Yahoo! BB Reaches 3.6 Million VoIP Lines

Yahoo! BB, the Japanese broadband service provided by Softbank and Yahoo! Japan, issued its latest monthly progress report.

Yahoo! BB Subscribers
	Jan-04	Dec-03	Nov-03	Oct-03	Sep-03	Aug-03
Yahoo! BB lines installed	3,817k	3,694k	3,553 k	3,399k	3,248 k	3,092k
Yahoo! BB phone users	3,584 k	3,457k	3,308k	3,145 k	2,989 k	2,828k
Central offices	3,051	3,029	2,797	2,573	2,33o	2,188

http://www.softbank.co.jp/

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France Telecom and Siemens Form NGN Partnership

France Telecom and Siemens signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop a New Generation Network Architecture for mobile/fixed networks. The partnership contemplates joint R&D efforts, a limited period of exclusivity to leverage usage through generalization, and the sharing of intellectual property resulting from the partnership. Precise terms and conditions of the partnership will be detailed at a later stagehttp://www.francetelecom.comhttp://www.siemens.com

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ITXC Launches Interoperability Program

ITXC announced an equipment interoperability program aimed at making it easier for other carriers and service providers to access its VoIPLink Service for international call exchange.


The VoIPLink Ready program includes a commitment from both ITXC and VoIP infrastructure vendors to develop and maintain pre-engineered configurations for off-the-shelf interoperability with ITXC.net. http://www.itxc.com

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Texas Instruments Ships Over 50 Million VoIP Ports

Texas Instruments (TI) has reached the milestone of shipping over 50 million VoIP ports. TI holds roughly 80% of the total VoIP integrated circuit shipment volume for the IP phone, customer premises equipment (CPE) gateway and infrastructure gateway market segments, according to a report from In-Stat/MDR cited by the company. http://www.ti.com

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Parama Closes $7 Million for its SONET-on-a-Chip

Parama Networks, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California raised $7 million in a Series B round of funding for its SONET "ADM-on-a-Chip." The funding led by Menlo Ventures and completed by the other current investors: Azure Capital Partners, Cross Bridge Ventures, Network Angel Capital and Sprout Group. http://www.paramanetworks.com

• In January 2004, Parama Networks introduced its "ADM-on-a-Chip," an integrated device for SONET/SDH transport equipment. Parama said ADM-on-a-Chip, which is designed for next generation network equipment, leverages advances in silicon VLSI technology over the last few years to enable an entire ADM implementations on a single piece of silicon. Its solution includes a companion SONET/SDH overhead processor, a data transport processor, a hardware reference design, and software development kit. The ADM-on-a-Chip is manufactured in 0.13 micron CMOS process. Two models are being introduced. The first features eight software-programmable OC-3 to OC-48 rate SONET and SDH-equivalent rate ports, two OC-192 rate SONET/SDH ports and 40G of digital cross connect capacity. The second integrates eight software programmable OC-3 to OC-192 rate SONET/SDH ports, two OC-768 rate SONET/SDH ports and 160G of digital cross connect. Production samples are currently available.

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T-Mobile USA Awards $300 million Contract to Nokia

T-Mobile USA expanded an existing agreement with Nokia for network equipment, software and services valued at $300 million. Under the new agreement, Nokia will provide next generation radio equipment, an expanded GPRS Core network, and implementation and optimization services. Also, included in the agreement is Nokia's network and service management system, Nokia NetAct including NetAct Traffica which will enhance T-Mobile's real time network monitoring capabilities. http://www.t-mobile.com

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Convedia Adapts Media Servers for 2.5G and 3G Mobile Markets

Convedia has adapted its Media Servers to provide the Multimedia Resource Function (MRF) for 2.5G and 3G wireless networks. Convedia said its media servers could be used by IP-based mobile application developers and service providers to deliver applications with intensive IP voice and video processing requirements, including push-to-talk, personalized ringback tones, unified messaging, speech-controlled services, and presence enabled conferencing. In Q2 2004, Convedia will introduce additional functionality including support for AMR and EVRC voice coders, as well as H.263 and MPEG-4 video mixing, transcoding, recording and playback. http://www.convedia.com

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Broadcom Acquires Storage Patents from Cirrus Logic

Broadcom has acquired a portfolio of storage technology patents from Cirrus Logic for $18 million in cash. The patents cover many fundamental innovations in the magnetic and optical storage areas, including read channel and hard disk controller technologies. http://www.broadcom.com

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Sonus Networks Reports Financial Irregularities

Sonus Networks reported accounting irregularities concerning the timing of revenue recognized from certain customer transactions and other financial statements. The issue may affect the company's 2003 financial statements and possibly financial statements for prior periods. Sonus said certain employees associated with the transactions have been terminated. It is conducting an independent investigation, employing the services of Hale and Dorr LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The company said it is unable to provide at this time an anticipated date for the completion of its review or the year-end audit, or for the rescheduling of the release of its Q4 and fiscal year 2003 results.


"We are deeply concerned and disappointed to have discovered that certain employees at Sonus Networks were engaged in behavior that violated our code of conduct and may have compromised the integrity of our financial reporting," said Hassan Ahmed, president and CEO, Sonus Networks. http://www.sonusnet.com

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Comcast Reaches 5.3 million Cable Modem Subscribers

Comcast exceeded the financial targets it set for itself in 2003, delivering $6.35 billion of operating cash flow for the year. For the year 2003, Comcast's cable operations generated revenue of $17.491 billion, a 9.1% pro forma increase from 2002. Pro forma video revenue increased 5.5% to $12.096 billion for the year 2003 compared with the prior year driven by additions in the number of basic subscribers of more than 140,000, increases in average monthly revenue per basic subscriber and growth in digital cable subscribers. High-Speed Internet service revenue for 2003 increased 51.7% over the prior year to reach $2.255 billion, reflecting a 45.9% increase in the customer base and average monthly revenue per subscriber of $42.44 for the year.


For Q4, Comcast cable revenue was $4.507 billion, representing an 8.6% increase over the $4.149 billion in the fourth quarter of 2002. Revenue growth was driven by a 6.1% increase in video revenue as both the number of digital subscribers and average monthly revenue per subscriber increased. Comcast Cable added 70,000 basic cable subscribers and over 383,000 digital cable subscribers during the quarter.


Comcast ended the year with 5.3 million cable modem customers, compared to 4.9 million at the preceding quarter. In Q3, Comcast added 472,000 new cable modem customers. The high-speed Internet penetration rate is now 15.2%.


Comcast issued the followed financial guidance for 2004:

• Basic subscriber growth of approximately 0.5%.



• High-Speed Internet subscriber net additions between 1.5 and 1.6 million and High-Speed Internet service revenue growth of more than 30% while generating average monthly revenue per subscriber above $40.



• Digital Cable subscriber net additions between 700,000 and 1 million.



• Net additions of up to 50,000 Cable Phone subscribers.



• Capital expenditures between $3.3 and $3.4 billion in 2004, an approximate $750 million decline from the $4.1 billion in cable capital expenditures in 2003. The reduction in cable capital expenditures reflects the substantial completion of Comcast Cable's upgrade plan.

http://www.comcast.com

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Comcast's Takeover Bid for Disney Renews Content + Network Ambition

In the latest bid to combine content ownership with network presence, Comcast made an unsolicited, $54 billion takeover bid for The Walt Disney Company. Comcast is the largest cable network operator in the U.S., with some 21 million customers. The bid represented a 10% premium over Disney's closing stock price the day earlier.


"Not only would this merger create significant shareholder value, but it would also position the combined company to compete vigorously with other entertainment and communications companies, including newly created integrated distribution/content providers," said Brian L. Roberts, President and CEO of Comcast. http://www.comcast.com

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American Fiber Systems Selects Nortel's Optical Ethernet

American Fiber Systems, a provider of metro optical networks with some 76,000 miles of deployed fiber, selected Nortel Networks' Optical Ethernet gear for several cities in the U.S. AFS will offer Ethernet point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and Internet access (EIA) services with bandwidth rates from 10 Mbps to Gigabit Ethernet. AFS customers will be able to choose specific, custom bandwidth rates. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.nortelnetworks.comhttp://www.americanfibersystems.com

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AFC Builds Out its Circuit-to-Packet Migration Strategy

AFC
is building out an "AdvancedVoice" strategy to help
carriers migrate their legacy voice services onto a packetized
broadband network. The strategy leverages AFC's AccessMAX
platform, which is capable of being configured as a digital loop
carrier, DSLAM, or optical line terminal. Packetization of
legacy voice traffic could occur with the AccessMAX deployed in
a remote terminal or "dark central office" further out
in the network. Voice traffic could be handed off either to the
PSTN or a next generation softswitch.

AFC's AccessMAX
features a new Gateway Processing Engine (GPE) that provides
media gateway functionality. The new GPE plug-in card enables
AccessMAX systems to use the H.248 media gateway control
protocol to interface with Nortel Networks' Succession CS 2000.
The combined solution allows subscriber calls initiated from
traditional analog telephones to be converted into packets and
switched efficiently through a converged packet network.

Image: AFC

Central to
circuit-to-packet evolution, AFC's GPE card processes H.248
call-control signaling combined with digit collection, tone
generation/detection, echo cancellation, packetization, and
voice compression. The AccessMAX provides real-time,
simultaneous support of legacy TDM-based switch interfaces,
including GR-303, TR-08 and TR-57, with H.248 -- the
carrier-grade IETF and ITU call signaling protocol standard for
softswitching. AFC will also add support for SIP.

Significantly,
AFC's AccessMAX has completed interoperability testing with
Nortel Networks' Succession Communication Server 2000
Softswitch. AFC said its AdvancedVoice GPE card is currently
being tested in Sprint's laboratories, in anticipation of
deployment within Sprint's Circuit-to-Packet (C2P) migration
program.

http://www.afc.com

• In May 2003, Sprint launched its migration from a circuit-switched telephone network to a packet network with the replacement of its entire local switching infrastructure in Gardner, Kansas. The program to other central offices throughout the Sprint network. Class 5 circuit switches will be replaced using Nortel Networks' Succession Communication Server 2000 superclass softswitches, Succession Multiservice Gateway 4000, Succession Media Gateway 9000, and Nortel Networks Passport 15000 Multiservice Switches.

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Z-Tel Deploys Acme Packet and Ubiquity for VoIP

Z-Tel Communications has selected Ubiquity and Acme Packet as strategic suppliers for its VoIP deployment.


Ubiquity offers a carrier-class SIP Application Server that will enable Z-Tel to originate and terminate IP communications services. The Ubiquity server will also provide the call handling services that are a core capability of Z-Tel's second generation "Personal Voice Assistant," a voice-activated dialing and conference calling feature. The company anticipates that its relationship with Ubiquity will bolster its differentiation among US-based service providers.


Z-Tel selected Acme Packet's Net-Net session border controllers for its hosted NAT traversal and advanced security and topology hiding features, which are important when offering hosted IP services. Later this year, when Z-Tel plans to begin exchanging traffic with other leading IP service providers, Acme Packet's signaling interworking functionality will provide the critical function. Acme Packet's architecture couples the signaling with the media control, which is important when dealing with real-time interactive communications such as VoIP. http://www.ubiquity.nethttp://www.acmepacket.com

• Earlier this week, Z-Tel Communications, a CLEC based in Tampa, Florida will use Cisco Systems' equipment to launch VoIP services aimed at residential and small business customers in Georgia and Florida. Z-Tel's VoIP solution is powered by Cisco's Broadband Local Integrated Services Solutions (BLISS), including PIX 525 Firewall, Catalyst 4506 Switch, and IAD 2430. Z-Tel also relies on Cisco Info Center, Cisco Works RWAN, Cisco Works LMS, Cisco Media Gateway Manager, and CNS Configuration Engine. The deployment has earned Z-Tel the Cisco Powered Network designation. Financial terms were not disclosed.

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Salira Expands EPON Access Portfolio

Salira Optical Network Systems has expanded its Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) access system with additional network interfaces, two new customer premises devices and a web-based management system. Salira's Release 2.2 includes:

• STM-1/OC-3 and T1/E1 network interfaces, complementing the existing DS-3 and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. The STM-1/OC-3 interface is available as a 2-port card. The T1/E1 interface is available as a 32-port card. Salira's Optical Line Terminating (OLT) chassis can accept up to 8 TDM cards.



• a new Salira 2330 Optical Network Unit (ONU) provides two T1/E1 ports and one Fast Ethernet port for single user FTTP deployments



• a new Salira 2310 ONU is a field-deployable DSLAM that supports 24 ports of VDSL. The platform could be used to extend DSL networks from the edge of an EPON. It could also be deployed in the basement of an apartment building to offer VDSL services.



• a web-based version of Salira's network management system

Salira also announced that China Unicom will use its Salira 2000 Platform to deliver broadband services in five cities (Foshan, Shunde, Nanhai, Shansui and Gaoming) in the province of Guangdong. http://www.salira.comIn December 2003, Salira announced that Lucent Technologies is reselling its line of Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) solutions in the Asia-Pacific region. Under the arrangement, Lucent Worldwide Services will provide network design, deployment, maintenance and post-sale services to carrier customers. The companies have completed thorough systems and services integration, and Salira's products are scheduled for live customer trials to begin in 2004.

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AT&T's Dorman: UNE-P is Bridge to VoIP

"We must recognize that UNE-P is an essential bridge to next-generation technologies and to lasting competition," said AT&T Chairman David Dorman in a speech at the New America Foundation. Dorman argued that unbundled network elements (UNEs) represent the most meaningful competitive choice today and will ensure a "vigorously competitive market" as next generation technology gets deployed. http://www.att.com

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Nortel Networks Creates Core Interoperability Lab

Nortel Networks will establish a new interoperability lab to focus on multivendor circuit-to-packet migration issues. The new lab, which will be located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, will provide interoperability testing between Nortel Networks and key, third-party vendors. In particular, testing will focus on enabling interoperability of Nortel Networks Succession Communication Server (CS) 2000 superclass softswitches and Nortel Networks Multimedia Communication Server (MCS) 5200 with third-party access and trunk gateways, border elements, and SIP service delivery platforms.


Nortel Networks also announced new product memberships to its VoIP and multimedia interoperability testing program. New members Acme Packet, AFC, AudioCodes, Carrier Access, Convedia Corporation, General Bandwidth, IP Unity, Netrake, Verilink Corporation and Westell Technologies. http://www.nortelnetworks.com

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