Alcatel to Resell Norwood's EnterpriseMobility PBX/GSM Platform

Alcatel agreed to resell Norwood System's EnterpriseMobility platform to telecom operators worldwide as part of Alcatel's fixed-mobile convergence solution. Norwood's platform enables a mobile phone to act as both a mobile and wireless office extension, switching between networks automatically depending on the location of the user. When end users are out of the office, their phone uses the GSM network and when they return, the handset becomes a seamless, wireless extension of the office phone network (PBX). Alcatel and Norwood Systems are also...

Read More

PacketLight Raises Funding for Optical Transport/Access

PacketLight Networks, a start-up based in Kfar-Saba, Israel, closed a new round of funding for its optical transport and access systems. Yehuda and Zohar Zisapel and RAD Ventures join current investors, Pitango Venture Capital. PacketLight will join the RAD-Bynet group. Following the investment Mr. Yehuda Zisapel, President of RAD-Bynet Group and Mr. Zohar Zisapel, Chairman of RAD Data Communications will join PacketLight's board of directors. Financial terms were not disclosed. PacketLight offers a range of products for storage and data over...

Read More

FCC Expands Network Outage Reporting Requirements

Citing national security concerns, the FCC adopted new rules requiring wireless, wireline, cable, and satellite telecommunications providers to report information electronically to the Commission about significant disruptions or outages to their communications systems. Under the new rules, both wireless and satellite providers will be subject, for the first time, to the Commission's reporting requirements. Currently, only wireline and cable telephony communications providers are required to report. In addition, the Commission will require...

Read More

FCC Clarifies FTTH Rules for Apartment Buildings

The FCC issued an order clarifying fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) rules and relieving the incumbent LECs from certain unbundling obligations that apply to multiple dwelling units (MDUs), or apartment buildings. The FCC said its ruling increases the incentives for incumbent LECs to deploy next generation facilities. In the Triennial Review Order released last year, the Commission concluded that the broadband capabilities of fiber loops that extend to a customer's premises, also known as FTTH loops, would not be subject to unbundling under section 251...

Read More

FCC Wireline Competition Bureau Chief to Step Down

William Maher, the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau Chief, will step down this fall. FCC Chairman Michael Powell intends to name Jeffrey Carlisle as his replacement. Carlisle has served as Senior Deputy Chief of the Bureau since June 2001, and was named Co-Director of the Commission's Internet Policy Working Group by Chairman Powell in November 2003. Before joining the Commission, he practiced law independently representing telecommunications providers and consumers. Prior to that, Carlisle was an associate at the Washington, DC, office of...

Read More

FCC Rules that CALEA Covers all Voice Communications

The FCC issued a preliminary ruling that the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) applies to facilities-based providers of any type of broadband Internet access service -- including wireline, cable modem, satellite, wireless, and powerline -- and to managed or mediated VoIP services. The ruling finds these services fall under CALEA because they serve as "a replacement for a substantial portion of the local telephone exchange service." The FCC said its primary policy goal was to ensure that law enforcement agencies ("LEAs")...

Read More

Charter's CFO Joins Cablevision

Michael P. Huseby has resigned his position as Executive Vice President and CFO of Charter Communications in order to become Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cablevision Systems. http://www.charter.comh...

Read More

Occam Selected for Triple Play Network in Virginia

Scott County Telephone Cooperative (SCTC), a 6,200-line independent operating company (IOC) in Gate City, Virginia, has selected Occam Networks' BLC 6000 platform to deliver voice, video and high-speed data to its rural residential subscribers. The companies said Occam's IP/Ethernet platform was selected because the IOC is also considering a move to a softswitch architecture in the future. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.occamnetworks....

Read More

FCC Focuses on Homeland Security

The FCC's monthly open meeting highlighted homeland security as a major theme. Shortly after September 11, Chairman Powell made Homeland Security one of the six pillars of the Commission's Strategic Plan. Since that time, Homeland Security has been an area of significant focus for the Commission. FCC actions over the past year promoting Homeland Security include: Rulemakings Promoting Homeland Security: The Commission has taken action in numerous rulemaking proceedings that promise significant benefits to first responders. These actions include...

Read More

Teleglobe Integrates ITXC

Teleglobe has integrated the ITXC network and is now offering a common suite of international voice transport services. The company said all of its customers now purchase any of three service offers, using either TDM or IP interfaces. The three standard service offers are: Teleglobe VTS: High quality international call completion for retail carriers Teleglobe VTS Economy: High value international call completion for wholesale carriers and sophisticated routers Teleglobe VTS Mobile Premium: Highest quality international call completion with assured...

Read More

Bell Canada Enterprises Reports Q2 Results

Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE) reported Q2 revenue of $4.78 billion, up 2.3% and EBITDA of $1.95 billion, up 3.1% when compared to the same period last year. Operating income reached $1.11 billion and earnings per share were $0.60, an increase of $0.10 (increase of $0.05 or 10% not including one-time items). Some highlights for the quarter:.Wireless: Bell's Wireless subscriber base grew 12% compared to Q2 2003, driving a 15% increase in wireless revenues. Post-paid churn dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 1.1%. Wireless also recorded the best...

Read More

RCN Launches Cable VoIP in Chicago

RCN launched a cable VoIP service in its Chicago market. the latest in a series of initiatives in Chicago. RCN said it will provide this service through its own telephony network, with lifeline E-911 certification, battery backup and 99.999% service reliability. This rollout, currently available where the upgrade has been completed, is expected to be available in RCN's entire Chicago footprint by the end of October 2004. RCN's offerings in the Chicago market also include digital cable television, a unique "Starview" mosaic program guide, VOD, SVOD,...

Read More

Quintum Adds Density to its Tenor AX VoIP Platform

Quintum Technologies, a start-up based in Eatontown, New Jersey, introduced a high-density VoIP switching solution for analog environments. The Tenor AX - which is available in 8-, 16- and 24-port models - adds greater scalability and ease-of-management to Quintum's Tenor VoIP switching platform. Quintum's Tenor switches provide the ability to monitor calls for jitter, packet loss and latency - automatically and transparently changing network connections mid-call whenever conditions demand. Quintum also features a "PacketSaver" technology that...

Read More