T-Systems Expands Reach Through Equinix

International Carrier Sales & Solutions (ICSS), the carriers' carrier division of T-Systems, has acquired a presence in four additional Equinix Internet Business Exchange centers in the United States. Through the Equinix centers throughout the U.S., T-Systems will be able to offer its Layer 2 transport solutions to additional carriers across the globe. European carriers will be able to connect via T-Systems new MPLS based Ethernet service at the IBX centers to set up their own peering connections with all of the major networks available at...

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DIRECTV Announces Plan for Next Gen HD Satellites

DIRECTV, which currently serves over 13 million video customers across the U.S., announced the planned launch of four new next-generation satellites aimed at significantly expanding its programming capacity in local and national high-definition (HD) channels, as well as capacity for new interactive and enhanced services and standard-definition programming. The first two of these satellites, Spaceway 1 and Spaceway 2, will launch in 2005 with programming being offered to consumers by the middle of the year. These satellites will have the capacity...

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Vendors Urges National Public Safety Spectrum at 700 MHz

In testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology, Bell Labs President Bill O'Shea recommended that the federal government set aside a specific spectrum - in the 700 MHz range - to be used as a dedicated, secure, interoperable nationwide broadband communications network exclusively for America's first responders and decision makers. Currently first responders - firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel - depend on existing systems designed primarily for voice communications. These systems were...

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CoSine to Wind Down Operations

CoSine Communications has initiated actions to lay-off most of its employees this month. A limited team of employees will be retained to provide customer support. The company said the decision to wind down its operations follows an extensive evaluation of strategic alternatives. CoSine's management team and its Board of Directors concluded that "maintaining the company's existing employee headcount was not necessary for any of the strategic alternatives currently under consideration and the ongoing employee-related expenditures could potentially...

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UTStarcom Announces $41 Million in Handset Contracts With China Telecom

UTStarcom has signed contracts valued at approximately $41 million with China Telecom Corporation (CTC) for handsets for its IP-based PAS (Personal Access System) network. Approximately 58 million people currently subscribe for PAS service in China and UTStarcom estimates that overall PAS subscribers in China will reach 65-70 million by the end of 2004 and believes that global PAS revenue will be approximately $1.8-2.0 billion for 2005. http://www.utstar....

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Panasonic Adds Network Connectivity to DVD Recorders

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (Panasonic) introduced five new DVD recorders with home and mobile networking capabilities, as well as large hard disk drives ranging from 160 to 400 GB. The high-end model with the 400GB hard disk drive provides a recording capacity of 709 hours of video in EP mode. It offers high-speed dubbing from hard disk drive onto DVD-RAM at speeds of 40x and onto DVD-R disc up to 64x in EP mode, making it the fastest DVD recorder in the industry as it can record a one-hour program onto DVD-R disc in just 56 seconds. ...

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FutureSoft Enhances its Intelligent Switching Solution for Ethernet-Based Access Equipment

FutureSoft announced significant enhancements to its flagship solution, Intelligent Switch Solution (ISS), which is aimed at network equipment OEMs and ODMs. Specifically, FutureSoft has made significant feature additions in the areas of multicasting and redundancy to satisfy the requirements in Ethernet-based access equipment. Multicasting through PIM and DVMRP protocols enable network managers to design networks that provide voice & video-based applications without performance constraints. Redundancy through VRRP ensures minimal network disruptions...

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Alcatel and Concurrent to Provide VOD over Broadband

Concurrent Computer Corporation announced a partnership with Alcatel to deliver video-on-demand (VOD) to broadband operators. Through this strategic alliance, the companies are now marketing an integrated solution for broadband telecommunications carriers to provide broadcast television and interactive VOD to the rapidly growing number of DSL video subscribers worldwide. Concurrent's MediaHawk On-Demand solution has been widely deployed by major cable operators in Asia, Europe and North America with 87 commercial deployments and more than 100...

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T-Mobile (Holland) to Test Flarion's FLASH-OFDM

T-Mobile International has deployed a trial of Flarion's FLASH-OFDM system for mobile broadband services in The Hague, the Netherlands. A network of Flarion RadioRouters has been installed and the first group of friendly users is already using the network. T-Mobile has been testing FLASH-OFDM(R) as a mobile broadband data solution for Europe and the USA since 2003 and will now collect data on usage, and customer behavior. Flarion said users will experience a mobile data service of around 1Mbps capable of bursting to 3.2Mbps in the downlink and...

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WSJ: China's Telecom Forays Squeeze Struggling Rivals

Chinese network equipment manufacturers are "snatching business away from the established vendors," according to a front page article in The Wall Street Journal. While the big, Western vendors retain sizable chunks of the global market, Chinese vendors such as Huawei, Zhongxing Telecom and others, have been gaining momentum, not only in emerging markets, but increasingly in Europe and North America as well. The article notes that these new competitors are finding success not just in hig-volume, low-end products, but in core optical and routing...

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Tektronix Releases New Tools for Next Generation Video Compression Standards -

Tektronix introduced a new software product that offers a flexible, upgradeable test solution for next and current generation video compression technologies. The Tektronix Analyzer software provides elementary stream analysis support for MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264/AVC, H.261, H.263, H.263+ and 3GPP standards. Also , Tektronix has added H.264/AVC and Windows Media 9 support to its MTM400 MPEG Transport Stream Monitor. The company said next generation video compression standards such as H.264/AVC are becoming critical for future high volume consumer...

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Global Crossing Selects Lucent's LambdaUnite Multi-Service Switch

Global Crossing awarded a three-year contract to Lucent Technologies to enhance optical transmission throughout its worldwide IP network. Lucent will supply the LambdaUnite Multi-Service Switch (MSS) and Navis Optical Management System, as well as technical support and network maintenance provided by Lucent Worldwide Services. The optical transmission platform will support converged voice, video and data traffic throughout Global Crossing's global MPLS-based IP network. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.lucent....

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ENMR Plateau Deploys MetaSwitch for FTTH and Fixed Wireless Expansion

ENMR Plateau, the largest rural telephone cooperative in New Mexico, has deployed Metaswitch's VP3500 Series Class 5 Softswitch for new applications including Fiber to the Home (FTTH) and VoIP over a fixed wireless network. The company selected MetaSwitch for its ability to deliver traditional circuit-based service and VoIP out of the same system - at a significantly lower cost than upgrading its existing switch. Within the ENMR Plateau network, the MetaSwitch VP3500 Series Class 5 Softswitch provides more than 100 residential and small business...

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Asia Netcom Focuses CAPEX on Edge of its Network

In a keynote presentation at the ITU Telecom Asia 2004 Forum today, Asia Netcom's President and COO, Bill Barney said his focus is to realign the business to address the market segments that are seen as having the highest growth potential. Asia Netcom has introduced a regional IP VPN offering with 5 classes of service. Barney said 70% of Asia Netcom's CAPEX this year will be focused on the edge of its network in enhancing the scope of servicing customers, whereas, in the past, the company spent more than 90% of its money on building up the core...

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