Thursday, March 3, 2005

Infinera to Present 10x40 Gbps Photonic Integrated Circuits

At next week's OFC/NFOEC 2005 conference in Anaheim, California, Infinera will present four papers including a paper describing technical results of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) capable of carrying 400 Gbps of telecommunications traffic per chip.


In May 2004, Infinera introduced the first commercial, large-scale PICs, which integrate over 50 photonic devices on a chip and support 100 Gbps of Wave Division Multiplexing transmission. The devices, which serve as the heart of the Infinera DTN digital optical networking system, are now carrying live telecom traffic in multiple networks.


Infinera said the R&D results to be presented at OFC/NFOEC on a next-generation 400 Gbps PIC demonstrate the scalability of PIC technology to greater data rates and capabilities, in this case delivering a 4x increase in capacity compared to first-generation PICs and 40x capacity over other integrated components.
http://www.infinera.com
  • In October 2004, Infinera, a start-up based in Sunnyvale, California, raised $52 million in new funding for its Photonic Integrated Circuit technology. The company has raised $205 million to date. Strategic investors in this round include UTStarcom and CTC (Itochu Techno-Science Corporation), both of which are collaborating with Infinera to provide optical networking solutions in Asia.


  • Infinera is offering an optical transport platform based on its Photonic Integrated Circuits. The Infinera DTN supports 400 Gbps, i.e., forty 10 Gbps channels in a half rack, and 800Gbps (eighty 10 Gbps channels) in a full rack.. 100 Gbps line cards support a variety of hot-swappable client interfaces including OC-192/STM-64, OC-48/STM-16, 10 Gigabit Ethernet LAN PHY and WAN PHY, and Gigabit Ethernet. The platform runs Infinera's IQ Network Operating System to automate network discovery, configuration, and provisioning via GMPLS.

  • Unlike conventional optical systems, which use analog optical devices for key networking functions, the Infinera DTN uses digital technology. Its photonic integrated circuits convert all traffic from optical to electronic signals, allowing the DTN to add and drop, multiplex, groom, and protect circuits digitally rather than optically. Infinera's Photonic Integrated Circuits include a 100 Gbps transmitter, which integrates ten lasers, ten 10 Gbps modulators, and an optical multiplexer; as well as a 100 Gbps receiver, which integrates an optical demultiplexer and ten photodiodes. Each enables low-cost optical-electrical conversion on a semiconductor chip.





CoreOptics and Fujitsu Team on 40 Gbps Integrated Circuits

CoreOptics and Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe announced an agreement to provide a complete set of 40 Gbps Integrated Circuit solutions for applications in the high capacity DWDM optical transport, IP Networking as well as test and measurement industries.


"The general availability of these complete and ready-to-use 40 Gb/s building blocks signifies the emergence of the third generation of cost effective and fully integrated 40 Gb/s client and line solutions for our industry," said Achim Herzberger, CoreOptics Co-founder and Vice President of Product Management. "Through our agreement with Fujitsu, we are now offering the complete chip set (43 Gbps Ultra-FEC, 40G Mux/DeMux for 4x10G client signals and Interface Converter supporting SFI-5s, SFI-4, XFI) and Transponder modules (300 pin 40 Gbps Single Channel Short Reach and 40/43G DWDM) to enable building of 40 Gbps Open Tolerant Networks."


"CoreOptics has demonstrated a strong leadership in providing innovative solutions in the 10 Gbps and 40 Gbps subsystems to our shared customers globally," said Dirk Weinsziehr, Senior Director of Marketing at Fujitsu Microelectronics Europe. Our exclusive relationship for the distribution of Fujitsu Microelectronics 40G ASICs through CoreOptics will further enable our customers to benefit from the full set of best-in-class solutions available from CoreOptics."http://www.CoreOptics.com

VocalTec Receives NASDAQ Notification

VocalTec received a notice from the Nasdaq Stock Market of its non compliance with the $10 million minimum stockholders' equity requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq National Market. In response, VocalTec has submitted to Nasdaq a plan to achieve and sustain compliance with all Nasdaq National Market listing requirements, including the minimum stockholders' equity standard. If Nasdaq does not accept the plan, it may issue a delisting notice and in such event the company will consider other alternatives, including listing on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market. http://www.vocaltec.com

Comcast Provides Monthly Activity Reports to VOD Content Providers

Comcast will begin making monthly on-demand reports available for no charge to participating video on demand content providers. Comcast said it is its using Rentrak's OnDemand Essentials measurement system to provide anonymous, non-personally identifiable information about how customers are using VOD. The availability of timely reports is important for VOD programmers and advertisers.


The new reporting activity This extends an earlier agreement for Comcast to use Rentrak's OnDemand Essentials system to internally analyze data across four standardized metrics: the number of VOD-enabled set-top boxes in a Designated Market Area; total views by program per month; the number of unique set-top boxes viewing a program by month; and the total minutes viewed by program per month. Each content provider will only receive program-specific reports for their own content.


"Our ON DEMAND business is on track to reach more than one billion views in 2005, and accurate and timely measurement is the next step in the evolution of VOD," said Page Thompson, Vice President and General Manager of Comcast ON DEMAND. "We're pleased to continue our work with Rentrak to launch a reporting system across all of our Comcast ON DEMAND markets, which will help make VOD one of the most accurately measured media available."http://www.comcast.com
http://www.rentrak.comIn 2004, Comcast Digital Cable customers viewed 567 million ON DEMAND programs, and the average household now uses ON DEMAND 23 times a month.

Comcast ON DEMAND is available to nearly 85% of the company's customers. Comcast currently has more than 3,000 titles in its VOD library. The company said more than 95% of programs on Comcast ON DEMAND are available at no additional charge.

Vonage Suffers Widespread Outage

Vonage suffered a widespread network outage on March 4 at 2:45 EST affecting nearly half its 500,000 customers across the U.S. Both inbound and outbound calling via its VoIP service, as well as its website and voicemail system, were down periodically throughout the afternoon. Vonage attributed the outage to a glitch in a software upgrade to its network. http://www.vonage.com

OCP Introduces 1.3 micron VCSEL-Based GigE Transceivers

Optical Communication Products introduced its Gigabit Ethernet extended reach (XR) pluggable transceivers. The 1.3 micron VCSEL-based product line increases the effective transmission distance of a Gigabit Ethernet link over legacy multimode fiber (MMF) to 2,000m. It is available in SFP and GBIC form factors.


The XR product family utilizes a 1.3 micron VCSEL as its laser source with an optical link budget of 8.5dB to achieve the 2km transmission distance over legacy multimode fiber.

http://www.ocp-inc.com

Nortel Appoints Former Cisco Exec as New President

Nortel Networks announced the following senior management changes:

  • Bill Owens, currently president and CEO, will become the vice chairman and CEO.


  • Gary Daichendt has been appointed to the position of president and chief operating officer (COO) reporting to Owens. Daichendt was previously executive vice president, Worldwide Operations, Cisco Systems. In his new role Daichendt will be responsible for leading Nortel's carrier and enterprise businesses, research and development, services and supply chain functions and global sales and operations.


  • Peter Currie, who was appointed CFO effective February 14, 2005, will become executive vice president and CFO.


  • Pascal Debon, currently president, Carrier Networks, will assume the role of special advisor to the vice chairman and CEO.
http://www.nortel.com

New MSA for Multi-Standard Quad SFP Optical Transceivers

Nine leading networking component suppliers agreed to jointly create a new Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) for an integrated multi-standard Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) transceiver to support Ethernet, Fibre Channel and SONET/SDH with data rates of up to 4.25 Gbps.

The QSFP MSA defines a transceiver module mechanical form-factor with latching mechanism and a host board SFP-like electrical edge connector and cage. The hot-pluggable module integrates four transmit and four receive channels with a standard MPO parallel optical connector. The QSFP device features digital optical diagnostic capability to monitor the link performance. The MSA will also define a multi-cage stacking configuration for increased density applications.

This highly integrated transceiver module will enable network equipment manufacturers to increase port density and system data throughput and consequently reduce costs per Gb/s significantly.

The QSFP MSA group will make details of the specification available to the industry, so that other optical transceiver manufacturers can produce compatible products. Various companies expect to begin shipping QSFP transceivers in the first half of 2006.

Participating companies include Agilent Technologies, Applied Micro Circuits Corp., Hitachi-Cable America, Infineon Technologies Fiber Optics, JDS Uniphase, Molex, Optical Communication Products, Picolight and Tyco Electronics.
http://www.qsfpmsa.org

NuVox Deploys Acme Packet's Session Border Controllers

NuVox Communications, an integrated communications provider serving business customers in the southeastern and midwestern U.S., will deploy Acme Packet's Net-Net session border controllers for its hosted business VoIP offering beginning in the second quarter of 2005. The Net-Net products are satisfying the security, service level agreement assurance, service reach and regulatory requirements for the delivery of premium IP services, such as VoIP. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.acmepacket.com
  • NuVox is using the Sonus Insignus platform in its long distance network.

Sun Microsytems Installs 10 GigE/Copper from SYSTIMAX

Sun Microsystems is installing a 10 Gigabit Ethernet over copper/UTP cabling solution from SYSTIMAXinto a major operational hub in the United Kingdom. SYSTIMAX Solutions believes it is the first vendor to provide a complete UTP solution that complies with the latest IEEE 802.3an task force guidelines for 10GBASE-T. http://www.systimax.com

Verizon Wireless Completes Purchase of Qwest Spectrum

Verizon Wireless completed its purchase Qwest Wireless' spectrum licenses and certain network assets for $418 million. The deal was first announced in July 2004.


The agreement includes spectrum licenses in 62 markets in 14 western and mid-western states, covering a population of 30.8 million people. These licenses, all in the 1900 MHz PCS frequency range, average nearly 10 MHz per market. The transaction also includes Qwest Wireless' network switching centers, cell sites and related network equipment, which operate on the CDMA standard, the same as the Verizon Wireless network.


Fifty-four of the licenses are in markets where Verizon Wireless already operates its network, and will be used to expand capacity to meet growing demand for voice and data services. The deal does not include
http://www.verizonwireless.com

Verizon Raises Quarterly Dividend 5.2%

Verizon Communications declared a quarterly dividend of 40.5 cents per outstanding share, an increase of 2 cents, or 5.2%, from the previous quarter. The dividend is payable on May 2, 2005, to Verizon Communications shareowners of record at the close of business April 8.

Verizon has approximately 2.7 million shareowners and approximately 2.8 billion shares of common stock outstanding. In 2004, the company made $4.3 billion in dividend payments.
http://www.verizon.com/