MetaSwitch Appoints VP of Technology Strategy

MetaSwitch named Martin Taylor as Vice President of Technology Strategy. Previously, Taylor was CTO at CopperCom from shortly after its founding in early 1998 until late 2002. He was the chief architect of CopperCom's Voice over Broadband system and led the effort by the ATM Forum to create a standard for VoB interoperability. Following CopperCom's acquisition of DTI Networks, Taylor shaped the technology roadmap for the company's Class 4/5 softswitch product. Prior to CopperCom, Taylor was VP Network Architecture at Madge Networks. http://...

Read More

WSJ: Telecom Giants Oppose Cities on Web Access

Verizon Communications lobbied the Pennsylvania General Assembly to include as part of a newly passed broadband bill a special provision that would ban cities from providing Wi-Fi services with the service territory of a local exchange carrier, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Pennsylvania bill is currently awaiting the approval or veto of the state's governor. If approved, the new law could be a blow to the City of Philadelphia, among others, that are planning or deploying widescale municipally-owned Wi-Fi networks. According to the...

Read More

UK Regulator Publishes Spectrum Framework Review

Ofcom, the official telecom regulator in the U.K., published the Spectrum Framework Review - its strategy for securing the optimal use of the civilian radio spectrum. Spectrum has traditionally been centrally allocated and managed by the regulator. This has resulted in an inefficient system that has limited the innovation and development of higher-value services. Ofcom's Spectrum Framework Review sets out four key recommendations: 1. Allow the market to decide the best use for new spectrum allocations.2. Allow licence holders to trade spectrum...

Read More

Amedia Partners with LightRiver on Switched Ethernet FTTP

Amedia Networks announced a partnership under which LightRiver will distribute Amedia's QoStream FTTP product portfolio. LightRiver's customers include Telephone Companies, municipalities, utilities, government agencies and cable TV providers. http://www.amedia.comhttp://www.lightriver.comAmedia Networks offers an active Ethernet-based Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) access solution. The company's Ethernet Switched Optical Network (ESON) technology, which was licensed from and jointly developed with Lucent Bell Labs, provides QoS mechanisms for delivering...

Read More

Thomson and VeriSign to Offer Digital Content Authentication Service

Thomson and VeriSign announced plans to create an on-demand digital content authentication and authorization service bureau to support the secure delivery of electronic entertainment content over digital networks. The new service will provide transaction reporting and essential back-office functions to securely authenticate and authorize digital entertainment content such as movies, music and games. Thomson and VeriSign have recently completed successful proof of concept demonstrations with a variety of entertainment companies, telecom companies,...

Read More

CommPartners Deploys TCS' E9-1-1 VoIP Service

TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) has deployed VoIP E9-1-1 service for Las Vegas-based CommPartners, a VoIP facilitator providing IP telephony services and connectivity to service providers. The deployment is the latest in TCS' E9-1-1 services that have been deployed across the United States since 1998. TCS said its solution meets the requirements and expectations of E9-1-1 services offered to traditional landline and wireless subscribers. It supports a wide range of VoIP solutions ranging from those offering a landline replacement to those providing...

Read More

SBC Extends its Wi-Fi Service with Avis, Barnes & Noble

SBC Communications announced commercial partnerships with Avis Rent A Car and with Barnes & Noble that will broaden the reach of its Wi-Fi network across the U.S. Under the first deal, the SBC FreedomLink Wi-Fi service will be made available in up to 88 Avis locations at major airports throughout the nation by early 2005. It will also be available in Avis business centers in major airports. Separately, Barnes & Noble announced that SBC FreedomLink Wi-Fi service is now available at more than 600 of its bookstores nationwide. SBC's FreedomLink...

Read More

Tekelec Names Senior VP of Global Marketing

Tekelec promoted Scott Weidenfeller to senior vice president of global marketing. Before joining Santera Systems in 2000 as vice president of product line management, marketing and business development, Weidenfeller held various positions at Nortel Networks. http://www.tekelec....

Read More

SAIC Licensed by the FCC to Test Mobile 4.9 GHz Solutions

Science Applications International Corporation's (SAIC) Telecom Services Business Unit was granted a new experimental license from the FCC to test fixed and mobile experimental wireless networks and client devices at 4.9 GHz. The experimental license allows the company to conduct multi-city trials of new low cost solutions for public-sector metropolitan area networks (MANs) using technologies in the new, exclusive-use 4.9 GHz public safety band. Cities have seen the successes of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a/b/g...

Read More

deltathree Updates VoIP Calling Plans

deltathree announced the launch of six new Broadband Phone consumer and business calling plans for its retail division, iConnectHere. Each calling plan includes local, long distance and international calling with features such as voicemail, caller ID, 3-way calling, call forwarding and real-time call records. The service also provides end-users with a choice of phone numbers from the United States, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel or the United Kingdom. These numbers are available to end-users no matter where they are physically...

Read More

Global Crossing and India's Sify Link MPLS Services

Global Crossing and Sify, a leading Internet, networks and eCommerce services company in India, have agreed to interconnect their MPLS-based IP networks using Global Crossing's iMPLS interprovider connection service. Customers of either provider will be able to seamlessly scale and provision converged IP and data services including VoIP, IP Video, and Internet access across IP VPN connections to any endpoint in the networks' combined footprint. The deal provides Global Crossing IP VPN customers with access to 63 major commercial centers in India,...

Read More

Motorola Launches New 900 MHz Canopy Broadband Radios

Motorola began shipping an new version of its 900 MegaHertz (MHz) Canopy wireless broadband radio that features a fully integrated antenna. The integrated high-gain antenna enables these Canopy radios to reach up to 40 miles in a point-to-multipoint, line-of-sight application and provide enhanced penetration for non line-of-sight applications. It could be used to extend a service provider's network coverage by offering last mile data connectivity to remote subscribers or in areas of dense foliage. Motorola also has made available a new software...

Read More