Microsoft / Sun Pact Seeks New Framework for Collaboration

Microsoft and Sun Microsystems announced a ten year agreement that settles all pending litigation between the two companies and sets a new framework for industry cooperation in server technology and communications protocols. The Technical Collaboration Agreement will provide both companies with access to aspects of each other's server-based technology and will initially center on Windows Server and Windows Client.


The companies are working on ways to allow identity information to be easily shared between Microsoft Active Directory and the Sun Java System Identity Server. Sun has agreed to sign a license for the Windows desktop operating system communications protocols. Microsoft will continue to provide product support for the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine. The companies will work together to improve technical collaboration between their Java and .NET technologies. The companies are announcing Windows certification for Sun's Xeon servers, and the Windows certification process for Sun's Opteron-based servers is moving forward.


The agreements involve payments of $700 million to Sun by Microsoft to resolve pending antitrust issues and $900 million to resolve patent issues. In addition, Sun and Microsoft have agreed to pay royalties for use of each other's technology, with Microsoft making an up-front payment of $350 million and Sun making payments when this technology is incorporated into its server products. http://www.microsoft.comhttp://www.sun.com

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Net Insight Raises $8.5 Million, Appoints Global Sales Manager

Net Insight, a supplier of video, voice and data networking equipment for the broadcast and broadband markets, announced $8.5 million in new funding from Constellation Ventures, a Bear Stearns Asset Management fund. Constellation Ventures will subscribe to 31 million shares of Series B at 2.1 SEK per share and 9.8 million warrants with a strike price of 2.41 SEK, the length of the warrant is five years. Constellation Ventures also will take a board position in Net Insight.


Separately, Net Insight appointed Steven East as its Global Sales Manager. Most recently, East was Vice President, International Carrier Division for Broadwing Communications Inc. Additionally, East has 10 years experience at Nortel Networks, where he focused on the cable and telephony markets. http://www.netinsight.net

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NTT DoCoMo to Establish "Mobile Society Research Institute"

NTT DoCoMo is establishing a "Mobile Society Research Institute" to study the social impact of mobile phone use. DoCoMo said the new institute, which will remain independent from its business, aims to clarify both the positive and negative aspect of mobile phones. Its goal is to focus on enhancing the upside, while minimizing the downside by taking necessary countermeasures.


Dr. Takemochi Ishii, Professor Emeritus of The University of Tokyo and Chairman/CEO of the Tokio Marine Research Institute, will lead the institution as managing director. http://www.nttdocomo.com

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Siemens to Integrate BlackBerry into its Mobile Phones

Siemens reached an agreement with Research In Motion (RIM) to integrate BlackBerry connectivity into its mobile phones. The companies will work together to provide integrated data connectivity capabilities on Siemens mobile phones using BlackBerry email, calendar and browser applications. Siemens plans to introduce a BlackBerry-enabled handset based on its own 65 platform for mobile phones in Q4 2004. http://www.siemens.com

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Proposed VoIP Legislation Aims to Clarify Status

Senator John Sununu (R-NH) and Congressman Chip Pickering (R-MS) introduced a bill aimed at encouraging the growth of VoIP by definitively classifying it as an information service and limiting potential state regulations. The bill has three key provisions:

• Treat VoIP as an information service in order to help establish a level playing field for all forms of data



• Establish federal jurisdiction over VoIP applications.



• Protect VoIP data from federal and state taxation.

http://www.sununu.senate.gov/

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8x8 Files $50 Million Universal Shelf

8x8, Inc. filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that would enable it, from time to time, to offer its common stock, preferred stock, depository shares, warrants and debt securities, which together have an aggregate initial public offering price of up to $50 million. The securities may be offered, separately or together, in separate series, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be set forth in the prospectus contained in the registration statement. http://www.8x8.com

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Avaya to Purchase Tata Group's Shares of Tata Telecom.

Avaya announced an agreement with the Tata Group to acquire its shares of Tata Telecom Ltd., a leading communication solutions provider in India, for US$18 million. These shares represent approximately 25% of the voting equity share capital of Tata Telecom, which is based in New Delhi.


Tata Telecom is a joint venture between Avaya and the Tata Group. It offers end-to-end convergent business solutions for enterprises, and solutions for technology intensive applications such as distance learning and tele-medicine. The company has an extensive distribution network, comprising over 50 systems integrators, channel partners and dealers.


The Tata Group's decision is in line with its overall strategy to focus on the telecom services business, while Tata Telecom would build on the business of providing converged communications solutions to enterprises. http://www.avaya.com

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NETGEAR Completes Secondary Offering

NETGEAR completed a secondary offering of 6.9 million common shares offered by selling stockholders, which includes 900,000 shares sold pursuant to the over-allotment option. The offering was priced at $13.00 per share. NETGEAR did not sell shares in the offering, new shares were not issued, nor did NETGEAR receive any proceeds. The Company's management did not sell any shares in the offering, nor did it receive any proceeds. http://www.netgear.com

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Calyptech Deploys Octasic Echo Cancellation Devices

Calyptech has selected Octasic's OCT6100 Series of echo cancellation and voice quality enhancement solutions as the voice processors powering the Calyptech VQEST 300 Voice Quality Enhancement System. Calyptech's platform provides voice quality enhancements in Wireless Local Loop, Circuit Switched PSTN and GSM/CDMA networks. http://www.octasic.comhttp://www.calyptech.com

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StoneBridge Launches Fixed Wireless in Minnesota

Minnesota-based StoneBridge Wireless has launched wireless broadband Internet service for business in the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area and rural locations in western Wisconsin and Minnesota. StoneBridge utilizes Line of Sight (LOS) and Non Line of Sight (NLOS) technologies to transmit signal from centrally located towers to customer locations. Access speeds can range from 400Kbps to 45Mbps for both upload and download. The company has over 35 strategically positioned broadcast signal antennas online. http://www.stonebridgewireless.com/

• StoneBridge Wireless uses radio units made by Alvarion.

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Marriott Equips 1,200 Hotels with Wi-Fi

Marriott has now equipped more than 1,200 of its hotels with wireless high-speed Internet access. Wireless high-speed internet access is available in hotel lobbies, meeting rooms and public spaces at select Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn and SpringHill Suites hotels. Wi-Fi access is in addition to wired in-room high-speed connections at 1,700 hotels across its portfolio of hotel brandshttp://www.marriott.com

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New Jersey Makes Slight Increase to UNE-p Rates

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) ordered a slight increase in the monthly rates Verizon charges for "Unbundled Network Elements. The action follows a pricing review that took into consideration guidance from the FCC on cost of capital and depreciation -- two factors used to help determine these wholesale rates. The current UNE platform or UNE-P rate in New Jersey, $12.61, is the lowest of the 30 states served by Verizon. The board's new platform rate is $14.43.


New Jersey's BPU noted that the UNE-platform has been the most widely used method by CLECs in the local exchange market. CLECs currently serve approximately 1,000,000 of New Jersey's 6.3 million phone customers.


Verizon Communications said the new rate "still affords a huge margin from the $45 to $50 price competitors typically charge for their most widely advertised flat-rate calling plans. The company also said the action "fails to seriously address the issue of below- cost wholesale rates that threaten Verizon's ability to invest in New Jersey. These below-cost rates also threaten to kill off the jobs that could be created at Verizon and at other New Jersey companies."


AT&T said its was "there was no legal or factual basis for any increase in rates that were set less than eighteen months ago. Consumers were just beginning to reap the benefits of the competitive landscape that the Board recently helped establish. As in any rational business, AT&T expects that it will have no choice but to pass this wholesale cost increase onto its customers."http://www.bpu.state.nj.us/home/news.shtml?20-04

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