Nortel Supplies DWDM Upgrade for China's Customs Bureau

The Customs General Administration of the People's Republic of China has selected Nortel's Optical Metro DWDM equipment to extend its networked storage capabilities from its main data center in Beijing to multiple sites across major metropolitan areas. The new China Customs deployment will also support the state-owned Golden Customs initiative, a nationwide project developed to connect the information networks of the customs and foreign trade sectors, promote EDI (electronic data interchange) business communication, and supplement information exchanged on networks with magnetic media.


China Customs' first storage network using DWDM technology will be based on Nortel Optical Metro 5200, which delivers up to 32 protected or 64 unprotected DWDM wavelengths and offers up to 10 Gbps per wavelength via a network modeling tool that simplifies and enhances the efficiency of DWDM deployment and operation. The China Customs network upgrade will also include the compact Nortel Optical Multiservice Edge 6110 to provide low-cost, multiservice aggregation and transport of client services over SONET/SDH networks, and Nortel Optical Metro 1200, a new carrier-class device to simplify delivery of Ethernet services. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.nortel.com

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Harmonic Introduces Video Transport for Small and Mid-Sized MSOs

Harmonic introduced a 1550 nm broadcast video transport system for small to mid-sized cable operators. The new MAXLink R Series 1550 nm broadcast video transport system incorporates Harmonic's MAXLink 1550 nm transmitter, power optical amplifier and broadband receiver components -- each in a compact one rack unit (1RU) enclosure -- to enable a more flexible and economical way of carrying a full line-up of analog and/or digital television services. Harmonic said it expects the MAXLink R Series will be particularly attractive to operators in regions such as China.

http://www.harmonicinc.com

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Internet Usage Patterns Vary Geographically

The amount of time most home Internet users spend online is hitting a plateau in some markets, according to Nielsen//NetRatings, while growing rapidly in others.


Nielsen//NetRatings found that Americans spend on average nearly 14 hours online each month, which is close to the worldwide average. This figure is 2% lower than a year earlier. Those living in Hong Kong surf the longest out of the 12 countries, averaging nearly 22 hours, and up 25% compared to a year earlier. Some others:

• Japan, 14 hours and 50 minutes, up 12%


• France, 14 hours and 25 minutes, up 19%


• Brazil, 13 hours and 13 minutes, up 6%


• Germany, 12 hours and 31 minutes, up 4%


• Spain, 11 hours and 36 minutes, up 5%


• U.K., 11 hours and 20 minutes, up 8%


• Sweden, 10 hours and 29 minutes, up 8%


• Italy, 8 hours, up 15%

Shifts in media consumption, steadily improving online offerings, and growing broadband penetration are seen as the likely factors in growing the number of online user sessions on a global basis. http://www.netratings.com/

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Europe's eMobility Group Seeks to Extend Wireless Lead

A group of 15 telecommunications companies launched an "eMobility Technology Platform" aimed preserving and extending Europe's lead in wireless communications in a way that best serves Europe's citizens and the European economy. The group will work with the research community and public authorities, most notably the European Commission, to create and maintain the required momentum in wireless R&D. The European Commission is currently in the process of finalizing its seventh Research Framework Programme. The hope is to see the current level of R&D funding doubled.


The European Commission estimates that 2.8 million jobs currently depend directly or indirectly on the mobile services industry in EU member states. The mobile services industry is believed to have contributed more the EUR 106 billion to EU GDP in 2004, and end users spent more the EUR 95 billion on mobile services and terminals during 2004, according to an Ovum study.


The key objectives of the eMobility Technology Platform are:

• Development of a common mid- to long-term vision to maximize the benefit of mobile and wireless communications, thus enabling economic and social advance in the EU



• Formulation of the requirements and options for major leading-edge
  applications of common interest



• Identification of a set of generic applications for 2010 - 2020
  



• Formulation of an action plan and time-table for the key developments



• Investment in technology including R&D and human resources



• Evolution of a consistent policy, spectrum and regulatory framework
  facilitating the long-term investments required.

The resulting work is expected to overcome technical challenges such as secured electronic payments, ensuring personal and business data access anywhere at anytime and seamless continuity of services between networks and devices.


Magnus Madfors, Chairman of the eMobility Steering Board, said "Mobile and wireless communications have created unprecedented possibilities for people to communicate and have been instrumental in generating economic growth. Europe has been leading this development, based on the timely initiative of administrations, the scale of the EU market, a consistent regulatory approach, as well as considerable industrial and R&D investment. In order to maintain the position of Europe in the global market for mobile and wireless systems in the 2010 - 2020 time frame, it will be necessary to develop large-scale European approaches to system research and development as well as to wireless services and applications in the context of digital convergence."


The fifteen participants in eMobility include Alcatel, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, France Telecom, H3G, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nokia, Philips, Siemens, STMicroelectronics, Thales, TIM, Telefónica Móviles España, S.A.and Vodafone.
http://www.emobility.eu.orgIn 1984, the European Commission first endorsed GSM as a pan-European solution for mobile communications.

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Telstra Upgrades to ADSL2+

Telstra is undertaking a AUS $210 million upgrade of its broadband network to ADSL2+. Since January this year, Telstra has been installing ADSL2+ hardware and software to provide additional broadband capability in its exchanges. The Australian carrier plans to launch services at up to 12 Mbps. By mid 2005, 200 exchanges covering about 500,000 premises will have ADSL2+ capability at a cost of AUS $60 million. Telstra has budgeted a further $150 million in financial year 05/06 for the purchase and installation of ADSL2+ technology and coverage will rapidly increase so that by mid-2006 nearly all ADSL-enabled exchanges will have ADSL2+ capability.


Telstra confirmed that ADSL2+ technology would also be available to Telstra wholesale customers.


http://www.telstra.com

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Broadcom Acquires Zeevo for Wireless Headset Chips

Broadcom completed its acquisition of Zeevo, a provider of semiconductor solutions for Bluetooth wireless headset products, for $32.0 million -- approximately $31.3 million in cash consideration and $0.7 million in restricted stock units that entitle the holder to receive shares of Broadcom Class A common stock as the award vests.


Zeevo has introduced multiple generations of semiconductor and software solutions specifically optimized for the unique needs of stereo wireless headsets, all of which are shipping in volume production.


Broadcom is a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions for Bluetooth wireless applications and was first to market with a Bluetooth-qualified single-chip radio. Broadcom's Blutonium line of products includes devices for mobile phones, PCs and PDAs, as well as application-specific chips for cellular phones and wireless mouse and keyboard applications. The addition of Zeevo's products to the Blutonium portfolio will allow Broadcom to immediately offer solutions for the wireless headset segment of the Bluetooth market, a segment which analyst firm In-Stat/MDR estimates will grow to nearly 90 million units per year by 2008.


Zeevo is based in Santa Clara, California.
http://www.broadcom.com
http://www.zeevo.com

• In November 2003, Zeevo raised $20 in Series E funding led by Taiwan's Winbond Electronics and China Development Bank. Previous investors, Sequoia Capital, Raza Ventures, WK Technology Fund, Focus Ventures and Capitol Research also participated. This round brought total funding in Zeevo to $85 million since its founding in 1999.

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Corinex Offers 200 Mbps Powerline Module

Corinex Communications announced a new 200 Mbps embedded module for manufacturers of PCs, set top boxes, and ADSL2+ residential gateways. Corinex is partnering with DS2 , a supplier of silicon and software for Power line Communications (PLC).


Corinex plans to manufacture the embedded module and provide consulting and design modification services to manufacturers. Complete software system integration services will also be offered to third parties by Corinex. http://www.corinex.com
http://www.endesa.es

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BellSouth Reaches Union Labor Deal with CWA

BellSouth Long Distance and the Communications Workers of America agreed to extend their current working agreement, which was to expire March 19, 2005. The extension will be from March 19, 2005 until December 31, 2005.


In addition to extending the terms of the current contract, the following items were included in the agreement:

• Wages will be increased by 1%, effective March 20, 2005.



• All employees will receive a lump sum payment equal to 4% of their annualized basic pay.



• Pension bands will be increased 3%, effective July 1, 2005.

http://www.bellsouth.com

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Telenor Satellite Unveils Global Broadband Services

Telenor Satellite Services unveiled a portfolio of broadband services via satellite aimed at a variety of end users from international corporations and governments to small and medium enterprises and small office, home office customers. Telenor is now providing broadband services under two portfolios, one for on land and one for at sea.


Telenor delivers its broadband solutions using fixed installation and transportable very small aperture terminal (VSAT) equipment and Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) or Single Carrier Per Channel (SPCP) technologies with typical throughput in excess of 2 Mbps. Telenor broadband services use a variety of global and regional satellite systems including Intelsat, New Skies, Eutelsat, Spacecom and Telenor's Thor satellites, all carried over Telenor Satellite Services' own worldwide teleport network. When commercially available, Telenor will add Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service via the Inmarsat I-4 satellite system to its portfolio of broadband solutions, enabling mobile broadband connectivity for users on land.
http://www.telenor.com/satellite

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Xten Networks Reports One Million Endpoints

Xten Networks, a developer of voice and video SIP softphones, reported than 1,000,000 IP endpoints deployed worldwide through its customers worldwide. The company reported quarterly revenue of $928,608, compared to $677,364 for the preceding quarter, an increase of 37% quarter-over-quarter.

http://www.xten.com

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