Telia Launches Consumer Broadband Telephony

Telia launched a consumer broadband telephony VoIP service that it described as complementary to its existing fixed telephony service. Telia Broadband Telephony enables broadband users with connection speeds greater than 128 Kbps to make telephones via a headset and their computer (the service cannot reach 0900 toll numbers in Sweden). Users can also chat in realtime, send e-mail and make videocalls (web camera required). Calls are free between two Telia Broadband Telephony subscribers. Phone calls to fixed and mobile networks are charged at the same rate as for calls made with a Telia Bas subscription. In addition, subscribers pay a one-time entrance fee and a monthly fee for Telia Broadband Telephony. Subscribers are issued a phone number with the 075 dialing code (not to be confused with the prefix for mobile numbers).


The Telia Broadband Telephony application has been developed in cooperation with TeliaSonera Finland and the Swedish software company Hotsip AB. http://www.telia.com

Read More

Alcatel Sees Q4 Sales Rise 22% over Q3

Alcatel reported a rebound in sales in Q4 2003 in what it described as "encouraging market trends" across its core businesses. The company posted a 29.4% rise in Q4 sales to EUR 3.765 billion compared with Q3 sales of EUR 2.909 billion (this would represent a 32.0% rise at constant exchange rate), but down 14% from EUR 4.377 billion in Q4 2002. Income from operations increased to EUR 332 million over a loss of EUR (606) million year over year. Some highlights of its quarterly report:

• for full year 2003, Alcatel's sales amounted to EUR 12.513 billion, a 21.9% decrease compared to 2002.



• the company shipped 15 million DSL lines in 2003, double the number from 2002. DSL line shipments in Q4 numbered 5.1 million.



• Video over DSL is growing in momentum, with deployments by carriers such as LDcom, Softbank, Monaco Telecom, Sasktel, Fastweb and others.



• For Alcatel's Fixed Communications business, Q4 revenue increased sequentially by 22.8% to EUR 1,647 million. Broadband access continued to benefit from strong demand in all geographical regions. Fixed network solutions also had a strong revenue performance not only driven by gains in intelligent network applications but also Next Generation Network (NGN) solutions. Voice networks as well as optics turned in a good performance compared to the previous quarter due to the normal seasonality of these businesses. The IP service router activity also continued to gain momentum with seven new customers added during the quarter.



• For Alcatel's Mobile Communications business, Q4 revenue increased sequentially by 34.0% to EUR 1,092 million. In addition to the increase in 2/2.5G, deployment in 3G accelerated during the quarter with 1,500 Node Bs deployed during the quarter. 2.9 million mobile phones were delivered during the quarter.



• For Alcatel's Private Communications business, Q4 revenue sequentially by 31.5% to EUR 1,103 million. The IP portion of the PBX business continued to grow.



• Gross margin for the quarter was 33.2%, compared to 36% in Q3.


Company CEO Serge Tchuruk said Alcatel is in the last stage of its restructuring and it now turning back to growth. The company has shifted its strategy from being a communications equipment supplier to being a "communications solutions" provider.

http://www.alcatel.com

Read More

Citing weak demand in Q4, Level 3 Looks to Value-Added Services

"Demand and pricing for basic optical transport and IP services remained challenging during Q4," said James Q. Crowe, CEO of Level 3 Communications. As a result, the company continues to develop and launch new, value-added transport, IP and voice services.


Level 3 Communications reported that its communications revenue for Q4 was $399 million, versus $413 million for the previous quarter. Total communications revenue for Q4 consisted of $376 million of communications services revenue and $23 million of reciprocal compensation revenue, compared to $388 million and $25 million in Q3.


Net loss for the quarter was $121 million or $0.18 per share compared to a net loss for the previous quarter of $247 million or $0.38 per share. Included in the net loss for the fourth quarter 2003 was a $37 million gain on extinguishment of debt,http://www.level3.com

Read More

C-COR and TANDBERG TV Partner on Cable VOD

C-COR.net will resell TANDBERG TV's high-density Edge QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) device, the EdgeMax 5500, to cable operators in certain markets.


C-COR said that combining its CHP Max5000 headend platform and newly introduced GigE Max optical transport module with the Tandberg EdgeMax 5500 creates a VOD system engineered specifically for IP transport between servers of content and EdgeMax 5500 devices remotely located at hubs. The EdgeMax 5500 provides IP/MPEG statistical multiplexing, QAM modulation, and UHF conversion for up to 24 QAM channels in a compact single rack-unit. http://www.c-cor.nethttp://www.tandbergtv.com

Read More

ITXC Launches VoIPLink Carrier Service

ITXC has begun offering a "VoIPLink" service that help carriers establish and maintain VoIP-to-VoIP network interconnections. The VoIPLink service helps to bridge traffic between carriers by providing interoperability between otherwise incompatible VoIP gateways, softswitches, and customer-premise equipment. ITXC currently supports pre-engineered interfaces with ten different SIP or H.323 VoIP infrastructure vendors and dozens of different equipment, software and network configurations.


The VoIPLink service has been in development with increasing amounts of production traffic for several months. ITXC said approximately 160 carriers are already directly connected through its VoIPLink. http://www.itxc.com

• In August 2003, NexTone Communications announced that ITXC had deployed its Multiprotocol Session Controller in the ITXC global VoIP network. The NexTone equipment enables secure and flexible interconnection between VoIP networks regardless of a network's call control protocol, equipment vendor, or internal architecture. The Multiprotocol Session Controller on the border of ITXC.net serves as an intermediary to affiliate VoIP networks, providing dynamic call-admission control, SIP/H.323 signaling interworking and network address translation (NAT) capabilities. The NexTone solution also eliminates many of the T.38 fax interoperability issues that are common among different equipment vendors' VoIP gateways. NexTone Communications is based in Germantown, Maryland.



• In Q4 2003, ITXC carried over one billion minutes of international voice traffic over its IP network.

Read More

Taqua and Tellabs Test Cable Telephony Solution

Taqua and Tellabs completed interoperability testing of an HFC cable telephony solution based on Taqua's iX7000 Class 5 packet switch and the Tellabs 2300 telephony distribution system. The Tellabs 2300 Host Digital Terminal (HDT) communicates directly with Taqua's iX7000 using the GR-303 protocol. Transceivers within the Tellabs 2300 HDT provide the RF link to the system's Remote Service Units (RSUs), or the Network Interface Devices, located at the customer premises. Taqua's iX7000 delivers the Class 5 switching, providing the cable subscriber a full suite of CLASS features. http://www.taqua.comhttp://www.tellabs.com

Read More

DSL.net Launches Integrated Voice/Data in NYC

DSL.net began offering its integrated voice and data bundled services in the New York City metropolitan area. The company said its voice services are provided on a facilities-based, fully controlled, QoS-enabled network, ensuring that voice service and the voice quality is equivalent to traditional voice services. DSL.net is using Cisco's softswitch routers and gateways along with Broadsoft's service platform. http://www.dsl.net

• During Q3 2003, DSL.net acquired certain network assets and related subscriber lines of TalkingNets, which provided a T-1-based voice and data service to business customers in the Washington D.C. area. DSL.net has consolidated that voice and data platform into its own broadband network as part of an effort to meet the growing demand by business customers for bundled communications services.



• In August, DSL.net announced that it would be using Cisco Systems' routers and gateways as part of its integrated voice and data T-1 service offering, which is based on SIP. The service will provide business customers with low-cost long-distance calling and unlimited local calling. Equipment chosen includes the Cisco IAD2400 Series and the Cisco BTS 10200 Softswitch.

Read More

Texas Instruments Ships 14 Million 802.11 Ports in 2003

Texas Instruments shipped 14 million 802.11 ports to customers worldwide in 2003 out of a market estimated at 53 million ports. TI has shipped over 17 million WLAN ports since 2002. http://www.ti.com

Read More

PRIMUS Sees Growing Telecom Revenues

PRIMUS Telecommunications reported Q4 revenues of $339 million compared with $328 million in the prior quarter, a growth of 3.2%, and $268 million for the fourth quarter of 2002, a growth of 26.6%. Net income was $18 million, and $0.18 diluted income per common share (including $14 million of foreign currency transaction gains).


Noting its tenth anniversary in business, PRIMUS said it transforming itself from its wireline long distance voice heritage into a combined wireless/broadband/wireline bundled service provider. The company said it is now poised to launch retail enterprise, reseller and residential VOIP services in broadband markets around the world.


Separately, PRIMUS announced a "fixed to mobile" convergence strategy in Europe. The company is launching a customized GSM mobile handset featuring a hotkey that lets users connect directly to the PRIMUS international calling service from their local GSM provider. PRIMUS estimates that consumers could save up to 80% off the cost of their international calls by dialing via the PRIMUS network. The PRIMUS handset will work on any dual band GSM network with any SIM. http://www.primustel.com

Read More

Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom to Launch TV over ADSL

Chunghwa Telecom, the incumbent carrier in Taiwan, was granted a cable TV license. Chunghwa plans to launch a TV-over-ADSL service later this month. Chunghwa Telecom currently serves some 3 million ADSL customers island-wide.


The multimedia-on-demand service is expected to debut in the cities of Taipei, Keelung, Taoyuan and Hsinchu. Chunghwa will offer 10 to 15 TV channels, as well as various VOD programs. The carrier anticipates signing up as many as 100,000 subscribers in the first year and perhaps 1 million within three years. Pricing starts at the equivalent of US$6.00 per month. http://www.cht.com.tw/ou_web/chtn/MOD/modnew/index.html

Read More

AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile USA Sign Roaming Deal

T-Mobile USA and AT&T Wireless announced a reciprocal Wi-Fi roaming agreement for Denver International (DIA), Philadelphia International (PHL) and San Francisco International (SFO) airports. Today's announcement marks the first roaming agreement between AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile for Wi-Fi service. http://www.t-mobile.com/hotspothttp://www.attwireless.com/wifi

Read More