Thursday, November 18, 2004

U.S. Congress Extends Internet Tax Moratorium

The House of Representatives voted to approve a new three-year ban on state and local governments' taxation of the monthly fees that Internet providers charge their customers. The moratorium cover Internet access, regardless of speed or access technology, but does cover the imposition of taxes Internet voice or similar services. A similar measure had already been approved by the Senate. Some industry reaction: Earthlink: "We applaud the efforts of the House and Senate to renew the Internet tax moratorium. This legislation will help make broadband...

UK Regulator Seeks Changes from BT, Not a Break-up

Ofcom, the official telecom regulator in the U.K., published its proposals to support the growth of greater competition, innovation and investment certainty in the UK telecommunications sector. The proposals are intended to prepare the ground for a new regulatory framework as the market undergoes a migration to next-generation networks based on IP. Following a strategic review of the market, Ofcom said it has identified two key problems:Firstly, an unstable market structure in fixed telecoms, dominated by BT and with alternative providers that...

BT Launches Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) business

In what it described as its first major step to creating the world's first fully converged fixed-mobile service, BT launched its Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) business to the corporate market. The range of new BT mobile services includes a mobile Virtual Private Network service, Business Circle and Conference on Demand, as well as new tariffs to give large and small businesses greater freedom to structure prices according to their needs. Building on the recent launch of BT-branded BlackBerry handhelds, BT is launching Business Circle,...

WEGENER Announces HD-capable STB for Telcos

WEGENER, which supplies television, audio and data distribution network solutions to the cable industry, announced its first product designed specifically for the telecommunications industry. WEGENER's new IP set-top box, called the Streaming Media Decoder (SMD) 515, is aimed at telco triple play deployments. WEGENER's set-top supports standard and high definition television through a DSL connection. It supports high definition Windows Media 9 advanced video decoding, widescreen format program guide with scaled HD video and IR remote control....

SITA Deploys Peribit to Lower WAN Bandwidth Requirements

SITA, the world's leading provider of integrated communications to the air transport industry, announced a partnership with Peribit Networks to improve the performance of critical applications over the WAN and reduce overall network costs. The partnership adds to SITA's existing suite of global communications services -- currently used by 1,800 customers worldwide -- to address the specific need of improving applications performance across global distributed networks. Peribit Networks' PeriSphere platform improves application performance by addressing...

FCC Report Urges Congress to Let Market Forces Shape Video Industry

Congress should not seek to implement an a la carte programming requirement for Multichannel video programming distributors (MVPD) -- providers of pay TV services -- according to a new report from the Media Bureau of the FCC. The report found that although an a la carte option would allow consumers to pay for only the programming they choose, given current viewing practices, few consumers would experience lower bills for multi-channel programming. The report found that an a la carte regime would not produce the desired result of lower MVPD rates...

FCC Approves First Software Defined Radio.

The FCC announced today it has approved, for the first time, use of a software defined radio device in the U.S. This new class of equipment allows users to share limited airspace, increases flexibility and reduces interference concerns. Software defined radios can change the frequency range, modulation type or output power of a radio device without making changes to hardware components. This programmable capacity permits radios to be highly adaptable to changing needs, protocols and environments. The FCC's Laboratory Division has issued a Grant...

NTT DoCoMo Develops Common Software Platform for 3G FOMA Handsets

NTT DoCoMo has developed a common software platform for its 3G FOMA handsets. DoCoMo will license the platform to handset vendors. The development platform is compatible with both the Linux and Symbian operating systems. The Linux version was jointly developed with NEC Corporation and Panasonic Mobile Communications, and the Symbian version was jointly developed with Fujitsu Corporation. NTT DoCoMo said some handsets, including its new 901i series and others, are already using the common software platform. http://www.nttdocomo....

BT Chooses ip.access for In-building GSM /DSL Service

ip.access ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TTP Communications, announced that its nanoGSM basestation solution has been selected by BT for a new service for Mobile Network Operators to offer GSM in-building coverage. The nanoBTS basestations use BT's DSL network for backhaul. Mobile network operators could use the solution to offer GSM coverage in a corporate campus. ip.access' nanoBTS is a GSM picocell basestation that uses IP networks to deliver cellular voice and data services. http://www.ipaccess....

Sunrise Telecom Introduces ADSL2+ Test Solutions

Sunrise Telecom announced ADSL2+ test solutions for its SunSet MTT platform. The new ADSL2+ ATU-R module supports multiple deployed and emerging ADSL technologies, including the recent ITU-T ADSL2+ (G.992.5) standard targeted for the combined triple-play of voice, internet, and video services. The SunSet MTT ACM Chassis has been given a 2.2 MHz bandwidth enhancement to accommodate the ADSL2+ frequency spectrum for copper qualification and troubleshooting applications. The new module could be used by a Tier 1 technician for ADSL2+ service verification....

Alcatel Acquires Right Vision

Alcatel will acquire privately held Right Vision, a European provider of software-based Internet appliances that provide Internet access, email and Web applications, as well as security and simplified management capabilities. Right Vision currently has 42 employees. The deal is expected to close in December. Financial terms were not disclosed. Right Vision, which is based in Sophia-Antipolis, France, provides pure software solutions that run on industry standard server platforms, as well as packaged offerings that include standard hardware and...

CANARIE Chooses Looking Glass for Dark Fiber Solution

CANARIE, Canada's advanced Internet organization, has selected Looking Glass to provide dark fiber services to support networks which are central to international innovations in research and education. Specifically, CANARIE purchased Looking Glass' DarkGLASS services in Chicago to extend its connection to StarLight locations. StarLight is an advanced optical infrastructure and proving ground for network services optimized for high-performance applications. http://www.lglass.n...

Telefonica Moviles Mexico Launch Movistar "Contacto Directo"

Telefonica Moviles Mexico, a subsidiary of Grupo Telefonica Moviles, has launched MoviStar Contacto Directo; a new service which allows use of PoC (Push to Talk over Cellular) technology over the Telefonica MoviStar GSM/GPRS network. Nokia is providing its complete network infrastructure solution for PoC and Presence required to launch this new service. MoviStar Contacto Directo is targeted to the business user who requires fast and constant communications with work teams. This service allows establishing half-duplex voice links i.e. one speaks...

Germany's ERGO Build RPR with Nortel Gear

ERGO, Germany's number two primary insurance provider serving 31 million customers throughout Europe, has established one of the first resilient packet rings (RPR) in Germany using a next generation optical platform from Nortel. The 2.5 Gbprs platform enables a distributed IS architecture over a single optical infrastructure connecting ERGO main offices in Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich. The sites are connected by a carrier-grade backbone ring, while single connections are provided by T-Systems, using the Nortel Optical Metro 5100 platform....