T-Online Launches Broadband VOD

Deutsche
Telekom's T-Online division launched its "Vision on
TV" broadband video on demand service.

T-Online's Vision
on TV offers downloadable premium content such as films, music
videos and documentaries. Users need to buy a set-top Activy
Media Center that connects the TV to the T-DSL service. The
set-top box, which is supplied by Fujitsu Siemens Computers,
integrates a digital video recorder that records up to 240 hours
of TV programming on the hard disk. A set-top box that contains
a DVD recorder is also being offered.
http://www.t-online-vision.tv

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Siemens Selects Ikanos VDSL-DMT Chipset

Siemens has selected Ikanos Communications' SmartLeap family of VDSL Discrete-Multi-Tone (VDSL-DMT) chipsets to build a high-density line card for the Siemens SURPASS hiX DSLAM. Ikanos' chipset supports symmetric and asymmetric applications for ATM and Ethernet. It also complies with multiple international VDSL-DMT standards for Europe, Asia, and North America. http://www.siemens.com

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Siemens to Develop WiMAX with Intel

Siemens Information and Communication Mobile plans to introduce a complete solution for WiMAX radio networks by the second half of 2005. In addition to base stations based upon the IEEE 802.16d standard for fixed wireless broadband, the Siemens solution also will encompass integration and service offerings.



Intel and Siemens have agreed to work together on the development of WiMAX base-station infrastructure equipment as well as end user subscriber station devices.



Siemens said WiMAX is ideally suited for providing wireless, stationary, broadband Internet access to companies and private households. In addition, the IEEE 802.16 standard includes a mobile variant that will allow enterprises to serve "nomadic notebook users" who need to log on to the Internet or intranet from different locations inside and outside the company.

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http://www.siemens.comIntel has previously announced plans to supply IEEE 802.16 compliant silicon to Alvarion, Airspan Networks and Aperto Networks.

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Cisco Sets up Optical Compliance Lab in India

Cisco Systems inaugurated its first "Optical Compliance Lab" for the Asia Pacific region in Bangalore, India. The high-end testing/compliance lab will do bench testing and customized testing of Cisco's optical products for it's customers in India and the Asia Pacific region. http://www.cisco.com

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Net2Phone to Provide Cable Telephony Services for Altice One

Net2Phone announced a deal to supply its outsourced cable telephony solution to Altice One, a cable conglomerate and consolidator representing more than 500,000 homes passed in Brussels, Belgium; Strasbourg area and Mulhouse, France; and Luxembourg. Deployments are expected to begin in Fall 2004. Financial terms were not disclosed.



Net2Phone's cable voice platform utilizes Cable Labs DOCSIS architecturehttp://www.net2phone.com

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OFS Supports 20 km Triple Play PONs

OFS said that its Access ADVANTAGE fiber system now supports voice, data, analog video, and advanced digital video over passive optical network (PONs) at distance of up to 20km. The OFS solution supports various topology configurations, including single fiber networks that place 1:32 splitters close to subscribers.



OFS' Access ADVANTAGE system is an FTTP optical fiber cabling system that includes the fiber, low-loss splicers, low-loss LC or SC connectors, low-loss splitters, and bend loss insensitive "Blue Tiger" jumpers. http://www.ofsoptics.com

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Fujitsu Access Limited to Supply Metalink's VDSL in Japan

Fujitsu Access Limited will supply Metalink's VDSLPlus 4th generation chipset for the Japanese broadband market. Metalink's VDSLPlus solution provides a 5 band VDSL implementation with a migration path to a 6 band solution. The company said this will support 100 Mbps downstream payload at 300m using the stricter "ADSL Friendly" mask, enabling combined deployment of ADSL and VDSL in the same cable plant. http://www.metalink.co.il

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Occam Supplies Triple Play Solution in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin-based Midwest Tel Net consortium, Hillsboro Telephone Co. Inc., LaValle Telephone Cooperative and Richland-Grant Telephone Cooperative, have selected Occam Networks' BLC 6000 platform to deliver voice, video and high-speed data to the companies' rural residential and small business subscribers.



Hillsboro Telephone Co. is replacing five different types of loop carriers in their network with Occam's BLC 6000. To date, Hillsboro has installed the BLC in central office (CO) and remote office locations and is delivering voice, data and video to its subscribers.



LaValle Telephone Cooperative plans to provide 100% of its subscribers with advanced broadband services by the end of 2005. The carrier will provide traditional voice service, DSL and video, as well as position itself to deliver VoIP. Over the next 18 months, LaValle will install the BLC 6000 in two CO exchanges and 10 remote sites. In mid-April it will begin delivering triple play services.



Richland-Grant Telephone Cooperative plans to install the BLC 6000 in five COs and 23 remotes, using the central office BLCs as DSLAMs to feed the remotes. It expects to install the BLCs in 14 remotes this year and to complete the project by the end of 2005. With the completion, Richland-Grant will provide 100 percent of its 3,000 subscribers with advanced broadband services. http://www.occamnetworks.com

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Cisco Launches Business Video Solution

Cisco Systems launched a new Business Video Solution that provides a prescribed network architecture, best practices advice, training tools and the IP infrastructure for organizations planning to deploy video-based learning and communications. Key elements of the Cisco Business Video Solution include:

• Content authoring and management -- An integrated platform based on the MediaPlatform 3.0 from Cisco AVVID partner, Interactive Video Technologies (IVT) for creating, managing and deploying live and VoD content. This platform features a Web-based interface that includes video and audio capture, synchronization with power point slides and other graphics, HTML editing, page layout and implementation, asset management and project-navigation functions.



• Studio -- A suggested bill of materials, implementation and deployment guides needed to install and easily operate a video and audio capture studio for both live and on demand events.



• Web Portal -- tools and process information for viewing, creating and producing live events and VoD content. The source code and interfaces are provided to allow customers to integrate this Web portal into their current Web environment.



• Network Delivery -- Cisco networking products for supporting video

The company said it is currently operating its own Cisco Media Network (CMN) for delivering rich media (video, audio, Flash) content to Cisco employees, partners and customers. The Cisco Media Network uses Cisco routers and switches for QoS and multicast delivery, and is built on a network of ACNS Content Engines, which service more than 100 remote sites worldwide. On average, the CMN hosts 45 live streaming events and delivers more than 300 new VoD offerings per month for about 40,000 viewers. http://www.cisco.com

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Taiwan Selects Cisco for Research and Education Network

Taiwan's National Center for High-performance Computing (NCHC) is deploying Cisco Systems' routing and optical gear for an advanced research network operating at 20 Gbps at the core. Taiwan Advanced Research and Education Network (TWAREN) will initially provide services to some 60 universities, colleges, research institutions and national research centers throughout the island. It will support IPv6, multicasting, network security, video, voice and integrated multimedia applications.



The network consists of three tiers - production network, research network and optical network. The production network, which began operation in March 2004, is a dual circuit for its backbone and links to four core nodes and 11 GigaPOPs. The core nodes and the GigaPOPs are powered by the Cisco 7600 Series and 12000 Series routers. The optical network uses the Cisco ONS 15600 Multiservice Switching Platform (MSSP) and Cisco ONS 15454 Multiservice Transport Platform (MSTP). http://www.cisco.com

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Spirent Unveils Broadband Remote Test Unit

Spirent Communications unveiled a new SmartBits Broadband Remote Test Unit (BRTU) to help service providers test their metro optical networks and the enterprise data services they support. Spirent's rack-mounted and compact test unit, the SmartBits BRTU, supports the next generation of add drop multiplexers and multi-service provisioning platform devices offered by such companies as Ciena, Lucent and Nortel Networks. Spirent's new unit can test a range of services from traditional private lines to high-speed DS-3 and OC-3 connections as well as Frame Relay and ATM networking applications. http://www.spirentcom.com

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SingTel Selects Juniper to Extend MPLS-based Services

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) selected Juniper Networks to expand the SingTel Internet Exchange (STiX), one of Asia's largest Internet backbone access networks. The carrier is using
Juniper Networks M20 and M40e routing platforms and has also upgraded existing M-series platforms with new interface cards. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.juniper.net

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NEC's Licenses Ericsson's Bluetooth Technology

NEC has licensed the Ericsson Core Bluetooth software for a new line of 3G phones. The Bluetooth functionality includes headset and dial-up support. This is the first license agreement between Ericsson and NEC for Bluetooth. http://www.ericsson.com/press

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Vonage Selects Xten's SIP Softphone

Vonage is now offering an OEM version of Xten's X-PRO SIP SoftPhone for use on its broadband telephony service. Vonage customers can now sign up for Vonage, download and install the Vonage X-PRO softphone. http://www.vonage.comhttp://www.xten.com

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SBC Launches MPLS-Based, Hosted VPN Service

SBC Communications announced a new hosted VPN service targeted at business customers. The SBC PremierSERV Network-Based VPN (NVPN) services leverages the carrier's MPLS backbone to enable hosted VPN connections to work with existing data network connections, such as optical services, Frame Relay, ATM or premises equipment-based VPNs.



SBC said its new offering moves the management and complexity issues of VPN services away from the customer's location and to the SBC point of presence. The company is positioning the services as a converged platform for a full range of business communication applications - from common data services like e-mail and file transfers to advanced applications like Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), videoconferencing and VoIP. http://www.sbc.com

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Alaska's ACS Plans Statewide 1xEV-DO Network

Alaska Communications Systems Group selected Nortel Networks to supply core and access equipment for a statewide CDMA2000 1xEV-DO network. Nortel Networks is providing ACS with a complete solution - including radio, switching and core infrastructure equipment - for what is expected to be Alaska's first network to use the CDMA2000 1xEV-DO wireless standard. 1xEV-DO coverage will include Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau and other communities throughout Alaska. Anticipated commercial launch is May 2004. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.nortelnetworks.com

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Nortel Networks Unveils Compact Metro Cell Base Transceiver Station

Nortel Networks unveiled its latest CDMA Base Transceiver Station (BTS) capable of supporting CDMAOne, CDMA2000 1X and CDMA2000 1xEV-DO in the same shelf. The design provides the ability to grow from one to nine carriers in the same footprint. It also provides wireless operators with the option to stack BTSs as they grow, allowing for deployment in a variety of configurations. http://www.nortelnetworks.com

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Fox Extends Fiber Connectivity Agreement with Vyvx to 2014

Fox has extended an existing master services agreement with Vyvx for fiber-optic transmission services into 2014, and an advertising distribution agreement into 2013. The fiber agreement was also expanded to include several new Fox Entertainment Group properties, for which Vyvx will be the exclusive provider of terrestrial video transmission services. Financial terms were not disclosed.



Under the original fiber agreement, Vyvx was the exclusive provider of terrestrial video transmission services for Fox Broadcasting and Fox News Channel. The amended agreement added Fox Filmed Entertainment (including Twentieth Century Fox), Twentieth Television, Fox Television Studios and Fox Networks Group to the list of Fox properties that will exclusively use Vyvx's portfolio of terrestrial broadcast and sports media solutions for live broadcast backhaul and other video transmission needs. Under the extended ADS agreement, Twentieth Century Fox will continue to utilize Vyvx's Advertising Media Solutions for distribution of television and radio advertising spots, movie trailers and other media. http://www.vyvx.com

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Boingo Signs Two More Roaming Agreements

Boingo Wireless announced two more Wi-Fi roaming agreements:

• Truckstop.net, which will add more than 500 roadside Wi-Fi hot spots to the Boingo Roaming System. Truckstop.net expects to grow to 1,000 live hot spots by the end of the year and foresees adding 300 new locations to its network every quarter for the next few years.



• Airport Network Solutions, which operates Wi-Fi networks in regional U.S. airports, including Sacramento, Savannah, and Hilton Head.

With these agreements, the Boingo Roaming System expands to include more than 70 network operators and 6,500 hot spots under contract worldwide. http://www.boingo.com

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Nortel Networks Submits VoIP E9-1-1 Proposal

Nortel Networks submitted a proposal to NENA - the National Emergency Number Association - for an architectural framework that will enable Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) access on VoIP networks. The proposal outlines a two-part architectural framework that will enable operators at public safety answering points (PSAPs) to respond to emergency calls and quickly determine the precise location of the caller. Nortel Networks envisions the coupling of new VoIP interfaces with the field proven E9-1-1 technology deployed in today's wireless networks.



Last week at an FCC-hosted Washington forum, FCC Chairman Michael Powell urged the telecommunications industry to make the development of a nationwide VoIP E9-1-1 solution a top priority. http://www.nortelnetworks.comhttp://www.nena.org/

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