The MultiService Forum (MSF) Expands Membership, Sets 2005/6 Course

The Multiservice Switching Forum has changed its name to the MultiService Forum (MSF) and published the results of its GMI Interoperability Event that was held in October 2004. The GMI 2004 interoperability event, which ran concurrently at four carrier labs (NTT, KT, BT and Qwest) from October 4th to 16th , tested state-of-the-art network elements against the specific protocols defined in MSF Implementation Agreements (IAs) for supporting a fully integrated VoIP solution. These network elements included softswitches, application servers, media...

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MCI And Tellme to Deliver Internet-Based Contact Center Solutions

MCI and Tellme Networks plan to offer Internet-based contact center solutions to large enterprise customers in financial, insurance and healthcare industries and the government sector. The two companies are now jointly selling customer self-service solutions running on Tellme's network and integrated with MCI's routing platform for live agent support. This combination means MCI customers can take advantage of Tellme's Internet-based and carrier-grade network to power their customer service phone numbers."We are at the very beginning of what is...

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Adelphia Selects Level 3 for Wholesale VoIP

Adelphia Communications, the fifth-largest cable operator in the U.S., selected Level 3 as its exclusive wholesale VoIP services provider for residential voice services that Adelphia expects to begin offering to customers in select markets in 2005.Level 3 will provide Adelphia with (3)VoIP Enhanced Local service, a wholesale residential voice solution that provides connectivity to the PSTN and other enhanced features. Adelphia currently has approximately 5.2 million cable customers and 1.4 million cable modem Internet customers in 31 states and...

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Siemens Broadens its Startup Investment Focus

Siemens is broadening its start-up investment focus from wireless technologies to cover the entire communications sector. To reflect this new mandate, Siemens Mobile Acceleration (SMAC) is changing its name to Siemens Acceleration in Communication. The company plans to invest $100 million over the next five years in start-ups in the communications field in Europe, Israel, North America and Asia. It currently holds stakes in 21 portfolio companies. The extended scope of Siemens Acceleration follows the recent merger of the Siemens fixed and mobile...

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Siemens Signs EUR 200 Million GSM Contract with Russia's MegaFon

MegaFon, one of the top three mobile operators in Russia, selected Siemens Communications for the expansion of its GSM networks. The framework agreement that was signed in August 2004 has now been extended from EUR 60 to EUR 200 million. It covers delivery and installation of GSM switching and radio infrastructure for the MegaFon branches in the Volga and Ural regions. MegaFon currently has over 15 million mobile subscribers. http://www.siemens....

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MASERGY Secures $45 Million for MPLS VPN Services

Masergy Communications raised $45 million in third round funding for its MPLS VPN Services for multinational enterprises. The company operates a global network with nodes in over 30 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North and South America.The funding round included $15 million in capital from Comerica Bank, new funding from West Asset Management, and additional investments from Centennial Ventures and Meritage Private Equity Funds. This funding exceeds MASERGY's financial requirements to reach cash flow break even, which...

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Qwest Pushes its Bid for MCI

Qwest Communications is expected to submit a new bid to acquire MCI.Richard C. Notebaert, Qwest chairman and CEO, said "Our activities over the next 24 hours will demonstrate our commitment to winning MCI. It is unfortunate that some in the process feel MCI shareholders should be deprived of the true value of their asset. MCI is a valuable property and shareholders deserve the present and future value that Qwest is committed to deliver. Historical commentaries serve no purpose as we look to the future of the communications sector and foster co...

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Kevin Martin Named as Next FCC Chairman

President Bush nominated Kevin J. Martin to serve as the next FCC Chairman, replacing the outgoing Michael K. Powell. Martin does not need to be confirmed by the Senate because he has served as FCC Commissioner since 2001.During his tenure as FCC Commissioner, Martin gained notoriety for breaking ranks with the FCC's two other Republican members on the Triennial Review Order, which Martin defended as being in the best interest of competition and...

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MetaSwitch Expands in SF Bay Area

MetaSwitch has relocated its West Coast offices in order to accommodate its rapid growth over the last 12 months. The new premises in Alameda, California is roughly double in size of the previous facility and adds a Demo Lab and Training Center.http://www.metaswitch....

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SS8 Networks Opens R&D Center in Nanjing, China

SS8 Networks opened a new research and development center in Nanjing, China to address the growing trend to converged networks of TDM and VoIP. Dr. Richard Hsueh has been named CEO of the wholly owned entity. Hsueh is also vice president, engineering at SS8 Networks, and he oversees the company's R&D efforts in the United States and internationally in India and China. He also was invited by the Chinese government to serve as chairperson of an advisory team to review China's ninth (1996-2000) National Five-year Strategic Plan for the Software...

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Tandberg Selected for European MPEG-4 AVC TV over DSL System

TANDBERG Television announced a contract valued over EUR 4 million to supply TV over DSL system for a leading European telco. The name of the service provider was not disclosed. The commercial TV-over-DSL network is expected to launch in summer 2005.The contract is for an MPEG-4 part 10 (H.264/AVC) video head-end and TANDBERG Television will deploy its EN5930 encoding system to support ingest and delivery of MPEG-4 AVC video, as well as enable MPEG-2 encoding. The EN5930 is TANDBERG Television's standard definition MPEG-4 AVC encoding system...

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Cisco to Resell OPNET's Management Software

Cisco Systems will resell OPNET Technologies' management software for networks and applications under a multiyear worldwide distribution agreement. The OEM deal includes a broad range of OPNET's advanced analytical applications for the enterprise market.OPNET and the Cisco Network Management Technology Group will also collaborate on new network management solutions. OPNET's solutions address: application performance troubleshooting; application deployment planning; systems capacity planning; network configuration auditing; network capacity and...

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Global Crossing Awarded US$100 Million Contract by British Council

The British Council, the UK's international organization for educational opportunities and cultural relations, awarded a US$100 million contract to Global Crossing to provide global network connectivity. Under the seven-year contract, Global Crossing will provide a fully managed, terrestrial and satellite IP-based network connecting more than 7,000 users at 260 offices in 110 countries.The British Council is a registered charity whose aim is to stimulate and promote cultural relations and educational partnerships between the UK and the rest of...

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Netopia Teams with VeriFone for Wi-Fi Merchant POS

Netopia's Wi-Fi gateways have been tested and qualified to interoperate with VeriFone's Omni 3750 and Vx 610 wireless payment solutions. Retail merchants are embracing the use of broadband access to speed up payment processing and support new business applications. As part of this transition, wireless networks offer important cost and usability benefits to retailers, from being able to add new equipment without additional wiring to setting up check-out kiosks anywhere in the store. VeriFone provides a broad selection of wireless payment solutions...

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Labs2 Chooses Net Insight for Scandinavian IPTV Triple-Play Network

Labs2, a Swedish broadband services developer and provider, is using Net Insight's Nimbra platform to build a Scandinavian IPTV triple-play network. The new network will be used to distribute TV, HDTV, Video-on-Demand, telephony and data services. Broadcasters and media companies will use the network for contribution and distribution of programming. Service providers will also be able to use the network to deliver triple play services to their broadband customers. The network will be fully operational during March 2005. http://www.netinsight....

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