Hungarian Research Net Upgrades Backbone with Cisco

MATAV has inaugurated a new 10 Gbps national backbone network in Hungary that provides high-speed Internet access for the Budapest headquarters of the Hungarian National Research Education Network (Hungarian NREN). It will also support seven universities, which operate as regional network centres, and several other research and educational institutions. The new network will help ensure reliable access to the GEANT2 computer network (the pan-European research network supported by the European Union) for nearly 600,000 users of the Hungarian NREN in almost 700 institutions.


The newly inaugurated backbone uses Cisco Systems' ONS 15454 MSTP platform, which allows expansion to 10 Gbps connections within the existing DWDM infrastructure.
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European Researchers Select DS2's 200 Mbps Powerline Technology

The Open PLC European Research Alliance, which brings together electric utilities, telecom companies, equipment suppliers and university research groups under an EU-sponsored program, has selected 200 Mbps power line communications technology developed by chip supplier Design of Systems on Silicon (DS2). This technology has been selected as the baseline to develop and complete the OPERA Power Line Communications (PLC) solution within Work Package 3 of the Project with major contributions from WP partners, notably, ASCOM, ADD, Dimat, Elsys, Mainnet, Mitsubishi, Robotiker, Telvent, University of Dresden, University of Karlsruhe, and Itran. The OPERA PLC solution will be promoted to the European Standardisation organisations.


OPERA is an ambitious industry-led consortium of 37 companies and universities from 10 European countries, with a total budget of EUR 20 million, partially funded by the European Commission under its 6th R&D Framework Programme.


OPERA aims to: (i) improve current low voltage (LV) and medium voltage (MV) PLC systems in particular in relation to couplers, EMC aspects and improving PLC equipment; (ii) to develop optimal solutions for connection of the PLC access networks to the backbone network (Wi-MAX, LMDS, satellite, MV PLC, WI-Fi etc.) so as to reach all end users independent of location, and (iii) to develop "ready to sell services" over PLC technology and design or improve low cost user terminals.


To meet these ambitious objectives, the OPERA Steering Committee endorsed a technology selection process based on the Marketing and Functional Requirement Document submitted by the Standardisation Working Group of OPERA, which includes those from the PLC Utilities Alliance (PUA). Major European utility companies including ENDESA, ENEL, EDF, and IBERDROLA, all of them members of the OPERA Steering Committee, have managed the selection process, that followed an open call for proposals and a test plan to evaluate performance, notching capabilities and industrial maturity of the state of the art available technologies.


The technology selection process is the first step in a process that will produce multiple sources of future standard, interoperable PLC equipment. Field trials are scheduled to start from mid-June 2005.
http://www.ist-OPERA.org

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MCI's Q4 Revenue Declines 2% Sequentially, 10% YoY

MCI reported Q4 2004 revenue of $5.0 billion, a decline of 2 percent sequentially and 10 percent year-over-year. Enterprise Markets revenue increased 1 percent sequentially, Commercial Markets revenue was flat sequentially and Mass Markets revenue was down 9 percent sequentially.


For the full year 2004, revenues totaled $20.7 billion, down 15 percent from 2003 revenues of $24.3 billion. Operating loss was $3.2 billion. Operating income before $1.9 billion of depreciation and amortization, a $1 million gain on property dispositions and $3.5 billion of impairment charges would have been $2.2 billion in 2004. In 2003, operating income was $0.7 billion; operating income before $2.3 billion of depreciation and amortization, and a $43 million loss on property dispositions would have been $3.0 billion.


MCI's Q4 operating expenses totaled $4.5 billion, down 8 percent sequentially (excluding pre-tax impairment charges of $3.5 billion) and down 23 percent year-over-year. Access costs decreased 1 percent sequentially and declined 13 percent year-over-year. Selling, general and administrative costs fell 16 percent sequentially and 36 percent year-over-year. Included in operating expenses for the fourth quarter were $24 million of severance and reorganization costs.


Operating income for the fourth quarter of 2004 was $434 million, compared to an operating loss of $3.4 billion, (or operating income of $121 million excluding pre-tax impairment charges of $3.5 billion) in the third quarter of 2004 and an operating loss of $332 million in the fourth quarter of 2003.


2005 Guidance


Based on the existing regulatory environment and assuming no significant acquisitions or divestitures, MCI expects to generate revenues of $18 billion to $19 billion in 2005, down 10 percent to 14 percent from 2004. The revenue decline primarily reflects a change in Mass Markets revenues as recent regulatory changes impact our ability to serve the consumer market on a profitable basis.


MCI expects to generate operating income before depreciation and amortization (estimated at $1.4 billion to $1.5 billion) of $1.8 billion to $2.0 billion in 2005. MCI's plans indicate that incremental revenue and profits from new services will boost second half revenues and operating profitability over first half levels.


Capital expenditures of approximately $1.0 billion are planned in 2005, as MCI accelerates new product and service offerings in Private IP, security, hosting and network management. MCI will continue to invest in Ultra Long Haul technology, and continue the expansion of its MPLS node structure.
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Asia Netcom and Japanese Partners Deliver HD Video over IP

Asia Netcom Japan, together with Miyagi Networks and Frontiers, completed a large scale test HDTV over a shared Internet backbone. The trial was conducted using HDTV content (MPEG-2) from Miyagi Networks -- a CATV and broadband service provider in the Sendai Miyagi prefecture; Asia Netcom Japan's Internet backbone; and equipment from Frontiers, a manufacturer of HDTV transmission hardware (HDx1000), which combines "Hi-vision," an MPEG-2 encoder and a Video-over-IP gateway. The trial transmitted HDTV content between the Sendai area and Miyagi's CATV and media partners in the Tokyo area. The companies described the transmission over the 700km distance in the shared Internet backbone as a complete success resulting in nearly zero packet loss and no network delay.


During the trial, the HDTV content was compressed into MPEG2-TS data and sent out at a bit-rate of 20 Mbps, as well as compressed into TS 30 Mbps. In both cases, the HD data was transmitted in real time over Asia Netcom Japan's shared Internet backbone with excellent performance levels with nearly no packet loss or network delay.


"The result of the test means that, in addition to Japanese HDTV operators, media companies in the region and across the globe, can leverage this platform for the transmission of high-definition content over Asia Netcom's global Internet backbone," said Hideo Ishii, Asia Netcom Japan's Director of IP architecture. "This real time high-definition video transmission system is the ideal platform to support international events such as the Olympic Games or the Football World Cup, which requires real-time transmission of video across the globe."http://www.asianetcom.com

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BT Completes Acquisition of Infonet

BT completed its acquisition of Infonet, one of the world's leading providers of global managed voice and data network services for corporate customers. Infonet, which will be renamed BT Infonet, becomes part of BT Global Services.


Andy Green, CEO BT Global Services, said: "The combination of BT Global Services and Infonet will create a clear leader in the networked IT services market, and will enhance our position as the supplier of choice for multi-site organisations around the world."http://www.btplc.com

• In 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). Infonet, which is based in El Segundo, California, has local operations in 70 countries and claims 1,800 multinational customers -- including Siemens, Nokia, Bayer AG International, IBM and Hilton International.

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