Vtel Selects ECI for Converged Metro/Regional Optical Network

Vermont Telephone, the largest independent operating carrier (IOC) in Vermont, selected ECI Telecom's XDM metro and regional converged optical network solution for WDM, SONET and Ethernet. ECI's XDM single architecture metro solution enables VTel to eliminate separate WDM, SONET and Ethernet equipment, thereby significantly reducing CapEx and OpEx. Additionally, the XDM solution provides VTel with integrated regional optical capabilities that allow for longer distances without electrical regeneration. Financial terms were not disclosed. ECI's...

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Verio Expands IPv6 Managed Services in North America

Verio, a subsidiary of NTT Communications, is expanding its IPv6 services in North America with several new offerings:Managed Router Service, which provides customer support for end user hardware devices. Verio ensures that IPv6-enabled devices meet network objectives at the fault management, configuration, accounting, performance and security levels. NxT1 support, which enables multiple T1 connections to simultaneously carry traffic to and from a customer's site. Shadow Service backup, which offers customers an added layer of redundancy for...

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Motorola to Acquire Force Computers for Embedded Computing

Motorola agreed to acquire Force Computers, a unit of Solectron, for an undisclosed sum. Force Computers is a worldwide designer and supplier of open, standards-based and custom embedded computing solutions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in a wide range of applications. Once the deal is closed, Force will be integrated with the Motorola Computer Group, also a global provider in the embedded computing industry. Both companies have been developing AdvancedTCA solutions for the networking and telecommunications fields. http://www.mo...

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Siemens Introduces ComAssistant for Presence-Enabled Call Routing

Siemens Information and Communication Networks introduced a its "ComAssistant" desktop software application for presence-enabled call routing. The application, made available to service providers as part of the SURPASS portfolio, helps busy end-users filter and route -- in real time -- voice calls and voice messages. The Web-based provides online access to telephony features, enabling users to control multiple profiles and call forwarding rules. It also provides Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) integration capabilities, which business...

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WilTel Teams With Covad for Local Access

WilTel Communications is teaming with Covad Communications to enhance its local access. Under the agreement, WilTel will use Covad's network to expand the reach of services such as ATM, Frame Relay, IP VPN, and Dedicated Internet Access. This agreement expands WilTel's off-net local access reach by more than 1,500 Central Offices (CO) across the U.S. Covad's national ATM network currently covers 96 of the top Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). http://www.wiltel.com/http://www.covad....

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Alcatel Enhances its Fiber-to-the-User Solution

Alcatel announced Release 2.0 of its Fiber-to-the-User (FTTU) solution for North America. The enhancements to the Alcatel 7340 FTTU platform include a higher capacity switch fabric, and higher capacity network interfaces and access interfaces. The enhanced capacity enables 100 Mbps of throughput per subscriber, and the new interfaces provide flexibility for network interconnection with both IP and ATM core networks. Release 2.0 also includes a hardened Business ONT (B-ONT) for outdoor installation. Separately, Alcatel announced a multimillion...

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Broadcom to acquire Zyray Wireless for WCDMA Chips

Broadcom agreed to acquire Zyray Wireless Inc., a start-up developing baseband co-processors for WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) mobile devices, for $96 million in stock (2.23 million Class A shares). Zyray's SPINNERchip co-processor enables 3G capabilities to be easily added to current generation phone handsets and data terminals. The technology is currently being integrated into several handset designs. Broadcom said the technology complements its existing EDGE/GPRS/GSM mobile processors. In addition to WCDMA technology, Zyray...

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Siemens to Deliver its First Home Entertainment Solution to Belgacom

Belgacom, the largest Belgian carrier, is planning a pilot of interactive digital television (iDTV) for this fall using an end-to-end turnkey solution from Siemens. The Belgian iDTV project is the first order for Siemens Surpass home entertainment. For its TV-centric online services, Siemens is working with Myrio for the middleware to enable the application, nCube for the Video on Demand server, Verimatrix for content protection system, and Tandberg Television for the video broadcast equipment. http://www.siemens....

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BT Openzone Implements Portal Software for Wi-Fi Billing

BT Openzone has implemented Portal Software's billing solution to launch a self-sign-on option for its wireless broadband service and automate provisioning for BT Openzone's corporate licensees. The Portal solution has been deployed as a link between BT Openzone's provisioning and billing systems, which in turn has enabled BT to let individuals sign up online for the WiFi service. http://www.portal....

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Infineon Outlines "Cost-Efficient Data Transport" Strategy

Infineon Technologies outlined a new "Cost-Efficient Data Transport" strategy for enhancing and upgrading optical infrastructure at the edges of metropolitan and wide-area networks. Infineon has identified four segments of the data over SONET/SDH market that it is addressing with new products and technology integration programs. These four areas include:Ethernet and generic data over SONET Framer Devices -- Infineon is introducing its MetroMapper 2.5G chipset, the second member of a family of networking ICs supporting Ethernet or generic data...

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Nortel Networks Unveils Wireless Access for MSOs

Nortel Networks introduced a wireless access solution that offers cable operators a low-cost alternative for extending the reach of their networks to small businesses. The Wireless LAN Cable Access Point 6220 is a strand-mounted enclosure containing both coaxial-fed cable modem and Wireless LAN (local area network) functionality, allowing a cable operator to point an antenna at a building to deliver secure commercial broadband services. It can be provisioned in hot-spot mode, allowing cable operators to cost-effectively provide public or private...

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Bell Canada Deploys Nortel Networks' Metro DWDM

Bell Canada has deployed Nortel Network's Optical Metro 5200 Multiservice DWDM optical to offer broadband services such as Optical Storage Connectivity over shared infrastructure. Bell Canada is offering these services to its customers as part of its high speed metro (HSM) service. HSM offers a broad range of service interfaces including Fibre Channel, ESCON, FICON and Gigabit Ethernet, as well as a range of voice, video and mainframe protocols. CIBC, a Canadian-based, large financial services company, has selected Bell Canada's HSM services to...

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ALLTEL selects Lucent's Accelerate VoIP

ALLTEL has selected the Lucent Accelerate VoIP portfolio to deploy enhanced voice and data services for the University of Kentucky. Lucent's solution, which can connect with IP PBXs, also will enable ALLTEL to deliver network-based VoIP services across the university's existing IP PBXs now, and will enable the university eventually to migrate all its traffic to ALLTEL's network from the IP PBXs. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.lucent....

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U.S. Senate Considers VOIP Regulatory Freedom Act

"The way in which VoIP is regulated will profoundly impact the Department of Justice's ability to protect communities across the nation from the harms inflicted by drug trafficking, organized crime, and terrorism," stated Laura Parsky, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, in testimony before the U.S. Senate's Committee on Science, Commerce and Transportation. The Senate hearing was to consider the proposed VOIP Regulatory Freedom Act (S. 2281). The Department of Justice contends that Congress did not...

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Global Crossing Begins Decommissioning Legacy TDM Switches

Global Crossing is decommissioning the first legacy time-division multiplexing (TDM) switch in the core of its network. The first TDM switch to be taken out of service is in Chicago, and the company plans to remove additional switches later this year and in 2005. Global Crossing said VoIP traffic traversing its private backbone grew to as much as 2.4 billion minutes each month, or approximately 40% of its total voice traffic. Global Crossing is using Sonus Networks' VoIP platform. Global Crossing's Carrier VoIP Service, introduced in September...

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Sprint Trims Workforce, Reaffirms Guidance

Sprint will reduce its workforce by up to 1,100, including up to 850 employees in its Sprint Business Solutions (SBS) unit and up to 250 employees in corporate functions that support SBS, including Information Technology. Sprint noted that it continues to expect full-year consolidated adjusted earnings per share to be in a range of 70 to 75 cents per share and consolidated full-year Free Cash Flow to be approximately $1.8 billion. Compared to previous guidance, lower contributions from the global markets division are expected to be offset by stronger...

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