Infinera Raises $52 Million for its Photonic ICs

Infinera, a start-up based in Sunnyvale, California, raised $52 million in new funding for its Photonic Integrated Circuit technology. The company has raised $205 million to date. Strategic investors in this round include UTStarcom and CTC (Itochu Techno-Science Corporation), both of which are collaborating with Infinera to provide optical networking solutions in Asia.



Infinera is developing photonic chips that combine dozens of active and passive devices for managing light.



Infinera's investor group includes many of the world's leading venture capital firms as well as a strong group of strategic corporate investors. Venture backers include Accel Partners, Benchmark Capital, JAFCO Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Mobius Venture Capital, Sprout Group, Sutter Hill Ventures, Venrock Associates, and Worldview Technology Partners. http://www.infinera.comInfinera is headed by Jagdeep Singh, who previously founded Lighter Networks, a developer of optical switching equipment that was acquired by CIENA.

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Mediatrix Upgrades Gateways, Chosen by Siemens for Swiss Residential VoIP

Mediatrix Telecom announced an enhanced version of its Mediatrix 2102 VoIP residential gateway allowing IP telephony subscribers to access the PSTN network in the event of power outage or network failure.



Siemens is integrating Mediatrix Gateways into its Surpass VoIP Solution for a residential VoIP network in Switzerland for SOLPA. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.mediatrix.comhttp://www.siemens.com

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RADVISION Develops Conferencing for MS Live Communications Server

RADVISION announced a new multimedia conferencing platform designed to capitalize on added functionality in Microsoft's upcoming next generation, "Istanbul" Live Communications client. This new product, which will be part of RADVISION's iVIEW unified suite of software applications, will operate on a standard Windows-based server. iVIEW is middleware that bridges between a company's communications/IT network and its end user voice/video devices and applications. http://www.radvision.com

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ECI Telecom Adapts Raman Technology to Extend Optical Networks

ECI Telecom has adapted Raman technology to connect regional and long-haul networks in locations that were previously difficult or expensive to link, while using fewer amplifiers. Raman technology was initially designed for ultra long-haul networks. ECI said its Raman technology enables the connection of regional and long-haul distances without needing inline amplifiers underwater or between distances. This eliminates the need for undersea waterproof amplifiers, reducing costs significantly for the provider. The solution could be used for upgrading the optical fiber infrastructure to carry DWDM between a group of islands. It is already being used in an undersea network in the Philippines. http://www.ecitele.com

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Broadwing Launches VoIP Aggregation Service

Broadwing Communications launched a new VoIP aggregation service that allows carriers and enterprises to consolidate their end user traffic from branch locations to a single location for call completion. Broadwing PRIorityConnect is an Intra/InterLATA service offered nationwide. Broadwing said it can provide host and remote site connectivity via its nationwide, all-optical network using a customer's existing voice platform, as well as support a customer's migration from circuit-switched to a new voice platform. http://www.broadwing.com

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PMC-Sierra Reports Q3 Revenue of $71.2 million

PMC-Sierra reported Q3 revenue of $71.2 million compared with $85.7 million for Q2 2004 and $63.1 million for the same period a year ago. This represented a decrease in revenues of 17 percent sequentially and an increase of 13 percent on a year-over-year basis. Net income in Q3 of 2004 on a non-GAAP basis was $6.9 million (non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.04) compared with non-GAAP net income of $14.9 million (non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.08) in the second quarter of 2004. GAAP net income in Q3 2004 was $6.3 million (GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.03). http://www.pmc-sierra.com

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C-COR to Acquire nCUBE for $90 Million

C-COR agreed to acquire the business of nCUBE Corporation, a privately held company and worldwide provider of On Demand media and digital advertising systems, for roughly $89.5 million.



nCUBE's scalable On Demand video server delivers up to 120,000 simultaneous streams from a single site, without content duplication. nCUBE also supplies its application and server-neutral back office software management tools.



The payment terms consist of 4.5 million shares of C-COR common stock, $35 million of senior, unsecured 5-year convertible notes, $20 million in cash, and the assumption of certain liabilities. C-COR anticipates that, in the twelve months following closing, the nCUBE acquisition would add approximately $50 million in net sales and contribute to earnings after the integration is completed.



The deal follows four significant acquisitions completed by C-COR during 2004. The company said it is bringing together essential enabling capabilities--including optical transport equipment, OSS (operations support systems) software, and technical support services--required by the next generation of IP broadband and telecommunications networks. http://www.c-cor.nethttp://www.ncube.com

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Redback Reports Q3 Revenue of $21 Million

Redback Networks reported quarterly revenue of $21.0 million, down from $27.4 million in net revenue for the third quarter of 2003 and $32.3 million for the second quarter of 2004. GAAP net loss for the third quarter of 2004 was $12.5 million or $0.24 per share attributable to common stockholders based on weighted average shares outstanding of 52.5 million, down from a GAAP net loss of $18.1 million or $0.10 per share attributable to common stockholders based on weighted average shares outstanding of 182.5 million in the third quarter of 2003. http://www.redback.com

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SBC Selects Alcatel as Primary Supplier for Project Lightspeed

SBC Communications selected Alcatel as its primary network infrastructure and services supplier for Project Lightspeed. The deal is estimated to be worth $1.7 billion to Alcatel over the next five years.



Under the agreement, Alcatel will supply access and fiber technologies, IP routing and Ethernet switching solutions, and network systems integration services. Specifically, Alcatel will provide SBC with its remote 7330 IP DSLAM solution, which is capable of supporting wire speed triple play services and multiple variations of DSL for SBC's Fiber to the Neighborhood architecture. In addition, Alcatel provides its 7340 Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) solutions. SBC has selected Alcatel's 7750 Service Router and 7450 Ethernet Services Switch which will enable SBC to offer differentiated IP-based services, such as video.



Additionally, Alcatel will work with SBC to ensure seamless video systems integration. http://www.alcatel.com

• Earlier this month, the FCC voted to relieve incumbent local telephone companies of most obligations to lease advanced fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network facilities to competitors at a regulated, cost-based price. Specifically, incumbents are relieved from unbundling requirements for fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) loops, where fiber is extended within 500 feet of a customer's premises. The new rules free companies to choose between FTTH or FTTC networks based on marketplace characteristics, rather than disparate regulatory treatment.



• Following the FCC ruling, SBC announced "Project Lightspeed" -- its plan to build a new fiber-optics network into neighborhoods. SBC now aims to provide 18 million households with "super high-speed data, video and voice services" by year-end 2007 -- rather than five years as previously announced. Under Project Lightspeed, SBC will provide integrated IP-based television, ultra-high-speed broadband, IP voice and wireless bundles of products and services. Through Project Lightspeed, the company will deploy 38,800 miles of fiber - double the amount used to build out the company's DSL network - at a cost of $4 billion to $6 billion.

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FTTH Council Counts 217 Fiber-Connected Communities in U.S.

There are now 217 communities in 37 U.S. states with fiber-to-the-home projects underway, according to the latest survey by Render, Vanderslice & Associates and TeleChoice. Eighty-nine communities were added to the list - an increase of 70% since the last update in May. The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) said the list shows that FTTH deployments continue to be driven by municipalities, competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and new residential developments. http://www.ftthcouncil.orghttp://www.tiaonline.org

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Net2Phone, Motorola and Cedar Point Work on Cable VoIP

Cedar Point Communications, Motorola, and Net2Phone announced an agreement focused on packet-based cable telephony services. The companies will jointly market to cable operators a VoIP offering that includes Net2Phone's expertise as a leading hosted VoIP provider, Cedar Point's SAFARI C(3) integrated switching system and SafariView Element Management System; and the Motorola Broadband Services Router (BSR) 64000 CMTS/Router and SBV5120 telephony cable modems.



In a six-year agreement with Net2Phone, Liberty Cablevision of Puerto Rico is leveraging the joint solution to provide voice, video, and high-speed Internet access bundles to subscribers. In less than five months since the launch of "triple-play" services, 43% of telephony customers subscribe to the entire bundle and 52% subscribe to telephony and video.



For Liberty Cablevision, Net2Phone is supporting the back office platform, switching and transport, ongoing operations and Tier II+ technical support to deliver a fully managed QoS IP solution. Net2Phone tracks and monitors voice quality and network performance metrics from start to finish. Net2Phone has deployed Cedar Point's switching system and performed interoperability with Motorola's CMTS and MTA. http://www.net2phone.comhttp://www.motorola.com/broadband

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Optibase Appoints Uzi Breier CEO

Optibase named Uzi Breier as its new CEO, replacing Tom Wyler, who will retain his position as Executive Chairman of Optibase's Board of Directors and will assume the role of President.



Breier most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Emblaze Semiconductor. In July 2004, Zoran, a provider of solutions for the digital entertainment and imaging markets, acquired Emblaze Semiconductor. http://www.optibase.com

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iBasis Carriers 1.3 Billion Minutes in Q3

Minutes of use on The iBasis Network in Q3 rose to 1.3 billion, a 49% increase over the 866 million minutes carried in Q3 2003, and a 16% increase over the 1.1 billion minutes in Q22004. Average revenue per minute remained stable at 5.5 cents per minute in Q3 2004, the same as in the second quarter 2004. Average revenue per minute is based on our reported net revenue divided by minutes of traffic.



In Q3, Tier One carrier customers generated approximately 43% of iBasis Wholesale VoIP revenue, compared to 44% in Q2 2004. As VoIP has become the preferred wholesale transport technology, and as local and emerging alternative carriers have grown their share of retail traffic, the portion of our traffic that comes from Tier One carriers has become less meaningful as a measurement of our performance.



Financially, iBasis reported Q3 revenue of $70.4 million, compared to $44.0 million for the third quarter of 2003. Net loss for the third quarter of 2004 was $1.0 million, or $(0.02) per share, compared to net loss for the third quarter of 2003 of $5.6 million, or $(0.13) per share.



At the end of the quarter, iBasis had 287 customers, up from 277 at the end of the second quarter. http://www.ibasis.net

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Lucent Reports Profits for Fiscal 2004

Lucent Technologies reported net income of $348 million or 7 cents per diluted share for its fourth fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30, 2004, compared with net income of $387 million or 8 cents per diluted share in the third quarter of fiscal 2004 and net income of $99 million or 2 cents per diluted share in the year-ago quarter. The company reported revenues of $2.40 billion in the quarter, an increase of 10 percent sequentially and an increase of 19 percent from the year-ago quarter.



For the fiscal year, Lucent reported revenues of $9.05 billion, an increase of 7 percent compared to $8.47 billion in revenues for fiscal 2003. The net income for fiscal 2004 was $1.14 billion or 25 cents per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $770 million or 29 cents per diluted share for fiscal 2003.



"I am pleased to report that by focusing on growth opportunities in the marketplace and solid execution, our Lucent team has achieved its first year of revenue growth and profitability since 2000," said Lucent Technologies Chairman and CEO Patricia Russo. "We expect our market -- and our business -- to grow again in 2005 as our customers continue to invest in revenue-generating services and more efficient network operations."



Some highlights:

• Gross margin for Q4 was 41%



• Integrated Network Solutions (INS) revenues were $741 million, an increase of 4 percent sequentially and a decrease of 14 percent compared with the year-ago quarter.



• Mobility revenues for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2004 were $1.11 billion, an increase of 13 percent sequentially and 75 percent compared with the year-ago quarter.



• Lucent Worldwide Services (LWS) revenues for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2004 were $514 million, an increase of 9 percent sequentially and as compared with the year-ago quarter.

http://www.lucent.com

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