Marconi Adds SIP to its Softswitch

Marconi announced Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) capabilities for its enhanced SoftSwitch, opening the door to a host of new services that will harness the full potential of a converged voice and data network. Marconi said its SoftSwitch now provides interoperability between SIP, PSTN and MGCP/H248/H323 environments. Trials of the SIP-enabled SoftSwitch are already underway with selected customers. Marconi is also working with third-party customer premises equipment (CPE) and application server manufacturers to deliver a range of applications based on its SoftSwitch. http://ww.marconica.com

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Alcatel Introduces New MultiService Cross-Connect

Alcatel introduced a new multiService cross-connect for the North American market and designed for the convergence of optical and data transport networks. The new Alcatel 1671 Service Connect (SC) supports wideband, broadband, and narrowband requirements, while also providing advanced data aggregation functionality. Te system features a fully redundant, physically diverse matrix and is optimized for high densities of optical interfaces, enabling grooming functionality to be pushed closer to the edge of the network. The platform is GMPLS-ready. http://www.alctel.com

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MCI Achieves Ultra Long-Haul 40 Gbps Connection

MCI, working in collaboration with CIENA and Mintera Corp., established a 40 Gbps connection across a long haul route spanning 1,200 km. The technology trial took place over MCI's ultra long haul DWDM route between Sacramento, California and Salt Lake City, Utah. This network route was selected because it uses the company's existing fiber plant, and includes a mix of fiber -- TrueWave Classic, Dispersion Shifted Fiber (DSF), Long Span Fiber (LS) and Single Mode Fiber (SMF). Mintera's 40 Gbps DWDM fiber optic transport terminals interoperated directly on CIENA's CoreStream Agility optical transport system, which provides an automated ULH backbone for the MCI network. The companies said the 40 Gbps wavelength was commissioned in less than an hour, and then performed error-free on the same optical fibers already carrying 10 Gbps wavelengths throughout the trial. http://www.mci.com/http://www.mintera.com/

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WilTel Launches Services to Cable Market

WilTel Communications introduced a set of data, video, IP and professional services for cable network operators (MSOs). WilTel's new Extended On-Net are aimed at cable operators that have operations in Tier 2 and 3 markets, but incur prohibitive access costs to a nationwide fiber network. WilTel is also offering a wholesale wide-area Ethernet service for MSOs working to diversify their revenues and expand beyond their residential business. http://www.wiltel.com/

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Ericsson to OEM BroadSoft's VoIP Application Software

Ericsson and BroadSoft have signed a global OEM agreement to integrate components of BroadSoft's BroadWorks technology into Ericsson's IMS based Engine Multimedia 2.0 (EMM 2.0) solution. This would enable service providers to use same platform across wireline and wireless networks based on the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) architecture.



Ericsson will market the EMM 2.0 platform with integrated BroadWorks technology as part of its softswitch offering, which is based on the 3GPP architecture. The solution supports multimedia services, including hosted PBX, IP Centrex, residential broadband and collaborative conferencing services, transparently across different networks. The integration of the BroadWorks media and application servers into EMM 2.0 is based on SIP. It follows the architecture developed for 3GPP that will be used in next generation fixed and mobile networks to provide multimedia services regardless of location. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.broadsoft.comhttp://www.ericsson.com

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Lucent Unveils CBX 3500 Multiservice Edge Switch

Lucent Technologies unveiled its CBX 3500 Multiservice Edge Switch -- a newly-designed platform for growing ATM and Frame Relay networks and converging them onto an MPLS core. Key features of the CBX 3500 switch include:

• a 16-slot chassis that implements the protocol-independent switching, service-aware routing, and robust Layer 2 transport over MPLS needed to deliver all services across MPLS while preserving ATM-level QoS, reliability, and Service Level Agreements (SLAs). The chassis uses a distributed mesh midplane architecture for higher port densities



• up to 70 Gbps of switching capacity, representing a 14-fold increase in capacity as compared to the CBX 500



• an ability to re-use Lucent CBX 500 line modules and MXOS operations software



• support for the Lucent - Juniper Networks Multiservice MPLS Core solution -- which delivers standards-based interworking and transport of multiple services -- such as IP, Ethernet, ATM and Frame Relay -- across a converged MPLS network



• Interface speeds ranging from Channelized DS0 to OC-48c/STM-16c and Universal Input/Output Modules



• 1+1 Automatic Protection Switching (APS)/Multiplex Section Protection (MSP) for SONET/SDH interfaces

Lucent is also introducing a new IP/MPLS router module, developed by Juniper Networks, that enables service providers to add standards-based IP/MPLS to the CBX 500 Multiservice Edge Switch. http://www.lucent.com

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Lucent Supplies VoIP Access Gateway to KT

KT (Korea Telecom) selected Lucent Technologies' Anymedia Line Access Gateway (LAG) systems for its network. The AnyMedia LAG system, which is part of Lucent's Accelerate VoIP portfolio, is a multi-service access platform that enables KT to provide ADSL, VDSL, Ethernet, VoIP and traditional voice in a single integrated platform.



Under the terms of the contract, Lucent will provide about 350,000 lines of Anymedia in the southern part of the Seoul metropolitan area, Gangwon province, Chungcheong province and Kyungsang province including Daegu city. Lucent Worldwide Services will provide a variety of professional services such as installation, integration and system quality assurance to KT. Financial terms were not disclosed.



Since 2002 when it was named as primary supplier, Lucent has provided Anymedia Access Gateway systems supporting accumulatively over 1.48 million lines to KT. Last year, Lucent supplied its Trunk Access Gateway systems, also from the Accelerate VoIP portfolio, for KT's NGN test bed. Lucent has previously supplied its 5ESS switch to KT. http://www.lucent.com

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MetaSwitch Enhances its Class 5 Softswitch

MetaSwitch
announced a series of enhancements to its VP3500 Series Class 5
Softswitch, including a major software release and a new media
gateway.




MetaSwitch's hardware design collapses media gateway functions
that typically provided on 3 or 4 separate cards onto a single
blade. The new media gateway cards offer interfaces for VoIP
(Gigabit Ethernet), VoATM (OC3) and TDM (DS3). They use on-board
DSPs for any-to-any transcoding and echo cancellation on every
channel. Two card models are available: one offers up to 672
concurrent calls (the PB4000) and the second card offers 2,016
concurrent calls (the PB5000).



The new VP3510 media gateway chassis uses the same fully
redundant passive midplane and packet-switched
bus architecture as the existing VP3500 softswitch, while
increasing total system capacity by an order of magnitude thanks
to greater processor, power and cooling capabilities - all in a
smaller 12U form factor. Fully configured with high capacity
media gateway cards, the resultant platform provides up to
26,208 simultaneous calls per chassis. It also offer low-end
scalability, with entry-level systems starting at under 300
lines.



For geographic diversity and high-end scalability, the
MetaSwitch chassis can be deployed as a one-box solution, or as
part of an open softswitch architecture. In a distributed
network, multiple media and/or signaling gateways are managed
from a centralized call agent software entity, running on a
fault-tolerant pair of industry-standard servers. Up to 500,000
subscribers can be supported in this way by a single virtual
switch. MetaSwitch also continues to offer an integrated
solution, with the call agent software running on dual processor
blades in the media gateway - an option expected to remain
popular with carriers looking for rapid deployment of standalone
switches.



The latest software release, VP3510 chassis and PB4000 media
gateway card completed beta trials and are now commercially
available.
http://www.metaswitch.com

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AirWave Cites University Traction for its Wi-Fi Mgt

AirWave Wireless, a start-up based in San Mateo, California, announced that ten of the nation's leading universities have selected its software to monitor, analyze, and configure their rapidly growing Wi-Fi networks. AirWave's web-based management console give administrators control over thousands of network devices. AirWave offers a rogue AP detection module that automatically detects unauthorized access points via a combination of RF scanning and "fingerprinting" over the wired network. The platform also monitors each user and alerts IT staff if any user is consuming disproportionately high bandwidth. The newly announced customers include Yale University, M.I.T., Indiana University, Vanderbilt University, the University of Miami, Stanford University Law School, the University of Oregon, University of California Hastings College of the Law, California State University at Monterey Bay, and the University of Dayton. http://www.airwave.com

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Metrobility Gains Patent for Inter-Packet Gap Ethernet Mgt.

Metrobility Optical Systems was awarded a U.S. patent for its remote management over Ethernet technology that provides the ability to remotely manage an end device without an IP address or SNMP agent. The technology utilizes a management channel embedded in the inter-packet gap (IPG) between Ethernet frames to send management information in real time across a network. The management channel is transparent to all other Ethernet equipment.



Metrobility said the patented technology was developed to enable remote troubleshooting and monitoring capabilities that were previously not available in Ethernet. The troubleshooting features include remote link loopback and integral power monitoring, as well as remote monitoring of RMON statistics. Management features include remote 'point-and-click' bandwidth provisioning, and monitoring equipment voltage and temperatures. These features are enabled in real time and do not impact available user bandwidth. The company is currently shipping products with these features, as well as features included in the IEEE802.3ah Ethernet in the First Mile management draft standard (EFM/OAM). http://www.metrobility.com

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Veraz Adds Service Delivery Assurance Director to its Softswitch

Veraz Networks has enhanced its distributed softswitch with the addition of a "Service Delivery Assurance Director," which provides a real-time view of the network and automates service usage. The new capabilities enable the softswitch to deliver customized SLAs (*service level agreements). With SLAs established per customer, per interconnection partner, per service, etc., the Veraz Service Delivery Assurance Director collects data, analyzes and makes correlations, and then makes corrections network-wide in real-time. Service policies react immediately to changes based on the measurement algorithms constructed from nearly 100 policy parameters with automatic corrective actions that are activated in seconds. http://www.veraznetworks.com

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Occam and Comtrend Team on Video-over-ADSL2Plus

Occam Networks is teaming with Comtrend Corp., a supplier of ADSL CPE, to demonstrate streaming video at rates up to 24 Mbps. The demonstration, which will be featured at next week's SuperComm event in Chicago, showcases Occam's BLC 6000 Broadband Loop Carrier interoperating with Comtrend's CT-562+ ADSL2Plus CPE modem. http://www.occamnetworks.comhttp://www.comtrend.com

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Cox Selects White Rock's SONET Gear

Cox Communications is deploying White Rock Networks' SONET OC-48/192 Transport platform in multiple locations. White Rock's metro networking system allows carriers to support a wide range of broadband/wideband services from OC-192 to DS1 including Fast and Gigabit Ethernet. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.whiterock.com

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Teknovus Ships EPON Optical Line Terminal Chip

Teknovus, a start-up based in Petaluma, California, released a fully integrated Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) chip for Optical Line Terminals (OLTs). The OLT chip is compliant with the IEEE 802.3ah EPON standard. Teknovus also offers a sister Optical Network Unit (ONU) chip. http://www.teknovus.com

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PowerDsine Completes IPO -- Power over Ethernet

PowerDsine Ltd., a supplier of Power over Ethernet (PoE) silicon, announced the closing of its previously announced initial public offering of 6,000,000 ordinary shares at $11.50 per share. PowerDsine sold 5,100,000 ordinary shares and 900,000 ordinary shares were sold by certain of PowerDsine's existing shareholders. PowerDsine's ordinary shares are listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "PDSN."http://www.powerdsine.com

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C-COR to Acquire Stargus for Modular OSS for Broadband

C-COR.net Corp. agreed to acquire Stargus, a privately-held develop of OSS solutions, for $17 million in cash. Stargus, which is based in Andover, Massachusetts, provides network and service management solutions, including network optimization, subscriber usage reporting, and capacity planning, specifically designed for cable broadband networks. Stargus systems currently are in use managing over 5 million DOCSIS devices worldwide.



Commenting on the proposed acquisition, C-COR Chairman and CEO David Woodle stated, "Stargus would have a strong positive impact on our standing as a top OSS provider to the broadband industry. Even more significantly, however, this and our other recent acquisitions contribute important components to our multi-dimensional strategy of offering transport products overlaid by management software and technical services for the all-digital, on-demand, IP networks of the future. http://www.c-cor.net

• In April 2004, C-COR.net announced plans to acquire all of the assets of Lantern Communications, a start-up developing metro optical packet-based transport solutions. Financial terms were not disclosed. Lantern Communications, which is based in Sunnyvale, California, offers a Metro Packet Switch (MSP) system that incorporates advanced bandwidth management and QoS techniques to enable the delivery of deterministic services over an all packet edge infrastructure.

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