Nortel to Resell VoIP gateways from Nuera

Nortel Networks agreed to integrate, sell and support VoIP gateways from Nuera Communications as part of an integrated PacketCable qualified solution. Both Nortel Networks softswitch and the Nuera media gateway are fully PacketCable qualified.



Nuera's Orca BTX-21 and BTX-8 PacketCable qualified gateways complement Nortel Networks VoIP media gateway portfolio, which includes Nortel Networks Passport Packet Voice Gateway (PVG). Passport PVG, which is currently deployed in four cable VoIP networks around the world, provides cable operators with a high density media gateway with support for more traditional protocols like H.248 and user interfaces like Primary Rate Interface (PRI) and V5.2. http://www.nortelnetworks.com/http://www.nuera.com/

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Redback Adds Session Level Reliability

Redback Networks introduced a Session Level Reliability capability designed to provide uninterrupted broadband Internet sessions for voice, video, online multi-player games and other applications.



The new capability is built into the latest release of the operating system for Redback's SmartEdge Service Gateway and is designed to ensure that ongoing individual broadband subscriber sessions will not be dropped or interrupted in the event of a hardware failure. The system is designed so that if an error is encountered, sessions are seamlessly transferred to a redundant route processor without interrupting the session.



"A new standard for Internet session reliability is crucial as the Internet evolves from a system of simple, best effort connectivity to one of premium services and continuous delivery," said Shailesh Shukla, vice president of marketing and business development for Redback Networks. http://www.redback.com

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Telution Announces Full Operations Support Management for VoIP

Telution unveiled full operations support capabilities for VoIP service rollout and scalability for its flagship COMX product. The enhancements include modular order handling, service control, service assurance, revenue management, and customizable business reporting modules. Telution said these VoIP-centric capabilities allow service providers to better manage the intricacies of VoIP and to better manage complex triple play bundling and service personalization, essential capabilities for attracting and retaining business and residential customers.



Telution also announced that its COMX product is being utilized by Z-Tel Communications for deployment of a next generation VoIP service solution. Z-Tel Communications announced plans in late Q4 2003 to launch a broadband voice and data services-based offer to the small-to-medium business market and multiple dwelling units (MDUs) such as condominiums, apartment buildings and hotels in Georgia and Florida. http://www.telution.com/

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Broadcom and Microsoft Show TCP/IP Offload Chimney

Broadcom demonstrated a one Gigabit per second (Gbps) working implementation of its TCP/IP offload engine technology, supporting the Microsoft TCP Chimney architecture. TCP Chimney is a Microsoft technology that allows the operating system to offload the TCP processing of selected network streams from the CPU to the network controller.



TCP processing consumes a significant amount of the host CPU cycles and as network speed rapidly increases, the need to offload this burden from the host CPU becomes more urgent. Offload frees the host CPU for processing of applications, thus improving overall application performance. http://www.broadcom.comhttp://www.microsoft.com

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BellSouth Signs 4 Long-Term Deals with Wholesale Carriers

BellSouth signed long-term commercial agreements with four additional wholesale carriers (ABC Telecom, INET, KingTel and WebShoppe) for the provisioning of wholesale local phone services throughout the nine-state BellSouth region. This brings the total to seven commercial agreements for BellSouth. http://www.bellsouth.com

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SBC asks FCC to exempt UNE-p Deals from State Rules

SBC Communications filed an emergency petition with the FCC asking the commission for an immediate ruling clarifying that the Telecom Act does not require terms of voluntary, commercial agreements to be filed with state commissions in their entirety. It also asked the commission to pre-empt any state filing requests beyond what is required by the Act and to halt any existing requests to do so.

SBC said it was concerned that some states may try to interfere with commercial negotiations on UNE-p issues by seeking to approve and regulate the commercial deals between the consenting parties.



"Only in the bizarre world of telecom regulation would companies be expected to negotiate commercially sensitive business issues in public and then have the results put into jeopardy by state regulatory interference. And only those competitors intent on sabotaging the process would make such a demand," said Paul K. Mancini, SBC senior vice president and assistant general counsel. http://www.sbc.com

• CompTel/ASCENT, which represents competitive carriers, issued a statement questioning why SBC believes that UNE-p agreements should "be shrouded in secrecy such that federal and state regulators (as well as other carriers and the general public) are kept in the dark about these matters."

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Globalstar Extends its IP VPN Contract with Equant

Globalstar, the handheld satellite phone service provider, extended its IP VPN services contract with Equant through February 2007. Currently, Globalstar leverages the any-to-any connectivity of Equant IP VPN at 15 earth stations in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. The IP VPN plays a critical role in Globalstar's ability to manage and control its low-earth-orbit satellite constellation. In particular, Globalstar is using the five classes of service (CoS) available on the MPLS backbone to prioritize its business communications applications. http://www.equant.com

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Infonet Launches MPLS-based IP Video VPN

Infonet Services Corporation announced the availability of its global videoconferencing service, IP Video VPN, to 33 countries. The service lets multinationals connect their globally distributed videoconferencing systems across the MPLS-enabled IP infrastructure of Infonet's "The World Network." Infonet operates a Cisco Powered Network and uses certified video Class of Service (CoS) for the videoconferencing. The company supports access speeds ranging from 128 Kbps to 45 Mbps. http://www.infonet.com

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Sycamore Enhances its Optical Switch

Sycamore Networks introduced a new modular service interface card that enable a variety of interface types, port speeds, and transport options for its SN 16000 intelligent optical switch. The new Universal Service Card supports Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet or SONET/SDH service interface groups, and flexible port speeds, optical reach, and wavelengths. The architecture can support up to four separate Line Interface Modules (LIMs) per line card with a broad range of service reach options via pluggable optics: Short Reach (SR), Intermediate Reach (IR), Long Reach (LR), and DWDM optics. http://www.sycamorenet.com

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Charter Selects Nortel's Cable VoIP Solution

Charter Communications selected Nortel Networks' cable VoIP solution for its Midwest and Great Lakes operating divisions. The selection includes Succession Communication Server (CS) 2000-Compact softswitches.



Charter also intends to deploy Nortel Networks' Multimedia Communication Server (MCS) 5200 in a 2004 market trial, giving both residential and business customers access to multimedia services independent of location. The new Charter VoIP architecture will include the capability to communicate between a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server and a PacketCable qualified Call Management Server (CMS), effectively bringing the rich world of SIP-based features to a PacketCable environment.



Charter will use Nortel Networks professional services to support the planning and deployment of the VoIP solution.



The companies noted that Charter has been using Nortel's softswitch in a commercially available cable VoIP service in North America since September 2002 with virtually no downtime on the softswitch since launch. http://www.nortelnetworks.com

• In February 2003, Charter Communications placed new orders for ARRIS' Cadant C4 Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS), Touchstone Telephony Modems and G2 IMS Management Platform. Charter launched VoIP in its Wausau, Wisconsin network a year ago using ARRIS equipment and currently serves 3,000 customers with primary line PacketCable Telephony over IP. The new shipments of ARRIS VoIP equipment are scheduled to be deployed in two additional markets. The deployments are expected to result in the addition of tens of thousands of carrier-grade VoIP lines during 2004.

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Pronto and Firetide Partner on Large-Scale Wi-Fi Hot Zones

Pronto Networks, a provider of OSS solutions for large Wi-Fi hot spot networks, and Firetide, a developer of mesh networking technology, announced a strategic partnership to drive Wi-Fi hot zone deployments. The combined Pronto Networks/Firetide hot zone solution will enable service providers and Wireless ISPs (WISPs) to quickly deploy and manage large-scale Wi-Fi networks, specifically hot zones and hot regions in areas such as airports, convention centers, hotels, and major metropolitan areas.



Firetide's HotPoint Wireless Mesh Routers replace Ethernet cabling and form a "Wireless Instant Network." The network self-configures by simply plugging HotPoint routers into standard AC power outlets.



Pronto's Hotspot OSS is open, standards-based Wi-Fi service delivery platform that enables auto-provisioning of WLAN equipment, secure authentication, subscriber management, billing mediation, customer care, roaming settlement and network management. http://www.prontonetworks.comhttp://www.firetide.com

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Copper Mountain Raises $11.25 Million in Private Placement

Copper Mountain Networks announced plans to sell approximately 1,250,000 shares of common stock to new and current shareholders at $9.00 per share. The private placement is expected to raise gross proceeds to the company of approximately $11,250,000. http://www.coppermountain.com

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Agere and Data Connection Partner on Next Gen Multiservice Solutions

Agere Systems and Data Connection Limited (DCL) are developing a range of integrated solutions for next-generation multiservice communications equipment that combine integrate Agere's traffic management network processor chips and software with DCL software. The new software platforms combine MPLS, IP and ATM capabilities and target a broad range of wireline and wireless communications equipment applications including DSLAMs, optical networking gear, IP routers, edge switches and wireless base stations.



Specifically, Agere will integrate its Functional Application Programming Interface (FPI) software with a range of DCL's MPLS, IP routing and ATM protocol software stacks, initially including: DC-MPLS, DC-BGP (Border Gateway Protocol), DC-OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) and DC-ATM. Agere's FPI software is designed for platforms based on Agere's single-chip network processor solutions supporting protocol processing and traffic management.



In the first phase of the collaboration, Agere will validate its ATM-based Festino semiconductor hardware, software and prevalidated system-level platforms--including its worldwide No. 1 traffic management chip technology -- with DCL's advanced ATM protocol software. This software includes User-to-Network Interface (UNI), Private Network-to-Network Interface (PNNI), Integrated Local Management Interface (ILMI) and IP over ATM (IPoA). http://www.agere.comhttp://www.dataconnection.com

• DCL licenses its MPLS and ATM software to more than 100 companies.

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Luminous Appoints Former Alcatel Exec as CEO

Luminous Networks, a start-up based in Cupertino, California, named Chris Stark to the position of President and CEO. Company founder Alex Naqvi, will continue to provide strategic direction for the company as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Stark previously served as Group Vice President of Alcatel Optics, North America, a multi-billion dollar business unit he helped form and grow. Prior to his most recent assignment, Mr. Stark held positions as Vice President and General Manager of Intelligent Optical Networks Division at Alcatel and Technology Marketing Director for Alcatel's Telecom Corporate Office. http://www.luminous.com

• In October 2003, Luminous Networks introduced new versions of its multi-service provisioning platforms for delivering data services over legacy SONET/SDH infrastructure. Luminous Networks, which has been an early developer of metro access solutions based on Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) and MPLS, said its new SONET/SDH interfaces are a natural extension of its PacketWave family of products.



• In September 2003, Luminous Networks announced a reseller agreement under which CIENA will market, sell and support its "PacketWave" optical transport products worldwide. Luminous' PacketWave E-Series is a low-cost multiservice transport platform for 1 Gbps or 2.5 Gbps metro rings. Like Luminous Networks' existing M-series (metro core) and C-Series (metro access) platforms, the PacketWave E500 leverages RPR layer 2 technology to integrate Ethernet and TDM services using ring architectures that are cheaper and more bandwidth-efficient than conventional SONET/SDH.



• Also in September 2003, Luminous Networks raised $25 million in series E funding led by CIENA and venture firm DCM-Doll Capital Management. The round was supported by investments from all the significant current investors including DynaFund Ventures, Vanguard Ventures, Morgan Stanley Venture Partners, Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. and Pyramid Technology Ventures. Luminous Networks had raised over $148 million in its four previous rounds of funding.



• Scientific-Atlanta and Luminous Networks offer a joint RPR solution targeted at cable operators. Scientific-Atlanta OEMs the Luminous platform and provides Asynchronous Serial Interface (ASI) and Intermediate Frequency (IF) video cards that plug into the metro optical access platform.

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BT and HP Announce $1.5 billion Alliance

BT and HP have signed a series of managed services agreements with a combined value of $1.5 billion over the next seven years. Under these agreements, HP will manage BT's midrange and desktop information technology (IT) infrastructure in the UK, and BT will manage HP's voice and data network and product support call centers within the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region.



The companies have also formed a strategic go-to-market alliance targeting the global information and communications technology (ICT) marketplace. Starting this summer, the companies plan initially to address targeted European enterprises, plus the UK mid-market, consumer and small- and medium-size business (SMB) markets through a combination of service offerings. Subsequently, other markets will be added as conditions and opportunities develop, in order to ultimately provide global solutions capability via the alliance. http://www.bt.comhttp://www.hp.com

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Qwest Reports Q1 Loss of $310 Million

Qwest Communications reported a Q1 net loss of $310 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, on revenue of $3.48 billion -- a decline of 3.9% compared to Q1 2003. However, the decrease in revenue was less than in Q4, when overall revenue fell 5.6% compared to a year earlier. Some highlights from Q1:

• CAPEX for Q1 totaled $455 million, versus $429 million in the first quarter of 2003. The increase is primarily associated with the deployment of additional DSL facilities. In Q1, Qwest deployed 1,100 DSL remote terminals.



• added a record 1.2 million local service area long-distance lines in the quarter, nearly doubling the 606,000 lines added in Q4 2003. Total long-distance lines increased 52 percent sequentially to 3.5 million in Q1.



• added 107,000 DSL subscribers, a 78 percent improvement over the 60,000 subscribers added in Q4 2003. Total subscribers increased to 744,000 at the end of the first quarter, a 41 percent increase over the previous year.



• Total access lines decreased 1% from Q4 2003, which is comparable to trends seen in the last several quarters. Encouragingly, primary consumer access line losses in the first quarter improved 43 percent sequentially -- with 97,000 lines lost in the current quarter from 169,000 in the fourth quarter of 2003. In addition, Unbundled Network Element Platform (UNE-P) line additions declined 30 percent to 95,000 additions in the current quarter from 135,000 additions in the fourth quarter of 2003.

http://www.qwest.com

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Verizon Confirms Residential VoIP Plans

Verizon confirmed its previously announced plans to launch residential VoIP service for its DSL customers beginning this quarter. Verizon also plans to add a new tier of consumer DSL service with a maximum connection speed of 3Mbps/768Kbps (for qualified customers). Pricing for the higher-speed DSL service and VoIP package will be announced later. Verizon will also triple to 384Kbps the upstream speed of its basic DSL offering for qualifying customers. The price for this 1.5Mbps/384Kbps service will remain the same as the current 1.5Mbps/128Kbps service -- $34.95 a month for stand-alone service or $29.95 a month when purchased as part of a package of local and long-distance calling services. http://www.verizon.com

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