MetroPhotonics Secures C$7.7M for Photonic ICs

MetroPhotonics, a start-up based in Ottawa, received a $7.7 million CDN investment from Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC), a Canadian government agency that provides funding support to Canadian companies for research and development, and pre-commercialization.



MetroPhotonics is building an integrated chip that simplifies optical system design and eliminates multiple components and fiber connections. These optical devices combine WDM components, passive waveguide circuitry, and active waveguide devices on a single chip, using a patented design process combined with standard indium phosphide (InP) semiconductor manufacturing technology. Its lead product, the SurePath Monitor is currently shipping to customers on a controlled availability basis, with full commercial availability this quarter on completion of Telcordia qualifications. http://www.metrophotonics.com

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Ohio's Buckeye TeleSystem Extends Network with Mahi

Buckeye TeleSystem, a facilities-based carrier based in Ohio, has expanded its deployment of Mahi's Networks Mi7 platform to aggregate additional SONET rings utilizing the OSI/DCC management protocol. Systems utilizing the IP/DCC management protocol were initially cut over to the Mi7 in August 2003. This follow-on Mi7 build-out simultaneously terminates SONET rings from two other equipment suppliers supporting both IP/DCC and OSI/DCC operations management protocols. The companies said that they believe that the direct termination of SONET rings from two other vendors onto the Mi7 is a first in the industry.



Older SONET access multiplexers utilize an OSI/DCC protocol scheme for management while next generation MSPPs utilizes an IP/DCC protocol scheme. Mahi's Mi7 simultaneously supports operations management services for these two remote systems.



Mahi's Mi7 Metro Core Aggregation System (MCAS) combines switching, transport, and differentiated service and control features. http://www.mahinetworks.com

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Mitel Completes $135 Million Financing Arrangement

Mitel Networks completed a $135M financing package consisting of equity investment, debt to equity conversion and expansion of its credit facilities, which significantly strengthens the company's balance sheet and provides additional capital to finance growth plans.



EdgeStone Capital Partners, one of Canada's leading independent private capital managers, led the equity round with a $20M investment. In addition to EdgeStone's investment, Mitel had previously raised over $50M of debt from its principal shareholder and other private investors, all of whom chose to convert their respective holdings into equity as part of this arrangement. This equity financing was augmented by new credit facilities.



Mitel Networks, which is headquartered in Ottawa, supplies IP telephony solutions. http://www.mitel.com

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Marvell Unveils Embedded Wireless APs for Home Networks

Marvell introduced a new embedded wireless Access Point (AP) technology for home wireless networks. The key advantage of Marvell's LiveAP is an "on-demand" feature that keeps the AP active regardless of whether the host device is on or off. The technology uses an extremely low-power design that can utilize the "standby" current from the host device to remain fully active even when the device is off. LiveAP also supports the latest wireless security standards, such as WPA, WPA2, and 802.11i AES security extensions. It also supports QoS capabilities as defined in the upcoming IEEE 802.11e standard. http://www.marvell.com

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Belgium's Telenet Selects Nortel for PacketCable VoIP

Telenet, a cable operator passing some 2.4 million homes in Belgium, has selected Nortel Networks to provide a PacketCable VoIP solution. The implementation will enable Telenet to offer residential and business IP telephony services and broadband Internet access over its DOCSIS 2.0-based ExpressNet network.



The VoIP network from Nortel Networks will be a hybrid solution integrated with Telenet's existing TDM infrastructure. The agreement includes Nortel Networks Succession* Communication Server (CS) 2000, the Passport Packet Voice Gateway (PVG), its Preside network management systems, and professional services ranging from network design to network operation and maintenance. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.nortelnetworks.com

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ITU to Develop NGN Standards

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will begin its process of developing global standards for next generation networks (NGN). The ITU said the need for global standards is critical as most operators expect to move to an IP infrastructure.



One area to be addressed by the ITU effort is the concept dubbed "nomadicity," which will give fixed line and mobile users completely seamless communication. Simply put this means the underlying technology will be invisible to the user regardless of a multi-service, multi-protocol, multi-vendor environment. An ITU-T Focus Group plans to build on existing fixed/mobile convergence architecture (e.g. 3GPP/3GPP2 IP multimedia subsystem (IMS)) to provide transparency between fixed and mobile networks.



In addition to setting standards for "nomadicity," other objectives of the Focus Group will be to develop specifications in the areas of Quality of Service in DSL, authentication, security and signalling.



The exact structure of the working groups will be decided next month. http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2004/05.html

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Alcatel Acquires Pirelli's Undersea Networking Units

Alcatel and Pirelli signed an agreement regarding their respective submarine telecommunication businesses. Alcatel will acquire certain Pirelli related assets and obtain intellectual property rights for EUR 52.5 million, while Pirelli will pay EUR 45 million to acquire a 5% shareholding in Alcatel's submarine business.



The companies said optical submarine networks continue to play an instrumental role in the development of the global Internet infrastructure by interconnecting continents and remote parts of the world with massive, hi-speed information highways. http://www.alcatel.comhttp://www.pirelli.com

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Aegis Semi Secures $10 M for Active Film Optics

Aegis Semiconductor, a start-up based in Woburn, Massachusetts, secured a Series C round of financing for $10 million for its dynamic optical components and systems.



Aegis Semiconductor is delivering low-cost dynamic optical components based on its thin film technology. The company's "Active Thin Films" leverage the physical properties of semiconductor thin films, most significantly a refractive index which is highly dependent on temperature. Aegis can make tunable filters with application specific filter shapes, tuning ranges and with transmission wavelengths between 1 and 10 microns. The company has filed more than 20 patents on its technology.



The round of financing was completed with participation from all existing investors including St. Paul Venture Capital, Alta Partners, YankeeTek Ventures, Technology Venture Partners, Stata Venture Partners, and Megunticook Management. http://www.aegis-semi.com

• Aegis Semiconductor is headed by company founder Matthias Wagner, who previously served as COO/CFO of Knite, Inc., an engine electronics company.

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ECI Reports Revenue of $111 million, Narrows Loss

ECI Telecom reported Q1 revenues of $111 million. compared to $109 million in Q4 and $113 million in Q1 of 2003. The company recorded a net loss for Q1 of 2004 of $1.2 million or $0.01 per share, compared to a net loss of $13.6 million, or $0.13 per share, in Q4 and a net loss of $7.8 million, or $0.07 per share in Q1 of 2003.

• Revenues of the Optical Networks Division were $52 million in Q1 of 2004 compared to $49 million in Q4 and $42 million in Q1 of last year.



• The Broadband Access Division's revenues increased sequentially to $48 million, from $47 million in Q4 and as compared to $51 million in Q1 of 2003.



• ECtel (58% owned by ECI), reported revenues of $3.3 million in Q1, compared to $5.6 million in Q4 and $10.0 million in Q1 of last year.



• ECI's sales to Veraz Networks (of which ECI holds a 43% share) totaled $7 million in Q1, as compared with $6.4 million recorded in Q4 of 2003 and $9 million in Q1 of 2003.

"We see a clear pickup in our business. We expect continued revenue growth throughout 2004," said Doron Inbar, ECI Telecom's President and CEO. http://www.ecitele.com

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Motorola Ships its 200,000th Residential Gateway

Motorola announced the shipment of its 200,000th whole-home Residential Gateway solution into the Telco TV market. The whole-home Residential Gateway performs as the delivery point for advanced services into the home and sets the stage for a user experience that supports multi-stream Digital TV, VOD, Pay-Per-View (PPV), and on-screen telephony features such as Caller ID and Message Waiting. The Residential Gateway also provides plug-and-play connectivity for VoIP and in-home wired and wireless networking solutions. http://www.motorola.com

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USDA Announces $190 Million In Loans for Rural Broadband

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the approval of 20 rural broadband and telecommunication loans totaling $190 million to expand access to advanced technology in 19 states. The rural broadband access program provides loans and loan guarantees for the construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment for broadband service in eligible rural communities. Priority is given to applications that are proposing to serve areas where no residential broadband service currently exists.



Most of the funds for the program were authorized through the 2002 Farm Bill. To date, over $206 million in broadband loans have been approved in this program. http://www.usda.gov

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Vivato Extends 802.11G with New Indoor Base Station

Vivato introduced an 802.11g Indoor Wi-Fi base station that employs the company's smart antenna technology to extend signals up to 12 times farther than industrial-grade access points. The unit is mountable in a corner or on a wall, making it perfectly suited for large-scale indoor deployments at warehouses, shopping malls, airport and train terminals, university auditoriums and libraries and sports venues, hotels and resorts. http://www.vivato.net

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Hanoi Telecom Interconnects to T-Systems' VoIP Network

Hanoi Telecom, a newly licensed carrier in Vietnam, has interconnected with T-Systems' global VoIP network using equipment from VocalTec Communications. The turnkey interconnection service provided T-Systmens' "Jules" platform enables Hanoi Telecom to route its international voice traffic over T-Systems' global VoIP network.



In the initial phase of this deployment, T-Systems set up PoPs for Hanoi Telecom in nine key cities in Vietnam, with VocalTec's carrier-grade packet tandem equipment installed at each PoP in the new network for international long distance traffic. In addition, the turnkey installation includes training and support on a 'managed and transfer' basis. There are plans to extend the network into ten additional provinces in subsequent phases. Financial terms were not disclosed.www.t-systems.com/icsshttp://www.vocaltec.com

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