Korea's Dacom Deploys Turin Multi-Service Transport Switch

Korea's second largest communications service provider, Dacom, selected Turin Networks' Traverse Multi-Service Transport Switch platform for a new nationwide network. Dacom is transitioning from a 2.5 Gbps backbone to 10 Gbps. The carrier commissioned CommVerge Solutions to provide the solution for their Leased Line Network. CommVerge will be providing Dacom with Turin's Traverse 1600, a multiservice transport switch that unifies carrier-grade Ethernet, SDH and SONET switching capabilities. Financial terms were not disclosed.http://turinnetworks.com...

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Bluetooth SIG and UWB Align Efforts for Ad Hoc Connections

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) agreed to align its long-term roadmap with developers of Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. The goal is to work towards an architecture that allows devices to take advantage of UWB data rates for scenarios that require high speed. Bluetooth would maintain backward compatibly with existing devices on the market and future products not requiring the higher data rate."The Bluetooth SIG's intention to employ UWB in their next generation products is a very positive step in allowing consumers to connect seamlessly...

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Speakeasy Tests WiMAX from Seattle's Space Needle

Speakeasy will begin beaming a WiMAX-class service from the Space Needle and other buildings in downtown Seattle in what is described as the largest, high-density, point-to-multipoint broadband wireless service in a major U.S. city. Speakeasy, which has formed strategic relationships with Intel and Alvarion to test WiMAX, said it chose Seattle as the first site for its WiMAX-class deployment because of Seattle's challenging combination of weather, terrain, bodies of water, and dense building skyline. The service uses Alvarion's base station and...

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NetCentrex Hires VP of Marketing and VP of Operations

Netcentrex announced the appointments of Erik Larsson as Vice President of worldwide Marketing and Jack Cavelier as Vice President of Operations. Prior to joining Netcentrex, Erik Larsson ran a marketing consulting business where he created and implemented marketing initiatives for both early-stage and established high-tech companies. Prior to that, he served as vice president of marketing at Integra, a Paris-based web hosting and professional services firm which became part of the Genuity / Level 3 organization in Europe. Jack Cavelier has over...

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Marconi and Trade Union Discuss Job Cuts

Following BT's decision not to select Marconi for its 21CN project, Marconi opened a dialogue with its trade unions as it considers the question of job cuts. Marconi currently has about 4,000 UK employees and 10,000 employees worldwide. A decision on job cuts and redundancies is expected within the next week. http://www.marconi....

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Bell Canada Accelerates FTTN Rollout

In its Q1 financial report, Bell Canada said it was accelerating its fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) rollout. During the first three months of the year, Bell Canada provisioned 386 additional neighborhood fiber nodes, more than all of 2004, for a total of 762. The new access network will support all future services from the company.Other highlights of the report include:Sympatico high-speed Internet added 128,000 customers in Q1, its strongest quarterly increase in the last three years. The high-speed subscriber base increased to over 1.9 million by...

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Telution Integrates its Order Management with Microsoft Customer Care Framework

Telution has integrated its COMX Order Management software with Microsoft Customer Care Framework (CCF). The combined solution will provide cable and telecommunications clients a more advanced approach to order handling and customer interaction management associated with complex services bundles, including IP-based services. Telution said that by deploying its COMX Order Management suite alongside Microsoft's CCF solution, service providers could gain a consolidated view of all customer care applications. Additionally, service providers receive...

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Verizon Signs NFL Network for FiOS TV

Verizon signed a programming-distribution agreement with NFL Network for its upcoming FiOS TV service. Also included are NFL Network in HD and NFL on Demand, the network's video-on-demand programming. Financial terms were not disclosed.NFL Network is the first 24-hour, year-round television network dedicated to the National Football League and the sport of football. It was launched 18 months ago.Verizon said it is close to finalizing agreements with several other major content-partners.http://www.verizon.com http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork Verizon...

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SIRIUS 4 Satellite to Launch in 2007 with 54 Transponders

Nordic Satellite AB, which owns and operates satellites in the SIRIUS system serving Europe, has contracted with International Launch Services (ILS) to launch its next generation SIRIUS 4 satellite in Q2 2007.The high-powered SIRIUS 4 spacecraft, which will feature 52 Ku-band transponders, as well as a 2-transponder Ka-band payload, is currently being built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS). The first mission of SIRIUS 4 will be to provide replacement capacity for NSAB's existing SIRIUS 2 and SIRIUS 3 satellites in the Nordic...

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SBC Selects Amdocs for Project Lightspeed

SBC Communications awarded a multi-million dollar, multi-year contract to Amdocs to provide its customer lifecycle management solutions for Project Lightspeed. The Amdocs IP Convergence solution is based on the Amdocs billing, customer relationship management (CRM), ordering and payment mediation products, combined with Amdocs consulting and systems integration services. Financial terms were not disclosed.SBC said it will work with Amdocs "to provide a consistent customer service experience at all touch points, including via the Web, where Amdocs...

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Redback Achieves "Verizon Testing Partner" Certification

Redback Networks' SMS testing team was recognized by Verizon's Systems Integration and Testing department as a "Verizon Testing Partner." Redback is one of only a handful of companies to achieve Verizon Testing Partner certification. The status eases the path for future deployment of Redback products in Verizon's broadband network infrastructure. http://www.redback.comRedback's subscriber management systems are widely deployed in Verizon's netwo...

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iBasis Reaches Profitability as IP Telephony Revenue, Margin and Traffic Grows

iBasis reached the milestone of profitability in Q1 2005. Net revenue for Q1 was $88.7 million, compared to revenue of $57.0 million in the first quarter of 2004. Net income was $0.2 million, or $0.00 per share compared to first quarter 2004 net loss of $9.3 million, or $(0.21) per share."We reached a tremendous milestone in becoming profitable and generating positive cash flow in Q1," said Ofer Gneezy, president and CEO of iBasis. "We are leveraging our global VoIP network and back office systems to generate growth in both our wholesale trading...

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Occam Adds Emergency Standalone to Broadband Loop Carrier

Occam Networks announced an Emergency Stand Alone (ESA) feature for its BLC 6000 System, making it the first broadband loop carrier to provide emergency services calling and local station-to-station calling during network or equipment failures. Occam said its new ESA system supports all Occam BLC 6000 POTS lines, whether under the control of the Occam 6640 GR303 gateway or a third-party soft switch. When remote subscribers become isolated from the primary central office switch the ESA system manages call control for the isolated network segment....

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Canada's SaskTel Selects Alcatel's Ethernet Service Switch

SaskTel, the incumbent carrier in Saskatchewan, Canada, will use the Alcatel 7450 Ethernet Service Switch (ESS) and Alcatel 5620 Service Aware Manager for a converged packet transport network with IP/MPLS as the core protocol. Financial terms were not disclosed.The addition of the Alcatel IP solution complements SaskTel's existing Alcatel solutions, which include IPTV middleware, broadband access, optical networking, ATM, Frame Relay and TDM solutions.http://www.alcatel....

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Empirix Tunes its VoIP Monitoring for Service Providers

Empirix has enhanced its Hammer XMS VoIP monitoring system with new applications for network analysis and system administration, more flexibility in network data aggregation, new H.323 and improved ISUP support and a variety of other customer-inspired improvements. Hammer XMS 1.2 offers additional historical trend analysis of network metrics, as well as statistical distribution analysis to discover and diagnose intermittent or persistent performance problems. New Hammer XMS features include drill-down analysis tools, enabling users to view overall...

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Verizon to Provide VoIP E9-1-1 for Vonage

Vonage reached an agreement with Verizon to access elements of Verizon's wireless and wireline Enhanced 9-1-1 network, enabling Vonage to offer its VoIP customers E9-1-1 service. As a result of the deal, Vonage will able to deliver both caller's location and call back number to emergency services personnel for 911 calls placed throughout Verizon's territory. Work to develop the technical solution and to finalize a commercial agreement was given high priority by executives at both firms.Specifically, Verizon's wholesale group has committed to offer...

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Microsoft to Open its R&D for Licensing

Microsoft launched an initiative to open up hundreds of internally developed technologies to entrepreneurs and new businesses by licensing and spinning out its innovations to facilitate new product and business development.Microsoft IP Ventures initially opens access in 20 specific technology areas, including"Artificial intelligence. Face detection and tracking, natural language processing for educational coursewareUsability. "LaunchTile", a navigation system for mobile devicesGraphics. Personalized facial sketch, cartoon generationSecurity. BioCert...

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HP and Intrado Collaborate on 9-1-1

Intrado will use HP's server technology to power its next-generation 9-1-1 system, which is being developed to address expanding public safety needs across the U.S. The companies plan to develop a highly secure, scalable and efficient HP server platform to support the Intrado Intelligent Emergency Network. The system is being designed to support VoIP and other emerging technologies.Intrado said its next generation system could enable a 9-1-1 caller to transmit a photo of a suspect taken with a cell phone directly to a 9-1-1 call taker. That image,...

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American Tower to acquire SpectraSite for $3.1 Billion

American Tower Corporation agreed to acquire SpectraSite in a stock swap merger that brings together two tower industry leaders with a combined portfolio of over 22,600 communications sites. American Tower is the leading independent owner, operator and developer of broadcast and wireless communications sites in North America. American Tower operates over 14,800 sites in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil, including approximately 300 broadcast tower sites. SpectraSite owns or operates approximately 10,000 revenue producing sites, including 7,821...

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Interop Keynote: "Making Real Progress" - Juniper's Scott Kriens

In today's business climate, companies need to adapt their networks quickly without taking on added risks, said Scott Kriens, Chairman and CEO of Juniper Networks, in a keynote address at Interop in Las Vegas. The accelerated business cycle is both driven by the global networking revolution and threatened by the increased costs it requires. To meet this challenge, said Kriens, companies need "go virtual" with shared assets while maintaining control over their networks. Is the industry consolidating? Despite the growing number of mergers/acquisitions,...

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