Vativ Raises $11 Million for Copper Transport DSPs

Vativ, a start-up based in San Diego, raised $11 million in a second round of venture funding for its DSP-based silicon solutions for high-bandwidth transport over copper. The company is preparing to launch high performance digital television products and its 10Gigabit Ethernet devices.


Participating in this round are new investors InnoCal Venture Capital, the lead investor, and the Intel Digital Home Fund. Existing investors, Redpoint Venture Capital, Mission Ventures, and QUALCOMM co-founder Dr. Andrew Viterbi also participated in the round.
http://www.vativ.com/

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8x8 Adds Rate Centers for Local Inbound and E911

8x8 has added 987 new U.S. rate centers for Local Inbound Service and 660 rate centers for E911 service to all Packet8 broadband calling plans.


Packet8 residential VoIP service, which uses Level 3's (3)VoIP Local Inbound Service, now covers 3,883 U.S. rate centers, significantly increasing the availability of the service throughout the country. The additional E911 rate centers broaden the availability of this optional Packet8 service feature to a total of 1607 rate centers including newly added cities such as Dallas, Louisville, Memphis, Flagstaff and Spokane.
http://www.8x8.com/

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FCC Launches Consumer Site to Promote DTV

The FCC launched a web site to promote digital television (DTV) to U.S. consumers.
http://www.dtv.gov/

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Netgear Posts Q4 Revenue of $105.1 million, 21% year-over-year

NETGEAR reported Q4 revenue of $105.1 million, a 4% increase as compared to $101.2 million for the third quarter of 2004, and a 21% increase as compared to $86.8 million for Q4 2003. For the full year 2004, net revenue totaled $383.1 million, a 28% increase over the full year 2003 net revenue of $299.3 million.


Net revenue in the fourth quarter of 2004 derived from North America was $53.7 million, the Europe, Middle East and Africa, or EMEA, region was $44.2 million, and the Asia Pacific region was $7.2 million. There were 12.7 weeks in the fourth quarter of 2004 as compared to 14 weeks in the third quarter of 2004 and 13.4 weeks in the fourth quarter of 2003.


Consumer demand in Europe in Q4 benefited from sales of NETGEAR's DSL 2+ gateways, especially the recently introduced DSL 2+ Super G gateway.


Consumer demand in the U.S. in Q4 was led by sales of NETGEAR's Super G and Super A/G wireless routers and adapters.
http://www.netgear.com

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Nextel Reports Revenue of $13.4 Billion, up 24% for 2004

Nextel Communications Inc. reported record 2004 financial results, including a 24% increase in 2004 revenue to $13.4 billion, a 22% increase in operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA) to $5.1 billion and a 107% increase in income to $3.0 billion, as compared with 2003. Some highlights of the report:

• Nextel ended 2004 with approximately 16.2 million total subscribers, up 22% from the 13.3 million total subscribers at the end of 2003.



• At year-end, the subscriber base consisted of 15 million subscribers of Nextel branded service and 1.2 million subscribers of Boost Mobile branded prepaid service.



• During 2004, Nextel added 2.9 million total subscribers consisting of 2.2 million Nextel subscribers and 755,000 Boost Mobile subscribers.



• During Q4, Nextel added 955,000 total subscribers consisting of 595,000 Nextel subscribers and 360,000 Boost Mobile subscribers.



• Total system minutes of use on the Nextel National Network increased 29% in 2004 to 130.2 billion. Q4 system minutes were 35.2 billion.



• In 2005, Nextel plans to begin the retuning spectrum to public safety and other radio systems.



• Capital expenditures were $574 million in Q4 and $2.35 billion for the year.



• 2005 capital expenditures are expected to be $2.6 billion

http://www.nextel.com

• Nextel Communications formally accepted the FCC's plan to exchange spectrum that potentially interferes with public safety communication systems. The multibillion dollar deal is expected to end years of legal wrangling.



• In December 2004, Sprint and Nextel Communications announced their plans to merge into a larger wireless and integrated communications service provider. The two companies currently serve more than 35 million wireless subscribers and 5 million additional subscribers through affiliates and partners.

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Interphase Selected for AdvancedTCA-Compliant SGSNs

Interphase has been selected by a prominent telecom equipment manufacturer to provide a variety of communications controllers for their first AdvancedTCA-compliant SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node). This service-critical mobile core network element, which provides the continuity of data communication throughout the different cells of the mobile network, was recently announced at 3GSM World Congress 2005 in Cannes, and represents one of the world's first applications of AdvancedTCA-based network equipment.



The name of the telecom equipment manufacturer was not disclosed.



Interphase AdvancedTCA-compliant products featured in the SGSN platform include a quad-port rear access Gigabit Ethernet PMC network interface card, an OC-3/STM-1 PTMC/PMC module, a dual-port T1/E1/J1 rear access communications controller, and a custom-designed rear transition module to support the T1/E1/J1 and Gigabit Ethernet traffic through the back of the system.
http://www.interphase.com

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BT/iO Launches Mobile Content Mgt and Delivery Service

iO, a start-up jointly funded by BT and New Venture Partners, unveiled its new service for managing and delivering mobile content. The service provides packaging, pricing, presentation, purchase, delivery and billing for mobile content. iO initially will be marketed to mobile network operators as a complete outsourced solution for content delivery on a revenue-share basis by BT Global Services.


Mobile network operators would gain more rapid access to, and deployment of, a vast range of branded, global and local content (such as video, audio, MMS and SMS, among others) with minimal investment and risk. Operators can also manage marketing, pricing and billing through dynamic, operator-controlled, consumer portal interfaces (Web and WAP) while keeping control over the branding and presentation of customer interfaces. .


For content providers the iO solution provides advanced tools for packaging and pricing mobile content. It also provides immediate access to multiple mobile operators while protecting brand and intellectual property rights. Consumers benefit from instant access to a broader range of global and local content from major brands. .


iO's service is based on technologies originally developed within BT.
http://www.btplc.com

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Zarlink Appoints New CEO, Announces Restructuring

Zarlink Semiconductor announced the appointment of Kirk K. Mandy as the company's new President and CEO. Mandy has been associated with Zarlink Semiconductor and Mitel Corporation for 21 years in a variety of increasingly senior positions. He was named Vice President and General Manager of Mitel's Semiconductor division in 1992 and later assumed responsibility for the Business Communications Systems division. Mr. Mandy was CEO of Mitel from 1998 to 2001 and joined the Board as Vice Chairman when Zarlink was formed in 2001.


Zarlink also issued guidance for the Fiscal 2005 fourth quarter ending March 25, 2005. Based on current booking patterns, Zarlink is forecasting that revenues will be between US$47 million and US$49 million in the fourth quarter. In addition, the Company is today announcing cost reductions that are expected to generate annualized savings of US$20 million, the quarterly benefit of which will begin to be realized in the first quarter of Fiscal 2006. Accordingly, Zarlink expects to record additional charges in the fourth quarter of approximately US$18 million or US$0.14 per share, related to reducing its workforce by approximately 15% and stopping certain R&D programs, primarily the development of a digital video decoder. These programs do not involve products currently generating revenue.
http://www.zarlink.com

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IBM to Invest $100 million in Linux Network-Delivered Computing

IBM unveiled plans to invest $100 million over three years to expand Linux support and technology across its Workplace software portfolio. The investment will be focused on ISV support programs, channel and partner enablement and promotion, research and development, sales and marketing, and various technology and integration centers.


IBM's server-managed client model enables customers to centrally manage and deploy business applications and data to a range of devices as needed -- from traditional desktops and laptops to a range of devices such as shop-floor terminals, PDAs and cell phones. IBM Workplace Client Technology enables products and applications to run on a variety of operating systems, including Linux, which provides an additional choice for customers looking for a client-side Linux solution.
http://www.ibm.com

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Germany Sees Growing Competition in Broadband Access

Germany ended 2004 with nearly seven million broadband connections, 20% of which were operated by competitors, according to the latest figures from Germany's Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Post (RegTP). In the previous year this figure was 11%, which means it has almost doubled within the space of a year. Amongst new broadband customers, the competitors have gained 33% of the market, and this trend was strengthening at year's end. RegTP credits competition and Deutsche Telekom's resale model for these positive trends.


Competitive carriers rented over two million local loops from Deutsche Telekom in 2004.


"Last year, many of the concerns voiced about the telecommunications market possibly being 'remonopolised' and competition being weakened by the bursting of the telecoms bubble in 2000 were dispelled. Whereas in the US we have new megafusions in the telecoms market, in Germany service diversity is on the rise and we are seeing a growing dynamic among providers making new investments in infrastructure", wrote Matthias Kurth, President of the Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Post (RegTP).
http://www.regtp.de

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Akamai Revenues Rise 8% Sequentially

Akamai Technologies reported Q4 revenue of $57.6 million, an 8 percent increase over the previous quarter's revenue of $53.3 million, and a 27 percent increase over fourth quarter 2003 revenue of $45.2 million. Total revenue for 2004 was $210.0 million, a 30 percent increase over 2003 revenue of $161.3 million. Q4 net income (GAAP) was $13.4 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, a 19 percent increase over previous quarter net income of $11.2 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, and a $15.5 million improvement over the 2003 fourth quarter net loss of $2.1 million, or a loss of $0.02 per share.


"These quarterly and full-year financial results were the most successful in the company's six-year history," said George Conrades, chairman and CEO of Akamai. "In 2004, we demonstrated the power of the Akamai business model by delivering strong revenue growth, high profit margins, sustainable cash flow, and increasing profitability. The market opportunity for our on-demand platform, our growing customer base, and our demonstrated ability to innovate will continue to drive our success."http://www.akamai.com

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