Outsmart Secures $17 Million for Fixed-Mobile Convergence

Outsmart, a start-up based in Tel Aviv, secured $17 million in venture funding for its Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) and Intelligent Networks (IN) based solutions. Outsmart's technology enables mobile and fixed operators to leverage their existing mobile infrastructure and back office systems to include fixed telephony across mobile, DSL, cable and WiFi networks. Services such as pre-paid, SMS, multi-media messaging services (MMS), instant messaging (IM), virtual private network (VPN) and ring-back-tones (RBT) could be extended across wireless and wireline networks. The company cites recent deployments by several major European operators.

The new funding included Accel Partners, Gemini Israel Funds and Magnum Communications fund.
http://www.outsmarttelecom.com

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Alcatel Supplies IP Service Routing for China Telecom

Guangdong Telecom, a subsidiary of China Telecom, has selected the Alcatel 7750 Service Router (SR) to broaden its IP-based data service portfolio and to support a triple play offering. The contract, which was won through Alcatel Shanghai Bell, covers deployment in in seven major cities (Dongguan, Foshan, Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Huizhou, Jiangmen and Shantou). Upon completion of the project in June 2005, residential customers of Guangdong Telecom will be able to enjoy new user centric services such as triple play and advanced Internet access. Enterprise users will also have access to SLA-based services, such as Layer 2 VPLS and Layer 3 VPNs. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.alcatel.com

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CLECs File Petition Opposing Verizon + MCI Merger

A group of competitive telecommunications carriers and members of the Alliance for Competition in Telecommunications (ACTel) a petition urging the FCC to deny the proposed merger of Verizon and MCI.


The group, which includes Cbeyond Communications, Conversent Communications, Eschelon Telecom, NuVox Comunications, TDS Metrocom and XO Communications, raised the specter of continued telecom industry concentration driving reduced choices, slower innovation and higher costs for businesses and consumers -- and of even stronger monopolies bent on controlling the market. The group argues that that in the nine years since passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Verizon has repeatedly violated the law and ignored the conditions barring anticompetitive practices in its own prior merger accords.

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T-Online Selects Macrovision for VOD Content Protection

T-Online has activated Macrovision's content protection for delivery of its "Vision on TV" VOD Service in Germany. Together with its partners Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Samsung and Bose, T-Online is installing VOD capable digital set-top boxes. Macrovision's technology is designed to inhibit unauthorized copying of VOD movies on VCRs, DVD recorders, digital video recorders (DVRs) and PC/Media Centres. Macrovision's technology can also be used to permit secure storage and movement of VOD movies to DVRs, PC/Media Centres and portable media players.
http://www.macrovision.com

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InfiniRoute Names Tauss as CEO

InfiniRoute Networks, which provides managed VoIP peering network services to carriers, named Gary Tauss as its new CEO. Prior to InfiniRoute, Tauss was CEO for LongBoard, a VoIP services, SIP based application solution provider for fixed-mobile carriers. Previous to LongBoard, Gary was President and CEO of Tollbridge Technologies, a voice over broadband systems for cable and DSL networks. Tauss was also VP and General Manager of Ramp Networks, which was acquired by Nokia.
http://www.infiniroute.com

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Cox Adds 177K Cable Modem and 111K Telephony Customers in Q1

Cox Communications reported strong gains in digital video, high-speed Internet, and VoIP services for Q1 2005, including:

• Added 94,499 Cox Digital Cable customers, ending the quarter with over 2.5 million digital cable customers, representing year-over-year customer growth of 13%. Cox Digital Cable is now available to 99% of the homes in Cox's service areas with 40% penetration of our basic video customer base.



• Added 177,413 high-speed Internet customers, ending the quarter with over 2.7 million high-speed Internet customers, representing year-over-year customer growth of 28%.



• Added 111,522 Cox Digital Telephone customers, the most Cox Digital Telephone customers ever added in a quarter. Cox ended the quarter with over 1.4 million telephone customers, representing year-over-year customer growth of 33%.



• Ended the quarter with over 6.3 million basic video customers, up 0.2% from March 31, 2004.



• Ended the quarter with over 6.7 million total customer relationships, up 1.3% from March 31, 2004.



• Ended the quarter with approximately 13.0 million total RGUs, up 11% from March 31, 2004, driven by 23% year-over-year growth in advanced-service RGUs.



• Total revenues for the first quarter of 2005 were $1.7 billion, an increase of 11% over the first quarter of 2004. Operating income increased 25% to $219.4 million for the first quarter of 2005, and operating cash flow increased 15% to $653.6 million, compared to the same period in the 2004.

http://www.cox.com

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ST and Octasic Team on Voice-over-Packet Silicon

STMicroelectronics and Octasic are working together to deliver a family of voice-over-packet (VoP) ICs. The solutions will be based on ST's 0.13-µm and 90-nm semiconductor process technology and Octasic's designs for VoP and Voice Quality Enhancement (VQE), which includes technology for line and acoustic echo cancellation, noise reduction capabilities, vocoding and packetization. The first product is slated for availability this quarter and a second product is expected shortly after. The companies also agreed to cooperate on future system-on-chip (SoC) VoP devices which will be implemented in 90-nm and below process technologies.


Target applications for Voice-over-Packet silicon includes telecom infrastructure (central office) and enterprise equipment, IP-PBX gateways, OLTs in PONs, and Media Gateways in WANs.


Octasic's processors are optimized to perform key voice functions such as carrier-grade echo cancellation, packetization, and compression.





Octasic's VQE/Echo Cancellation devices offer capacities from 32 to 672 channels. The devices deliver G.169 automatic level control and acoustic echo cancellation, as well as additional features such as advanced noise reduction, advanced signaling tone detection (DTMF, R1,...), announcement playout, full way conferencing and ADPCM. Octasic also uses an optimized physical design methodology that extends down to gate-level, significantly reducing die area, net lengths and power while boosting performance. Octasic said this gives its design much more processing power (2-4x) per die area.


Octasic has tested its design with BT Exact Labs, which found the echo canceller "comfortably above the acceptability threshold for inclusion in carrier class networks."http://www.octasic.com
http://www.st.com

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WiDeFi Selects Atmel for SiGe 802.11 Repeater Chipsets

WiDeFi, a start-up based in Melbourne, Florida, selected Atmel as its foundry partner for its Xtender family of 802.11 repeater chipsets. WiDeFi's devices will be produced using Atmel's advanced silicon germanium (SiGe) bipolar complementary metal oxide semiconductor (Bi-CMOS) technology. The companies describe WiDeFi's new WLAN Xtender as a new fundamental wireless network element that doubles the range of WLAN networks with twice the throughput and lower cost than the top competing solutions.
http://www.widefi.com
http://www.atmel.com

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Fujitsu Partners with Terawave on Next Gen PON

Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe Ltd and Terawave announced a strategic partnership to develop and bring to market next generation PON access solutions. The agreement will combine Fujitsu's market leadership in broadband access technology with Terawave's PON technology to create a new range of fully integrated and managed next generation GPON access solutions.


Commenting for Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe, General Manager Andy Stevenson said: "Fujitsu is taking a strategic market lead, bringing together appropriate technologies in strategic partnerships to create a new breed of integrated end-to-end next generation solutions. This agreement with Terawave reflects our commitment to provide our carrier customers with broader, more comprehensive systems, based on established relationships and genuinely integrated technologies reflecting the carriers' clear requirement to work more closely with a smaller number of vendors in their networks."http://uk.fujitsu.com
http://www.terawave.com

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Juniper Launches Eight New Security Platforms

Juniper Networks released two new firewall/VPN systems six new appliances and a software upgrade for its Intrusion Detection and Prevention (IDP) product line.


The new Juniper Networks ISG 2000 firewall/VPN with integrated IDP is designed to protect enterprise, carrier and data center environments against worms, Trojans, spyware and other emerging threats. It delivers up to 2Gbps of intrusion prevention throughput via a high-performance architecture that brings dedicated firewall/VPN and application level processing power unmatched by any competitive offering.


The new ISG 1000 firewall/VPN delivers 1 Gbps firewall and 1 Gbps VPN throughput for any packet size through the use of Juniper's fourth-generation ASIC, which also powers the ISG 2000. The ISG 1000 is suited for securing enterprise, carrier and data center environments where advanced applications, such as VoIP and streaming media, dictate consistent, scalable performance.


The six new IDP standalone hardware platforms, the IDP 50, 200, 600C, 600F, 1100C and 1100F, deliver protection against Trojans, worms, spyware and other network-based attacks at performance levels ranging from 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps.


Juniper Networks is also announcing new threat mitigation capabilities to secure voice traffic and increase attack detection accuracy. New SIP protocol anomaly detection delivers VoIP application level protection to complement existing network level VoIP protection. New multi-level attack scanning allows for the IDP platform to help minimize false positives by performing second-level investigation based on certain triggers, such as suspiciously large protocol elements or secondary pattern matches.


For IDP customers, Juniper Networks' dedicated Security Team also began delivering new spyware protection signatures. The new spyware signatures delivered to IDP customers are designed to stop spyware from "phoning home" and sending confidential company and personal information to third-parties.
http://www.juniper.net

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Wayport Expands Roaming with Acquisition of NetPoint A/S

Wayport acquired NetPoint A/S, one of the largest providers of high-speed Internet access for the hospitality industry in Europe and the Middle East. The NetPoint acquisition brings with it more than 120 premium hotel properties across 24 countries including hotels from chains such as Accor/Sofitel, Mercure, Ibis, First, Hilton, Park Inn, Radisson SAS, Remmen, Scandic and Zleep -- as well as a number of privately held hotel properties. NetPoint is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Financial terms were not disclosed.


Wayport supplies Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) wireless and wired Internet access in more than 9,000 locations, including nearly 900 major hotels, 6 major airports; 16 Laptop Lane airport business centers; McDonald's and Hertz locations; and other retail brands nationwide.
http://www.wayport.net

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Entrisphere Raises $75 Million in Third Round Financing

Entrisphere, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California, raised $75 million in Series C financing for its network access equipment.


The new funding was led by VantagePoint Venture Partners and included all of Entrisphere's existing investment group-Accel Partners, Benchmark Capital, CDP Capital, Crosspoint Venture Partners, Duff Ackerman & Goodrich, El Dorado Ventures, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, and STAR Ventures.


Entrisphere also announced that Cynthia Ringo, managing director at VantagePoint Venture Partners, has joined the Entrisphere Board of Directors.


http://www.entrisphere.com

• Earlier this month, Entrisphere introduced an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) designed to interoperate with its Broadband Loop Multiplexer or other standards-compliant Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) for delivering PON-based triple play services to subscriber homes.



• In March 2005, Entrisphere introduced its Broadband Loop Multiplexer (BLM) 1500, which is designed to integrate all major access network service and transport functions on a single platform, including PON OLT, NGDLC/DSLAM, packet voice gateway, as well as IP and analog video support along with SONET and IP transport. Based on an 18-slot, fully hardened 14RU chassis, the BLM 1500 can deliver any service from any slot through a variety of Entrisphere solutions for Video services, High Speed Data service, Packet Voice services, Ethernet, and Transparent LAN service, all with a unified management interface. Specific applications include FTTP, FTTC, Fiber-to-the-Node (FTTN), IGMP-based switched digital video or IPTV, RF video, VoIP and packet voice (H.248), ADSL and ADSL2+, Gigabit Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, OC-48, T1 (HiCap), DS3, and POTS.



• Entrisphere is headed by Mark Floyd, who previously was a founder of Efficient Networks (acquired by Siemens). The company is based in Santa Clara, California with an office in Plano, Texas.

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UnitedGlobalCom to Acquire ntl Ireland

UnitedGlobalCom purchased NTL's broadband operations located in the Republic of Ireland. The acquisition, which was accomplished through MS Irish Cable Holdings B.V., an affiliate of Morgan Stanley and UnitedGlobalCom, was for approximately EUR 325 million excluding an adjustment for cash in the business at closing, plus a EUR 4 million arrangement fee and reimbursement of certain expenses and costs for Morgan Stanley.


NTL Ireland is the largest cable operator in the Republic of Ireland, offering cable television and broadband services to residential customers and managed network services to corporate customers. At December 31, 2004, NTL Ireland had approximately 355,300 revenue generating units ("RGUs") including 347,800 digital and analog video RGUs and 7,500 broadband Internet RGUs.


UGC is a leading international provider of video, voice, and broadband Internet services with operations in 16 countries, including 13 countries in Europe. Based on the Company's operating statistics at December 31, 2004, UGC's networks reached approximately 16.0 million homes passed and served over 11.6 million RGUs, including approximately 9.4 million video subscribers, 1.4 million broadband Internet subscribers, and 803,500 telephone subscribers.
http://www.unitedglobal.com

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