Wynn Las Vegas Deploys IP Telephony from Avaya/Extreme

The new Wynn Las Vegas Resort and Country Club in Las Vegas deployed an integrated voice and data network using equipment from Avaya and Extreme Networks. The network delivers a host of communications capabilities, from centralized guest service functions to in-room communications, throughout the hotel and its 2,698 guest rooms.In addition to providing high-speed Internet access in guest rooms, the hotel will use 4,000 color Avaya IP screen phones throughout the hotel, guest rooms and its customer service facilities to deliver a variety of services....

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Juniper Networks and Avaya Expand Partnership

Juniper Networks and Avaya signed a global strategic partnership memorandum of understanding (MOU) to deliver secure converged communication solutions to enterprise customers worldwide. The alliance will include joint development of converged solutions combining Avaya's enterprise communications and Juniper's security and routing strengths. The expanded relationship would also include agreements to allow the companies to resell each other's products and services, as well as a global services component to deliver services capabilities, including...

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Korea's SK Telecom Launches Satellite DMB Video for Mobiles

SK Telecom launched a satellite DMB service that delivers high-quality video broadcasts to a mobile phone or car-based video entertainment system. SK Telecom is initially delivering 11 video channels, 25 audio channels, and 3 data channels. Consumers in South Korea are able to receive the broadcasts either on mobile phones or in-car displays. The video uses MPEG-4 H.264 system and the music channels are furnished through a MPEG-2 AAC+ system. In areas where the satellite view may be obstructed, such as alongside tall buildings, SK Telecom will...

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Samsung's New SATA II Hard Disks Offer 3 Gbps I/O

Samsung Electronics began shipping the first Serial ATA II hard drives offering native 3.0 Gbps I/O transaction capabilities in addition to Serial ATA Native Command Queuing. The 3.0 Gbps speed doubles the 1.5 Gbps data transfer rate of current Serial ATA hard drives. Serial ATA also allows for the "daisy chaining" of drives via sleek and slim cables, so that systems can be expanded by simply adding additional drives. Samsung's family of Serial ATA II hard drives include an 80 GB model ($93 estimated street price), 120 GB model ($120) and a 160...

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Tandberg Delivers IPTV System for India's Atlas netTV

TANDBERG Television has delivered IPTV video head-end to Atlas Interactive for a large scale multimedia broadband deployment over the Indian telephone network. The Atlas netTV project will launch services to an initial 50,000 subscribers in the National Capital Region of Delhi in 2005. Financial terms were not disclosed.TANDBERG Television is supplying a range of equipment for the project, including its TT1260 professional receivers that feed the video streams to the TANDBERG IP Streamer. Each IP Streamer in the system includes TANDBERG Television...

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Siemens Selected for Mobile Nets in Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine

Siemens was awarded contracts valued at US$265 million to expand mobile networks for Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) in Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine. MTS is the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS. Together with its subsidiaries, MTS services about 39 million subscribers. The regions of Russia, as well as Belarus, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, in which MTS and its subsidiaries are licensed to provide GSM services, have a total population of approximately 226 million. http://www.siemens....

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EC Approves Alcatel Alenia Space and Telespazio

The European Commission gave its approval for the creation of the two companies, Alcatel Alenia Space and Telespazio. The two new companies result from the mergers of the space activities of Alcatel and Finmeccanica.The first company, Alcatel Alenia Space, of which Alcatel will hold 67% and Finmeccanica 33%, will combine Alcatel Space and Alenia Spazio's activities. It will concentrate on the design, development, and manufacturing of space systems, satellites, payloads, instruments and associated ground systems for civilian and military applications....

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Packeteer Offers New Data Compression for WANs

Packeteer introduced a new compression algorithm enabling enterprise WAN performance gains of up to 80%. The algorithm targets typical enterprise applications particularly e-mail, including SMTP, POP3, and Notes. Packeteer's dynamic compression appliances are needed at both ends of the WAN connection.Packeteer also introduced its new "Mentat SkyX Server 155" appliance, offering enterprise-class acceleration to mitigate latency and speed application delivery for remote and mobile users using a VPN over high capacity links up to 155 Mbps. The SkyX...

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Fabrinet to Acquire JDS Uniphase Operations in Fuzhou

Fabrinet, an engineering and electromechanical manufacturing services company, agreed to acquire JDS Uniphase's manufacturing facilities located in Fuzhou, China. The deal includes all assets and operations related to the Fuzhou plant including R&D and the manufacture of products such as crystals and precision optics. The Fuzhou plant employs over 500 engineers, technicians, and skilled operators, all of whom are expected to transfer to Fabrinet and continue their employment at the site. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.fabrinet.com...

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Germany Trims Local Loop Rental to EUR 10.65

Germany's Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Posts (RegTP) trimmed the monthly price for a competitor to rent a local loop from the incumbent by another 9.75%. The monthly price had been EUR 11.80 and is now EUR 10.65. Deutsche Telekom had applied for a price of EUR 17.40. RegTP said it based the new price on a cost model and an international tariff comparison. The move is expected to bolster local competition for broadband services."With our new decision we are well amongst the average level of countries using the same cost measures,...

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DISH Adds 10 Original VOOM HD Channels

EchoStar's DISH Network satellite TV service will expand its high-definition television (HDTV) package by adding 10 original VOOM HD networks.In April 2005, Cablevision Systems confirmed plans to shut down its VOOM HD satellite TV at the end of April. In January 2005, EchoStar Communications agreed to acquire Cablevision's direct broadcast satellite and certain other related assets for $200 million. The deal includes the Rainbow 1 satellite, located at the 61.5 degree W.L. orbital position, as well as FCC licenses to construct, launch and operate...

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FCC Chairman Announces Staff Appointments

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin announced several new appointments:Dan Gonzalez -- Chief of StaffTom Navin - Wireline Bureau ChiefMichelle Carey - Wireline Competition Advisor to Chairman MartinKris Monteith - Enforcement Bureau ChiefMonica Desai - Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Chiefhttp://www.fcc....

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Union Raises Questions on BT's Exclusion of Marconi

Amicus, the UK's largest private sector union, raised questions about the decision by BT to award preferred supplier status for its network upgrade to eight foreign owned companies. In a public statement, the union said it would seek answers on the following questions:If any of the US or other European companies selected have received any direct or indirect public subsidies which enabled them to undercut Marconi by offering lower pricesIf any of the US or other European companies selected have received protection or preferred supplier status from...

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Cisco and IBM Team on Speech-Enabled Contact Centers

IBM and Cisco will jointly deliver speech-enabled self-service solutions for contact centers. The solution combines IBM's WebSphere Voice Server product and Cisco's Customer Voice Portal. The companies said they would leverage open standards, including Voice XML and J2EE. These solutions enable contact centers to provide low-cost speech-enabled self-service transactions to their customers, such as transferring money from a checking account, submitting insurance claims, changing cellular phone plans, making hotel and car reservations or finding...

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Telefónica Deploys Acme Packet's SBCs

Telefónica de España has selected Acme Packet's Net-Net session border controllers for its hosted business and residential VoIP offering throughout Spain. Financial terms are not disclosed. The Acme Packet session border controllers are interoperating with Telefonica's existing infrastructure, Ericsson's Engine Multimedia, a complete, all-IP and SIP solution with an open architecture based on IMS, the 3GPP standard. The Acme Packet session border controllers are providing access control and complete network topology hiding at all protocol layers...

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Comcast Reaches 7.4 million Cable Modem Subscribers

Comcast added 414,000 cable modem customers in Q1 giving it a total of 7.4 million subscribers, representing a penetration rate of 18.3% of available homes. Average monthly revenue per subscriber was $42.81 in the first quarter of 2005, a slight increase from the first quarter of 2004 and a 1.8% increase from the $42.06 reported in the fourth quarter of 2004. Comcast High-Speed Internet service revenue increased 32.5% to $925 million. Some additional highlights from Comcast's Q1 report: Comcast Cable reported revenue of $5.1 billion for Q1, representing...

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Taiwan's Chunghwa Reaches 3.2 Million ADSL Subscribers

As of 31-March-2005, Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom was serving 3.2 million ADSL subscribers, up by 132,000 for the quarter. Total Internet subscriptions numbered 3.87 million. The number of fixed-line subscribers was 13.26 million. The company also serves 8.17 million mobile subscribers. http://www.cht.com...

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NETGEAR Sees 23% Year-over-year Growth

NETGEAR reported Q1 revenue of $109.0 million, a 3.7% increase as compared to $105.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2004, and a 23.3% increase as compared to $88.4 million for Q1 2004. Net revenue in the first quarter of 2005 derived from North America was $51.1 million, the Europe, Middle East and Africa, or EMEA, region was $47.0 million, and the Asia Pacific region was $10.9 million.Non-GAAP gross margin in the first quarter of 2005 was 33.0%, as compared to 32.9% in the prior quarter and 31.1% in the year ago comparable quarter. http:...

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OIF Delivers Two Common Electrical I/O Agreements

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) completed two Implementation Agreements (IAs) relating to Common Electrical I/O technology. The first, CEI 11G-LR, addresses 11 to 13 Gbps applications over backplanes. This IA responds to the industry's move toward higher speed electrical signaling, driven by system vendors' desire to quadruple the bandwidth of existing systems without increasing the number of backplane traces. The second IA, CEI Protocol (CEI-P) is a new protocol designed for use with the fast electrical interfaces developed by the CEI...

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France Activates 890,000 ADSL Access Points in Q1

In Q1 2005, 890,000 ADSL access points were added across France. This includes lines served by France Telecom and the unbundled lines served by other carriers. The total number of ADSL access points in France (including unbundled lines) has now topped 7.2 million, up from 4.1 million a year earlier. As of 31-March-2005, France Telecom had 5,150,000 ADSL lines in its home market, of which 3,364,000 were serviced by its own Internet service and 1,787,000 were using third party ISPs. Some highlights from the carrier's quartely report:The number...

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AMCC Reports Rise in Revenue

Applied Micro Circuits Corporation (AMCC) reported quarterly revenue of $64.2 million up 5% sequentially and up 36% year over year. The net loss on a GAAP basis was $5.3 million or $(0.02) per share."We were pleased with our progress in the March quarter. Revenue increased sequentially and the company realized the benefits of our improved cost structure," said Tom Tullie, AMCC's Chief Operating Officer. http://www.amcc....

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Alcatel reports Q1 Revenues of EUR 2.6 Billion

Alcatel reported Q1 revenues of EUR 2.607 billion, up from EUR 2.515 for Q1 2004 but down from EUR 3.806 billion for Q4 2004. Operating profit amounted to EUR 107 million, representing a 4.1% operating margin and a 27% increase over the same period last year. Serge Tchuruk, Alcatel's Chairman and CEO, said "In the fixed line business, we confirm our expectations of a rebound in the second half, following a second quarter which will continue to be weak. This rebound should materialize as triple play generated revenues more than offset the decline...

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Marconi Not Selected for BT's 21CN

Shares in Marconi fell 40% on Thursday following news that the company had not been selected for BT's 21st Century Network. Marconi, which had been a traditional supplier to BT, currently generates about a quarter of its business from the carrier. Marconi will continue to supply equipment and services to BT under the various, multi-year frame contracts it has in place."This is a disappointing outcome from a very competitive tender process. Our products performed extremely well technically, but we have been unable to meet BT's commercial requirements,"...

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BT Selects Vendors 21st Century Network (21CN)

BT announced eight preferred vendors for its 21st Century Network, an ambitious undertaking in which it plans to invest up to £10 billion over the next five years to migrate to a fully-converged, packet network. Access -- Fujitsu and Huawei have been chosen in the access domain which will link BT's existing access network with the new 21CN.Metro -- Alcatel, Cisco and Siemens have been selected as preferred suppliers for metro nodes which provide routing and signalling for 21CN's voice, data and video services.Core -- Cisco and Lucent will be...

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D-Link CPE Supports Longhorn's Link Layer Topology Discovery

D-link is demonstrating two client devices, including a Wi-Fi security camera and a network storage adapter, supporting the upcoming Microsoft "Longhorn" Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) protocol. To ease the installation and configuration of home networks, "Longhorn" will use LLTD to detect devices on the network, determine how they are interconnected and represent the network in a graphic form. D-Link said this ability to visualize home networks will help users identify connectivity issues needing corrective action. The company is continuing...

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Swisscom Selects Alcatel VDSL for IPTV

Swisscom selected Alcatel's Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) product family to deliver enhanced Triple Play services to its customers in Switzerland. Swisscom plans to deliver IPTV services by the second half of 2005. With this contract, Alcatel remains the sole supplier of Swisscom's broadband access network. Under the terms of the contract, Alcatel will supply Swisscom with a VDSL-enabled broadband access network consisting of the Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) product family. Financial terms were not disclosed.http://www.alcatel.comAs...

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Telstra Completes NGN Trial with Lucent

Telstra has recently completed a Next Generation Voice engineering trial with residential customers in Victoria, Australia using equipment from Lucent. The test included the Lucent Network Controller, Lucent Network Gateway and third party products from BroadSoft, Acme Packet and Sun Microsystems. Lucent Worldwide Services (LWS) provided integration. Lucent said the trial paves the way for Telstra to migrate the Next Generation Voice platform to feature rich applications. http://www.lucent....

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Tropos Integrates Atheros Chips into Metro Wi-Fi Mesh

Tropos Networks, a supplier of metro scale Wi-Fi mesh equipment, has selected the Atheros 802.11g chipset to support its next generation line of MetroMesh routers. Tropos Networks has incorporated Atheros' technology for the first time into its 5210 Outdoor MetroMesh Router, 3210 Indoor MetroMesh Router and 4210 Mobile MetroMesh Router. http://www.atheros.com/http://www.tropos....

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Verizon Adds 1.6 Million Wireless, 385,000 DSL in Q1

Verizon Communications added 385,000 net new broadband connections (DSL and FiOS data customers) in Q1, giving it a total of 3.9 million customers. Verizon Wireless added 1.64 million net new customers, the largest first-quarter customer increase in the history of the company. Wireless has added more than 6.5 million net new customers over the past year and now has a total of 45.5 million customers nationwide. Some highlights from Q1:Consolidated revenues of $18.2 billion increased 6.6 percent, or $1.1 billion, compared with the first quarter...

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BT to Stream FIFA World Cup Qualifiers over the Net

BT Rich Media reached an agreement with PORTFIVE, Europe's leading sports marketing group, to make the international qualifying matches from the FIFA World Cup 2006 that won't be televised - available over the Internet. Live games will cost €9.95 for a 250k or 500k stream and users can also download the game and retain it on their PC for a reduced cost of €6.95.Philipp Wessel, Head of New Media at SPORTFIVE said: "This is a big development for sports over the internet... For the first time a significant programme of games are being made available...

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BT Offers 6 Classes of DiffServ

BT announced the launch of a new Six Class of Service Differentiated Services Code Point (6 CoS DSCP) service that guarantees the performance of applications by prioritizing packets into six distinct classes of service. DSCP is tailored specifically for modern networks and enhances QoS solutions by enabling customers to choose the performance level needed on a per packet basis by marking the DSCP field within the packet IP header to a specific value. This is an enhancement of BT's previous 3CoS offering. BT's new 6CoS DSCP model runs throughout...

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Taiwan's Chunghwa Tests Mintera's 40 Gbps

Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), the incumbent carrier in Taiwan, is testing Mintera's 40 Gbps transport technology. Mintera said its MI-40000 systems would position the company to provide 10 Gbps and/or 40 Gbps wavelength services as an "overlay" solution to their existing 2.5 or 10 Gbps optical line infrastructure. The transport system can also perform as a stand-alone 40 Gbps network. Chunghwa's Request for Proposal, issued last June, specified equipment to transmit 40 Gbps DWDM channels over 500 km of G.655 fiber. http://www.mintera....

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SBC Adds Wi-Fi and Cingular EDGE access to VPN Service

SBC Communications added wireless remote access options to its VPN portfolio. The new "VPN RoadWarrior" service ties SBC FreedomLink Wi-Fi and Cingular Wireless EDGE nationwide, high-speed wireless data services into SBC PremierSERV VPN services. http://www.sbc....

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FastWeb Offers Pay-per-Use Bandwidth

Italy's Fastweb is using Cisco's routing and switching technology to deliver flexible pay-per-use (PPU) high-bandwidth Internet services to its fiber and DSL customers. A recent network upgrade was implemented to optimize bandwidth for both flat-rate and pay-per-use network traffic and to add data packet tracking functionality for residential customers in all Fastweb's PoPs. This helps Fastweb to more accurately monitor network usage, differentiate between on-net (or peer-to-peer) and regular Internet-bound traffic, and strengthen its network...

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PMC-Sierra Shows "Pizza-Box" MSPP

PMC-Sierra released an evaluation platform for a compact micro Multi-Service Provisioning Platform (micro MSPP) based on its ADM 622 device. PMC-Sierra's ADM 622 Evaluation Platform: Collapses a multi shelf system to a single card in a "pizza box" form factor Supports both legacy PDH and Ethernet services at OC-12/STM-4 capacity Supports enhanced Ethernet multiplexing with 802.3ah Ethernet OAM Features a user-friendly interface, Web-based configuration tool and a comprehensive user manual to simplify software development to accelerate time-to-market...

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Nokia Launches Latest Mobiles

Nokia unveiled its "Nseries" of next generation multimedia devices featuring 3G, Carl Zeiss Optics, megapixel cameras, multi-gigabyte memory, VHS resolution video and WLAN capabilities."This next step in digital convergence brings together mobile devices, Internet content, still and video cameras, music, email and much more. Nokia Nseries devices share similar design traits as mobile phones, but they are actually powerful pocketable computers with...

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China Backs TD-SCDMA as 3G Standard

The Chinese government is throwing its support to TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access) as a national 3G standard, according to Xinhua news agency. The report came from the 2005 TD-SCDMA International Summit being held this week in Beijing. China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII) is currently conducting a test of 3G technologies that is expected to end in June. China is expected to award 3G licenses later this year.http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-04/27/content_2882624....

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Tekelec Supplies SS7 in Indiana

Indiana Fiber Network, a consortium of 18 independent telephone companies and one independently owned CLEC, will deploy Tekelec's EAGLE 5 Signaling Applications System (SAS) platform to deliver signaling system 7 (SS7) functionality to its operator customers statewide. Tekelec said its EAGLE 5 SAS platform provides a path to support advanced services such as local number portability (LNP), toll-free, calling card, calling name delivery and mobility management. In addition, gateway screening will ensure security by limiting the inbound and outbound...

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IPTV Keynote: Microsoft's Benchmarks for IPTV

Hopes for Telco TV go back some time, observed Phil Corman, Director of Microsoft TV, and as the US West trial in 1994 demonstrated, the results have been disappointing. So why now? For telcos, it is becoming a matter of simple survival, said Corman, and compared to earlier efforts, this time the technology is ready. An important starting point, said Corman, is to consider what IPTV is not. "IPTV is not video streaming over the Internet, watching TV on your PC or merely a best-efforts video service. It has to be based on a proven business model."...

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Nortel to Acquire PEC to Accelerate U.S. Federal Business

Nortel Networks agreed to acquire PEC Solutions, a leading government IT services firm, for approximately US$448 million (net of cash acquired) through a cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of the company.PEC, founded in 1985 and based in Fairfax, Virginia, works with homeland security, law enforcement, intelligence, defense and civilian agencies across the entire scope of the U.S. federal government. The company has 1,700 employees and 30 program offices in nine states."This acquisition will aggressively position Nortel in the U.S. federal...

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Juniper to Acquire Redline for AFE Technology

Juniper Networks agreed to acquire Redline Networks, a start-up offering Application Front End (AFE) technology, for approximately $132 million in cash and assumed stock options. Redline Networks, which was founded in 2000, develops "Application Front Ends" that are deployed within the boundaries of corporate data centers. These enable users to control and customize any web-based environment while reducing infrastructure cost and complexity. Redline's high-throughput, low-latency HTTP proxy can support up to 500,000 simultaneous users while simultaneously...

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Juniper to Acquire Peribit for WAN Optimization

Juniper Networks agreed to acquire Peribit Networks, a developer of WAN optimization technology, for approximately $337 million in cash, stock and assumed stock options.Peribit WAN optimization architecture uses compression, sequence caching, latency reduction, bandwidth management, path optimization, and visibility tools to improve congested enterprise WAN links.Peribit, which was founded in 2000, developed a Molecular Sequence Reduction (MSR) technology that applies DNA pattern matching algorithms recognize repetitive bits of data traversing...

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Cisco to Acquire Sipura for VoIP CPE Technology

Cisco Systems agreed to acquire Sipura, a start-up offering VoIP customer premise equipment technology, for approximately $68 million in cash and options. This represents Cisco's first acquisition for its Linksys division. Sipura is a key technology provider for Linksys' current line of VoIP networking devices. Sipura's technology is incorporated in VoIP adapters (including those integrated into home routers and gateways) and a multi-line IP phone for the consumer and SOHO market. The company is based in San Jose, California.Dr. Sin leads the...

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Successful Launch for the First of DirecTV's Next Gen HDTV Satellites

Sea Launch successfully delivered DIRECTV's Spaceway F1 satellite to orbit, completing the launch of the heaviest commercial satellite to date. Spaceway F1 is capable of delivering hundreds of HD signals to DIRECTV customers and the first of four next-generation satellites. Spaceway F1 is the first of two Ka-band satellites in this series. Spaceway F2 is slated to launch in June. The four satellites will provide the capacity to deliver more than 1,500 local HD and more than 150 national HD channels and other advanced programming services to...

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Foundry Cuts 10 GigE Prices to $1,250 per Port

Foundry Networks announced new pricing for many of its 10 Gigabit Ethernet products and accessories. The 10-gigabit Ethernet ports on Foundry products support pluggable XENPAK or XFP transceivers providing flexibility in connecting to a range of media types including CX4 copper, multimode fiber and single mode fiber. Foundry has reduced the pricing of its short reach XFP optics (up to 300 meters over multimode fiber) by 60% to $1,245 (US list) and of its short reach XENPAK optics by 40% to $2,495 (US list). Foundry's 10-GE product families include...

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Time Warner Cable Implements Support Software for Digital TV

Time Warner Cable Cincinnati is using a Service Automation Suite for Video (SAS-V) software developed by Scientific-Atlanta and SupportSoft to enhance digital TV reliability. The solution was field tested by Time Warner Cable and demonstrated an ability to help automate the diagnosis and resolution of common problems associated with the installation and ongoing service of digital TV transmission. SAS-V works to pinpoint potential issues with a digital video connection within a customer's home or the last mile of the service provider's network....

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Level 3 Increases Communications Revenue

Level 3 Communications reported revenue of $1.01 billion for the first quarter 2005 compared to $1.05 billion for the fourth quarter 2004. Communications revenue was $510 million in the first quarter versus $482 million for the previous quarter, and information services revenue was $483 million compared to $547 million for the seasonally high previous quarter. The net loss for the first quarter 2005 was $77 million, or $0.11 per share, consistent with the previous quarter. "We experienced another quarter of strong IP traffic growth on our network,...

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Verizon Opens its E911 System to VoIP Providers

Verizon will allow VoIP service providers and their vendors to use its Enhanced 911 emergency calling system to connect VoIP customer 911 calls to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). Verizon expects that by this summer, VoIP providers and their vendors will be able to provide their customers in New York City with E 911 service. If the New York City model is successful, it will be replicated in other locations.The E 911 system directs a 911 caller to the appropriate local government emergency response center, known as a Public Safety Answering...

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Riverstone Offers 24-port Ethernet Access Router

Riverstone unveiled a low-cost, 24-port, carrier Ethernet access router, the Edge Solution (ES) 2010, that is compatible with its MPLS-based RS and 15000 carrier Ethernet product lines.The ES 2010 is designed for Metro Ethernet carrier services, offering support for meeting pre-defined SLAs and more flexible network troubleshooting. The ES 2010 supports both Ethernet and IP, allowing service providers to cost-effectively deploy VoIP and data services, including VLANs, to small and medium-sized businesses. The new Ethernet router is equipped with...

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Verizon Signs Showtime for Premium Movies

Verizon signed a long-term affiliation agreement with Showtime Networks for its premium movie services over the forthcoming FiOs IPTV service. Under the deal, Verizon will carry 11 Showtime Networks channels. Showtime subscribers will also receive Showtime On Demand and The Movie Channel On Demand, together televising 150 hours of Hollywood movies and Showtime original programming a month, up to 25% of which will change weekly. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.verizon....

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Verizon Announces FTTP Deployments in Southern California

Verizon announced the expansion of its FTTP network and FiOS Internet service in California. The company is now deploying fiber in Ventura county, as well as in the cities of Adelanto, Apple Valley, Bermuda Dunes, Camarillo, Chino, Desert Hot Springs, Hermosa Beach, Indio, La Quinta, Chino Hills, Ontario, Palm Springs, Perris, Lake Elsinore, Temecula, Redondo Beach and Victorville. Some customers in these cities can already order FiOS. Additional cities will be added next year, and Verizon will announce FiOS Internet Service in these areas as...

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IPTV Keynote: Challenge & Opportunities

An open network architecture for IPTV has its integration challenges, but prevents vendor lock-in, said Bill DeMuth, CTO of Surewest Communications, in a keynote address at the IPTV 20005 conference earlier this week in San Jose. Surewest, which serves the Sacramento, California region, has been delivering Triple Play services since July 2002 and IP video since January 2004. The company's fiber network passes about 70,000 homes and has over 16,000 FTTP subscribers. The active fiber network delivers 100 Mbps Ethernet to each home. Surewest also...

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BayPackets Raises $14 Million

BayPackets, a start-up based in Fremont, California with a subsidiary in India, raised $14 million in fourth round funding for its enhanced voice and data solutions for wireless, wireline and cable operators.BayPackets' Agility Networks Services Platform (NSP) and SIP Application Server are IMS-compliant service delivery platforms that enable operators to deliver differentiated services and service bundles. With BayPackets, the creation, deployment, and management of applications and their service logic are decoupled from the underlying transport...

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Atheros Debuts 802.11a/g + PCI Express Solution

Atheros Communications introduced a single-chip IEEE 802.11a/g (Atheros AR5006EX) and 802.11g (Atheros AR5006EG) WLAN solution with support for PCI Express. The chips integrate an entire WLAN solution-media access controller (MAC), baseband processor, and a high-performance 2.4/5-GHz radio or 2.4-GHz radio-in a low-cost digital CMOS design.Atheros said the solution enables the entire WLAN solution to fit on a single-sided mini card or ExpressCard design. This represents Atheros' sixth-generation wireless LAN solution.Additionally, both chips support...

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Broadcom Integrates Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 in GigE Controllers

Broadcom has integrated Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 functionality into its latest NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) controllers. TPM, a security standard created by the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) for a hardware-based secure computing environment, provides a more secure environment based on a trusted root protected in hardware. Integrating TPM security into NetXtreme GbE controller chips enables PC OEMs to offer this security as a standard feature on all enterprise client personal computers. Two versions of the GbE controller are currently...

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Sprint Supports Orb Networks' Home Media Streaming

Orb Networks and Sprint announced the immediate availability of a free, new service that enables Sprint local wireline telephone customers subscribing to Sprint's DSL to remotely access their digital home media through high-speed broadband. This new service, Sprint Personal Media Link, powered by Orb, gives these consumers the ability to access digital content on a home personal computer with Microsoft Windows XP or Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition XP from virtually anywhere in the world via a laptop computer or wireless device.Sprint intends...

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2Wire Offers ADSL2/2+ Gateway with VoIP Ports

2Wire introduced a new residential gateway featuring an ADSL2/2+ modem, integrated VoIP ports, integrated router, 802.11g with high power 400mW transmitter, firewall and a USB 2.0 port for network-attached storage, print-servers, etc. The new HomePortal 2000 series also supports the DSL Forum's TR-069 industry standard, ensuring compatibility with any standardized back-end component management system, and introduces TR-059 and pre WT-098 support for carrier-grade Quality of Service and policy provisioning.http://www.2wire.c...

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Audiocodes Reports Rise in Revenues

Audiocodes reported quarterly revenue $26.9 million compared to $25.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2004 and $15.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2004. First quarter revenues grew 7% sequentially and increased 76% compared to the first quarter of 2004. Net income for the first quarter of 2005 was $3.0 million, or $0.07 per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $43,000, or $(0.00) per basic and diluted share, for the corresponding period last year. The period marked Audiocodes' fourteenth consecutive quarter of...

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Communications Workers of America Support SBC+AT&T Merger

The Communications Workers of America filed comments with the FCC supporting SBC's proposed acquisition of AT&T. "The merger is clearly in the public interest," CWA said, noting that it will create a "premier U.S. communications company, one with the ability to expand the delivery of advanced technologies, services and features to all classes of customers."http://www.cwa-union....

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VeriSign to Acquire Lightbridge for IN

VeriSign agreed to acquire to Lightbridge's Intelligent Network Solutions (INS) technology platform and customer base for $17.45 million in cash plus the assumption of certain contractual liabilities. The Lightbridge PrepayIN platform is an Intelligent Network solution that provides real-time rating for voice, data, and IN-based services, empowering mobile operators to deliver prepaid, hybrid, and postpaid charging capabilities to their subscribers. VeriSign said the acquired PrepayIN platform will augment its Service Portfolio for North American-based...

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SBC Adds 504,000 DSL Subscribers in Q1

SBC Communications announced its best quarter for DSL to date, adding 504,000 net DSL lines in Q1 and giving it a total base of 5.6 million lines in service. Over the past four quarters, SBC has added more than 1.6 million DSL lines. The company also added 1.1 million long distance lines to reach 22 million. Some highlights for Q1:Revenues - SBC's first-quarter 2005 revenues increased 2.4% to $10.2 billion, with wireline revenues up 2.8% and consumer wireline revenues up 3.9% , marking SBC's fourth consecutive quarter of positive revenue growth....

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Data Connection Announces Session Border Controller Software

Data Connection Limited (DCL) began offering Session Border Controller (DC-SBC) software solution for developers of softswitches, routers, gateways, firewalls, and IP PBXs, as well as standalone session border controllers. SBCs are a set of functions that control session-based traffic at the signaling and packet layers, allowing increased security and enhanced features to be deployed in a VoIP network. The new DC-SBC source code enables OEMs to offer service providers Session Border Controller (SBC) functionality as a software upgrade to platforms...

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Intoto Offers SSL-VPN Source Code for CPE

Intoto introduced new multi-service security software for manufacturers of Small-to-Medium Enterprise (SME) gateway applications. Intoto has expanded its iGateway RGS and iGateway EX software platforms and iGateway software modules with SSL-VPN, anti-virus (AV) and anti-spam (AS) functionality, to enhance its existing firewall, intrusion prevention and Web filtering solutions.iGateway SSL-VPN complements Intoto's current VPN solutions by enabling access to applications to remote users such as telecommuters, mobile employees, customers, and partners....

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BelAir Supplies Wi-Fi Mesh in Bristol, UK

BelAir Networks is supplying its wide-area wireless networking equipment for what is described as the U.K.'s largest wireless hot zone, which is being built in Bristol. The Bristol network, which covers approximately 3 square kilometers, uses four-radio wireless switch routers. Each unite includes a 2.4 GHz access radio module to support Wi-Fi client access and up to three separate 5 GHz backhaul radio modules. The network is used to provide Internet access and to enable city workers to access private networks (VPNs) while working on city streets....

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Qwest Opposes SBC+AT&T Merger

Qwest Communications is urging the FCC to block SBC's proposed acquisition of AT&T on the grounds that it would be bad for the industry. If the FCC does not block the merger outright, Qwest is urging regulators to impose significant conditions on the deal, such as divestitures of facilities and other related overlapping operations in SBC's 13-state operating territory. In addition, Qwest argues that because the proposed merged company will benefit from the elimination of AT&T as a competitor -- and benefit from the elimination of other...

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net.com Unveils VoIP Migration Platform

net.com introduced a VoIP migration appliance designed to preserve the life of existing PBX's and all associated feature sets while providing any-to-any connectivity between TDM and IP protocols and media.The new SHOUT2500 Voice Migration Appliance combines a voice router with built in call control, a session border controller for firewall and NAT traversal, a media gateway for connectivity to legacy PBX's and the PSTN, a protocol translator and converter for multi- vendor PBX interconnectivity, SIP and H.323 interworking, and an open programming...

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Force10 Packs 1,260 GigE Ports into a Chassis

Force10 Networks introduced the industry's first 90-port Gigabit Ethernet line card, increasing the density of its 14-slot TeraScale E-Series family of switch/routers to more than 1,260 Gigabit Ethernet ports per chassis. This sets a new industry benchmark for Gigabit Ethernet density and represents nearly three times the density of competitive solutions, according to the company. Force10 Networks said this high-level of GigE port density could lead...

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Alcatel Tunes its Core and Edge Routers for Triple Play

Alcatel announced new features on its 7450 Ethernet Service Switch and 7750 Service Router aimed at triple play and business VPN services.Enhancements to the Alcatel 7450 include scalable, highly efficient multicasting for IPTV distribution and automated per-subscriber security policies. In a telco triple play architecture, the Alcatel 7450 would sit at the edge of a metro network accepting a large number of video feeds from a core IP/MPLS network and then multicasting the most watched channels via Gigabit Ethernet links to DSLAMs or ONTs further...

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Strix Offers Multi-Radio, Multi-Channel, Multi-RF Outdoor Mesh

Strix Systems, a start-up based in Calabasas, California released an outdoor version of its high-capacity multi-radio, multi-channel, and multi-RF mesh networking solution. Strix's Access/One Network OWS supports up to six radios per node, enabling some dedicated radios to be used backhaul ingress, backhaul egress, and client connectivity. The design can use any combination of 802.11a, b, or g radios. This multi-radio mesh architecture segments...

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Huawei-3Com selects Greenfield for High-End Switches

Huawei-3Com selected Greenfield Networks' switching chipset for a new line of high-feature Ethernet switch products. Greenfield's Packetry silicon delivers Layer 2/3/4 packet processing capabilities, including IPv6 routing in hardware and extensive QoS. The Packetry classification and traffic management functions enable VoIP and other converged applications that require flow-based priority and bandwidth distribution across the network. The chipset also supports MPLS switching, stacked VLANs, Layer 2 VPN (martini and VPLS), Layer 3 VPN (RFC 2547bis)...

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Verizon Considers its Options with MCI

In response to MCI's finding that Qwest had a superior offer, Verizon said it was now reviewing its options. Under the terms of the Verizon-MCI definitive merger agreement, these include requiring MCI to continue to finalize its proxy statement and to organize a meeting of MCI's shareholders to consider the agreed transaction with Verizon. Alternatively, Verizon may elect to terminate the agreement with MCI. Upon such a termination, Verizon would be entitled to be paid by MCI a $240 million break-up fee plus an expense reimbursement of up to $10...

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MCI Agrees that Qwest Offer is Superior

MCI's Board of Directors issued a statement concluding that Qwest Communications' latest acquisition offer is superior to the terms of the current MCI/Verizon merger agreement. Under the terms of the MCI/Verizon merger agreement, Verizon has five business days (through Friday, April 29, 2005) to respond with a revised proposal. Under Qwest's irrevocable offer MCI's Board of Directors has until May 3, 2005, to change its current recommendation in favor of the MCI/Verizon merger agreement.http://www.mci.c...

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AT&T Partners with NEC on VoIP Project in Japan

AT&T and NEC have jointly implemented a VoIP project for OMRON Corp. in Japan. The migration to VoIP began in November 2004, and after voice-switching testing and other preparations, over 10,000 telephones nationwide were switched in just two days.In this project, AT&T was responsible for project management, network design, equipment/line selection, test and operational support. NEC installed VoIP equipment, including UNIVERGE SV7000 servers and VoIP gateways at all locations. The companies estimate that Omron will save $500,000 per year.AT&T...

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Sierra Monolithics Announces Shipments of Dual-Band WiMAX Transceivers

Sierra Monolithics began shipping a dual-band transceiver that supports WiMax-compliant CPE. The device includes full receive and transmit paths with on-chip synthesizers and VCOs. The transceiver tunes over 2.3 to 2.7 GHz and 3.3 to 3.8 GHz. Sierra Monolithics also has evaluation kits available. The kits provide a complete RF section at 3.5 GHz suitable for half duplex frequency division duplex (FDD) or time division duplex (TDD) operation. "Standards-based, cost-effective WiMAX modems and gateways are key to the success of the wireless broadband...

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Motorola Invests in Asylum Telecom for Messaging Apps

Motorola Ventures has made an equity investment in Asylum Telecom, a start-up offering "turnkey" Internet-based communication solutions. Asylum's product portfolio includes anytime-anywhere access, voice VPN services, converged GSM/IP mobile, and instant messaging. The solution includes full OSS/BSS (Operation and Business Support Systems). Asylum sells through a global network of channel partners. Financial terms were not disclosed.Asylum Telecom was founded in February 2003 and is headquartered in New York with R&D and operational support...

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Verizon Signs A&E for its IPTV Service

Verizon signed a long-term programming- distribution agreement with A&E Television Networks. The agreement includes rights to distribute all of A&E's networks on FiOS TV, which launches later this year. They include A&E, The History Channel, The Biography Channel, History International, Military History Channel, The History Channel en español, and Crime & Investigation Network. Also included is video-on-demand content from all of A&E Television Network services. Financial terms were not disclosed.http://www.verizon.comLast...

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Ericsson Predicts 2 Billion Mobile Subscriber Worldwide by Year End

Ericsson estimated that net mobile subscriber additions worldwide were close to 100 million in the first quarter of 2005. At the end of the quarter worldwide mobile subscription penetration is 28% with a total of more than 1.8 billion subscriptions, of which almost 1.4 billion are GSM. The strong subscriber growth continues and the global number of subscriptions could pass 2 billion already by year-end. Ericsson reported Q1 2005 net sales of SEK 31.5, up 12% over Q1 2004, but down 20% from Q4 2004 due to seasonality. The company described the year-over-year...

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Broadwing to Sell its Corvis Optical Switch Division

Broadwing is considering strategic alternatives for its Optical Convergence Switch (OCS) digital cross-connect product, including a potential sale of the product, in order to focus on its telecommunications services business.The OCS digital cross-connect switch provides standard point-to-point, ring and mesh networking functionality that enables delivery of SONET/SDH services and is sold by the Broadwing's communications equipment division. Broadwing previously reported that its equipment sales, primarily to the U.S. government, contributed approximately...

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Nokia Sees Overall Mobile Device Market at 740 Million Units for 05

Nokia now expects the overall mobile device market for 2005 to reach about 740 million units, compared with its previous estimate of approximately 10% annual growth, from an estimated 643 million units in 2004. The overall market is also expected to grow in value, but to a lesser extent. Volume growth is expected to continue to be driven by replacement and upgrade sales in more developed markets, with the availability of new features, services and cameras, and by new subscriber growth in developing mobile markets. In infrastructure, Nokia continues...

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Hong Kong Broadband Launches 1 Gbps Home Service for US$215/month

Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) officially launched its 1 Gbps symmetric service for the residential market. Approximately 800,000 households, out of a total of 2.2 million households in Hong Kong, are wired to receive the service. The 1 Gbps symmetric service is priced at US$215 per month.HKBN noted that its 1 Gbps service is up to 166x faster downstream and 1,950x faster upstream than the advertised bandwidth of the incumbent's ADSL service.HKBN Premium bb1000 service is being offered on the same metro Ethernet infrastructure that delivers...

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Thomson Acquires Cirpack for its Softswitches

Thomson has acquired Cirpack, a privately-held developer of class-5 softswitching solutions based near Paris. Financial terms were not disclosed.Cirpack claims 45 telco and ISP customers in 15 countries. The customer list includes Free, a subsidiary of the Iliad Group and the second largest French ISP, which is using a joint solution from IBM and Cirpack to deliver a consumer VoIP service over unbundled DSL lines. The residential VoIP is provided as an add-on to the company's ADSL service in the areas where Free has deployed its own DSL infrastructure....

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