Skype announced that it now has more than 23 million registered users and is adding more than 130,000 new users per day. The company also released software versions for Mac OS X and Linux. http://www.skype....
Monday, January 31, 2005
Alcatel Supplies DSL in Oman, Yemen
Omantel, the incumbent operator in the Sultanate of Oman, has deployed the Alcatel 7300 Advanced Services Access Manager throughout the country to offer advanced broadband services to their residential users and enterprise customers. Commercial services were launched at the beginning of November 2004. Separately, Alcatel has been selected by Yemen Telecom to supply equipment for a DSL network. The first phase of the agreement covers the installation of 3,000 DSL lines, which will be put into commercial operation this month. http://www.alcat...
Hong Kong Broadband Net Offers 100 Mbps Residential Ethernet
Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited (HKBN) has launched a 100 Mbps residential broadband service based on Cisco Systems' Metro Ethernet, IP and optical network solutions. HKBN is installing more than 10,000 Cisco LAN switches and more than 800 Cisco routers in buildings throughout Hong Kong. Category 5e copper cables are wired from the LAN switch cabinet to the apartments of each target customer. Fiber-to-the-building (FTTB) was deployed between the buildings using the Cisco ONS 15454 Multiservice Transport Platform (MSTP) and Cisco Catalyst...
Meru Wins GSA Contract for WLAN and VoWLAN
Meru Networks was awarded Federal Supply Schedule contract approval by the General Services Administration, enabling U.S. federal agencies, the Department of Defense, and state and local government agencies to purchase Meru voice and data products for Wi-Fi (802.11) wireless LAN applications. The company expects government agencies will benefit from converged voice and data WLANs. http://www.merunetworks.c...
U.S. Marine Corps Selects net.com's Promina, SHOUT Platforms
The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command has selected net.com's Promina multiservice access and SHOUT900 IP telephony platforms for domestic and overseas deployment in the Joint Enhanced Core Communications System (JECCS). The initial order for 11 JECCS units is valued at approximately $3 million. JECCS, a Humvee-mounted multifunctional communications system, enables deployed forces to establish mobile network connectivity between land and sea operations. The system leverages the Promina platform to provide both secure and non-secure voice and...
Verizon Launches iobi to Small Businesses in NYC, New England
Verizon launched iobi Professional for small businesses in New York and New England. The IP-based service provides individuals with call-management, voice mail, e-mail and other communications services using their PCs, the Web or a voice portal. Additional features include dynamic call log, address book, calendar, text messaging, e-mail messaging, instant SuperPages and personal directory number lookup, an always-on weather display, and access to calling-party maps. Iobi Professional operates over a variety of Verizon wireline services including...
BT to Manage THALES Network Services
BT was awarded a five-year contract by THALES Group, an international electronics and systems group serving the defense, aeronautics, security and services markets. Under the deal, BT will manage all fixed voice and data network services for THALES and its subsidiaries in 42 countries. BT will take over all operational management of their services and some of the existing contracts, and will manage the gradual migration of those services towards an IP platform, enabling progressive and controlled introduction of VoIP. http://www.bt....
Sun Microsystems Offers Grid Computing & Storage Services
Sun Microsystems launched a new "Sun Grid" utility initiative aimed at radically changing the way customers select, acquire and use next-generation IT infrastructure. Sun's new utility offerings include the Sun Grid compute utility and the Sun Grid storage utility. In the coming months, Sun will also roll out additional Sun Grid offerings for the desktop and developer communities. Sun is in the process of rolling out Sun Grid Centers worldwide; initial locations include Virginia, Texas, New Jersey, Canada and Scotland. Sun expects these centers...
SunRocket Selects Netrake for National VoIP Service
SunRocket has selected Netrake' session border controller for its flat-fee residential VoIP phone service. Netrake provides the ability to seamlessly support Hosted Firewall and NAT traversal for offering new, advanced IP services to customers behind enterprise and residential firewalls. Financial terms were not disclosed. SunRocket's all-inclusive annual home phone service features a unique Bottom-Line Pricing model. Special features include distinctive ringing for multiple household members, find me/follow me, do not disturb, and a browser-based...
NBC Universal and CinemaNow Sign VOD Deal
CinemaNow signed a deal with NBC Universal to deliver first-run pay-per-view and library titles, including movies and television event programming, on a streaming basis via the CinemaNow Web site.. Content partners for CinemaNow's video-on-demand service now include 20th Century Fox, Disney, Lions Gate, MGM, Sony, Warner Bros., and over 200 other licensors. The company has distribution rights about 6,500 titles. http://www.cinemanow....
Infonet Establishes Subsidiary in Hong Kong
Infonet Services has established a wholly-owned subsidiary in Hong Kong. The company has been providing services in Hong Kong since 1980 through its partner PCCW (previously known as HKT). PCCW will continue to act as a reseller of Infonet services to local enterprises based in Hong Kong. http://www.infonet.comIn November 2004, BT agreed to acquire Infonet, a provider of international managed voice and data network services, for $965 million (excluding Infonet's net cash balance of $390 million, the aggregate value of the deal is $575 million)....
Covad Release Q4 Network Metrics
Covad Communications release key operating statistics for Q4 2004, including: the addition of 8,300 DSL lines, bringing total lines in service at year end to 533,200 lines, a 3% increase from 517,000 at the end of 2003. Covad ended with 567 VoIP business customers representing approximately 20,500 VoIP stations.http://www.covad....
Telstra BigPond Deploys Juniper Networks E-Series
Australia's Telstra BigPond has chosen Juniper Networks' E-series edge routing platforms to provide connectivity to customers of BigPond's DSL service. At BigPond, the E-series edge routing platforms are being deployed as Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) networking servers to support existing and future subscribers on the Telstra network. L2TP is a secure remote access technology designed to protect sensitive data on DSL and other broadband connections. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.juniper.netTelstra BigPond is Australia's largest...
TIA Estimates U.S. Telecom Spending at $784.5 Billion, up 7.9%
Total spending in the U.S. telecommunications industry rose 7.9% in 2004 to an estimated $784.5 billion -- a significant improvement from gains of 3.6% in 2003 and 1.9% in 2002 -- according to TIA's 2005 Telecommunications Market Review and Forecast. The increased spending was driven by an increase in equipment and software revenue and double-digit increases in wireless services, services in support of equipment, and specialized services. TIA is predicting that the U.S. telecom market will continue growing at a projected 9.5% compound annual growth...
Ericsson to Resell Critical Telecom's Remote Ethernet DSLAM
Ericsson will integrate Critical Telecom's GEmini Remote Ethernet DSLAM into its global Ethernet DSL Access (EDA) broadband portfolio to help service providers deliver such new generation broadband access services as IPTV. The new Gemini Ethernet Remote DSLAM provides integrated GigE backhaul (with two GigE ports) in an environmentally-hardened, compact unit that can be deployed inside of remote cabinets. The unit can be installed without the need...
SBC to Link its Brand with Entertainment Services
SBC Communications will begin offering entertainment gifts and other incentives to encourage residential customers to signup for service bundles of local, long distance, DSL, wireless and satellite TV. The incentive include movie and music downloads, PlayStation2 online enabled videogames, and specialized merchandise. The promotion and advertising campaign are part of an overall initiative to link the SBC brand to premier communications and entertainment services, in advance of the company's introduction later this year of IPTV, VoIP and fast...
SBC - AT&T Merger to Result in 13,000 Layoffs, Reduced CAPEX
Nearly 60% of cost synergies from SBC's proposed acquisition of AT&T are expected to come from headcount reductions, said senior officials from both companies in a conference call from the investment community. SBC currently has about 163,000 employees, while AT&T has 47,000. The layoffs are likely to affect about 13,000 employees. The job cuts are expected to include 550 engineering positions, 1,100 enterprise data ordering positions, 1,200 enterprise data provisioning positions, 1,500 enterprise care functions, 700 network management...
