a growing contribution from data services and a strong...

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Preparing for Consumer VoIP, Canada's Shaw Registers as CLEC

Shaw Communications has registered with Canada's regulatory authority as a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC), entitling it to interconnect with incumbent telephone companies and long distance providers on an equal basis. In addition, as a registered CLEC, Shaw will be able to provide E911 service, local number portability, access to new telephone numbers and a variety of other traditional telephone functions such as caller ID, call waiting and call forwarding. http://www.shaw.caIn September 2003, Shaw Cablesystems, Canada's second largest...

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OKI Introduces IP-PBX telephony server based on Microsoft .NET

Oki Electric Industry Co. introduced a high-end IP-PBX telephony server based on Microsoft .NET architecture for the Japanese market. The server integrates IP-PBX functions with mission-critical business applications and supports SIP and H.323. Oki Electric is also offering IP phones and softphones with its platform. http://www.oki....

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Bell Canada Sees Continued Growth in Wireless and DSL

Bell Canada Enterprises cited wireless services and DSL as its hottest growth areas in 2003. For Q4, Bell Canada added 189,000 net cellular and PCS customers in Q4, giving it a total of 4,412,000 wireless subscribers, up 13% for the year. Bell Canada also added 91,000 net DSL customers in Q4, giving it a total of 1,482,000 subscribers, an increase of 34% compared to last year.Financially, Bell Canada reported Q4 revenues of $4.91 billion compared to $5.05 billion in Q4 last year. Revenues from continuing businesses decreased by $44 million or...

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iBasis' Voice Traffic Volume Rises 10% in Sequentially in Q4

Minutes of use on The iBasis Network in Q4 2003 rose to 955 million minutes, a 10% sequential increase over the 866 million minutes in the third quarter of 2003. Average revenue per minute was 5.6 cents per minute in the fourth quarter of 2003, a significant increase from 5.1 cents per minute in Q3 2003. Some additional operational highlights: Tier One carrier customers generated 59% of revenue in Q4 2003, compared to 63% of revenue in Q3 2003. Overseas-originated calls accounted for 41% of revenue in Q4 2003, compared to 44% of revenue in Q3 2003For...

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City of Manassas Plans Broadband over Power Line / EPON

The City of Manassas in Virginia selected Alcoa's AFL Telecommunications' EPON solution to provide backhaul for a planned Power Line Carrier/Broadband over Power Line (PLC/BPL) network. Originally developed by Fujikura Ltd. of Japan, the AFL's E-PON portfolio consists of Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and Optical Network Unit (ONU) equipment. The network delivers 625 Mbps of symmetrical bandwidth and offers a reach of up to 20 km. The third generation platform, which is currently deployed in Japan's FTTx networks, is now part of OFN (OF Networks...

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AT&T Launches $200 Million Advertising Campaign

AT&T launched a new $200 million-plus company wide brand and advertising program aimed at residential, business and government customers. The business advertising campaign profiles AT&T as "The World's Networking Company," asking its business and government customers: "Can Your Network Do This?" The business advertising campaign uses a "binary" theme to demonstrate how networking propels people, products and entire economies forward. The consumer advertising campaign positions AT&T as a major provider of bundled services, moving far...

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UTStarcom Signs Another $40 Million Contract with China Netcom

UTStarcom announced a new contract with China Netcom valued at approximately $40 million for additional deployments of its IP-based PAS (Personal Access System) in China's Shandong province. China Netcom will expand and optimize its PAS platform in eight cities in the province. In addition, the contract includes a core network upgrade from PAS to iPAS, based on the company's softswitch platform, which will be used for providing unified services within the province. http://www.utstar....

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Italy's FastWeb Taps BitBand for VOD

Italy's FastWeb, a leading provider of commercial converged triple-play services over FTTH and ADSL, placed an order for BitBand's Vision VOD servers to be installed in Padova, the seventh city to be served by FastWeb. Financial terms were not disclosed.FastWeb serves more than 300,000 subscribers in six Italian cities -- Milan, Rome, Turin, Genoa, Bologna, Naples and Reggio Emilia -- using BitBand technology for its VOD services. http://www.bitband.comhttp://www.fastweb...

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MCI Expands Global MPLS Network with Cisco

MCI announced an expansion of its MPLS backbone using Cisco System's equipment. In the first stage of its network expansion, which is currently underway, MCI is working with Cisco on a multi-phased, edge-router deployment in 48 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pac. Specifically, MCI is deploying the Cisco 10000 Series Router as its IP/MPLS Edge Label Switch Router for its Private IP service platform. Completion is expected by year-end 2004. In the U.S. alone, MCI plans to extend its Private...

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Abilene Network Completes Upgrade to 10 Gbps

The Abilene advanced research and education network has completed its upgrade from 2.5 Gbps to 10 Gbps. New routers were installed across the 13,000 route-mile national backbone, and all but one OC-48c circuit was replaced with an OC-192c circuit. In the process, several router locations were changed, but all remain collocated in Qwest points of presence (PoPs). Indiana University, Juniper Networks and Qwest Communications, provided the equipment and services to successfully implement the network upgrade. http://abilene.internet2.e...

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NEC Releases World's Thinnest Mobile Camera Phone

NEC introduced a card-shaped, camera-equipped mobile phone which it claims is the world's smallest and thinnest mobile phone. The new GSM/GPRS phone will be sold in China beginning this month. It is equipped with a 1.8 inch (120 X 160 dot) TFT color display and a digital camera (300,000 pixels) with consecutive shooting capability . The phone measures 85mm (width) X 54mm (height) X 8.6mm (depth), and a has a weight of 70g. http://www.nec....

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