Korea's DACOM Deploys ECI's XDM Optical Platform

DACOM Corporation, one of the largest telecommunications providers in Korea, has completed deployment of ECI Telecom's XDM multi-service provisioning platform for its new national backbone and metro networks. The networks connect Jungdong, Kyoung, Chung, Kangbuk, Yoeui, and Kangnam. They also connect KIDC, one of the most advanced data centers in Asia.


ECI's converged multi-service platform includes combiner cards that can aggregate services to save on channels. The deployment enables DACOM to support transparent wavelengths of up to 10 Gbps and to scale the network by adding new cards. The contract is valued at USD$3.6 million for the first deployment, with an option for extensive expansion over the next few years.


DACOM previously deployed ECI's XDM platform in Pusan in 2003.
http://www.ecitele.com

Read More

Sonus Networks Supports IMS Architecture

Sonus Networks unveiled its solution for an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) architecture, leveraging its existing products: the GSX family, PSX, SGX, ASX and Insight Management Systems. The company said the IMS architecture substantially mirrors the Sonus-built networks currently deployed. Essential to an IMS deployment is the ability for elements within the network to communicate with each other using SIP -- which Sonus already supports.


Sonus said its IMS solutions enable service providers to deliver integrated services over mobile, WiFi and wireline networks providing service differentiation and reduced time-to-market. Further, wireless operators can implement Sonus' proven Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) solution in their 2G and 2.5G networks today and seamlessly migrate to an IMS-compliant wireless voice network in the future. Sonus' wireless solutions deliver the features and protocol support necessary for rapid deployment in GSM, CDMA, TDMA and 3G wireless network environments.


Sonus also introduced the SRX and HSX products to its IMS product family. The SRX provides streamlined multimedia capabilities when customers choose to deploy a discrete Serving-Call Server Control Function (S-CSCF), creating a central coordination point for all SIP sessions. Leveraging the functionality already available today, Sonus will be offering the SRX as a separate software product in the fourth quarter of 2005 to allow for further architectural flexibility. The HSX is an evolution of Sonus' centralized subscriber management capabilities that enables service providers to deliver device independent multimedia services. The HSX Home Subscriber Server (HSS) will also be available in the fourth quarter of 2005. http://www.sonusnet.com

Read More

Aktino Delivers 10 Mbps on 4 Copper Pairs at 12,000ft

Aktino, a start-up based in Irvine, California, announced its AK4000 product family capable of delivering 10 to 25 Mbps business-class Ethernet services over the entire Carrier Serving Area (CSA - 12,000 feet over 24-gauge wire).


The Aktino AK4000 product family, an Ethernet in the First Mile (EFM) solution, is built with the same core technology -- MIMO on DMT -- as Aktino's recently announced AK3000 product family. By applying MIMO techniques to a DMT-based platform, it enables the AK4000 to mitigate cross-talk interference and transport greater Ethernet bandwidth over longer distances on fewer pairs than any other currently available technology. Aktino said the new platform can transport a symmetrical 10 Mbps Ethernet service on four copper pairs or a symmetrical 25 Mbps Ethernet service on eight pairs -- with a binder full of disturbers -- throughout the CSA (12,000 feet over 24-gauge wire). The platform is environmentally hardened and meets all T1.417 spectral requirements, even at high bandwidth levels and extended distances.
http://www.aktino.com

Read More

Tellabs Launches ONT Interoperability Initiative

Tellabs is launching an Optical Networking Terminal (ONT) interoperability initiative for FTTP networks. The goal is to foster the interoperability of Tellabs ONTs with many vendors' Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) in multi-vendor FTTP deployments.


In related news, Sprint North Supply and Alltel Communications Products have agreed to distribute Tellabs' ONT equipment. The respective companies, two of the largest North American distributors of access equipment, will exclusively sell Tellabs' ONT products for multi-vendor OLT installations through the remainder of 2005.



http://www.tellabs.com

Read More

ADC to Market Calient's Photonic Switch

ADC will market Calient Networks' photonic switching systems and software as part of its solutions to address fiber-intensive networks such as central offices, data centers, and test facilities. Installing, managing, and maintaining thousands of fiber connections in these facilities can become time-consuming and error-prone when managed manually. The agreement leverages expertise from both companies to create new solutions for fiber-intensive networks. A new product, marketed as the Calient Automated Fiber Management (AFM) solution, integrates Calient's DiamondWave optical switch and ADC's fiber distribution frame technology.


The Calient AFM solution's scalable, low-loss photonic switching technology provides software-reconfigurable fiber connectivity, enabling service providers to remotely manage fiber infrastructure, configure the network, and localize faults. The result is quicker service provisioning, more accurate infrastructure records, and optimized utilization of valuable capital and human resources. The Calient AFM solution can scale to support 64 to 640 fiber terminations.

http://www.calient.net

Read More

Voltaire Secures $15 Million for Infiniband Grid Interconnects

Voltaire, a start-up based in Billerica, Massachusetts, raised $15 million for its interconnect solutions for high performance grid computing. Voltaire provides grid interconnect hardware and software solutions based on InfiniBand technology that enable high performance applications to run on distributed server, storage and network resources. Voltaire multi-service switches offer integrated InfiniBand, GbE and Fibre Channel connectivity and are used for building high-performance clusters and grids ranging from tens to thousands of nodes. Voltaire's customer deployments represent many of the largest grids and supercomputers in the world, including NASA Ames, Sandia National Laboratories, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratories, CERN, and India's Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology.


Baker Capital, Pitango Venture Capital and Vertex Venture Capital led the oversubscribed round. Existing investors Platinum Venture Capital, Tamir Fishman Ventures, and The Challenge Fund also participated. Among the new investors is Paul Bonderson, co-founder and former Vice President, Engineering of Brocade, who also contributed to the round.
http://www.voltaire.com

Read More

NEC America Debuts its Next Gen ROADMs

NEC America unveiled its SpectralWave DW4240 Core/Edge reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) for delivering dynamic bandwidth allocation of networked wavelengths with integrated transport, switching and multi-layer management at both the wavelength and SONET/SDH layers.


The NEC 4240 is an intelligent, automated solution aimed at supporting Gigabit Ethernet and Triple Play services. Specifically, the NEC 4240 is a very compact system that offers full ROADM capability for flexible multiplexing and transport of up to 40 C-Band or L-Band optical wavelengths. The NEC 4240's feature set includes full add-drop capability at any node, full-band tunable transponders, integrated SONET-on-a-blade multiplexers, and upgradeability to wavelength cross-connect (WXC) configuration. Transport topologies supported by the NEC 4240 include optical rings, point-to-point, and linear-chain.


The NEC 4240 uses a single universal ROADM shelf type to support ROADM, Terminal, and In-Line Amplifier configurations. Both the Terminal and In-Line Amplifier configurations can be upgraded in-service to full ROADM configuration by simply adding units.


The NEC 4240 is the first available product in NEC's new-generation optical transport system. NEC plans to rollout additional products, services and software throughout FY2005 and FY2006. The NEC 4240 is generally available, with pricing approaching SONET mux levels in a basic configuration. http://www.necamerica.com

Read More

Netrake Offers Security Gateway for GSM-to-WiFi Services

Netrake introduces its nCite Security Gateway designed to address the security requirements of wireless carriers, specifically GSM networks, looking to extend capabilities into unlicensed mobile access or 802.xx networks.


Netrake said its new nCite Security Gateway supports a pre-IMS market opportunity that has the opportunity to enable 30-50 million VoIP endpoints by 2008. A key enabler of this expansion is the multimode handset, which combines a GSM phone and a VoIP endpoint. The VoIP endpoint requires a security association to the core network in order to preserve privacy, integrity and assurance. The Netrake Security Gateway provides this security association for both signaling and media using IPSec encryption.


The nCite Security Gateway offers multi-layer security management between user endpoints, network elements and carrier networks. These include:

• Network Layer Security Association (IPSec)



• Application Layer Security Association (TLS)



• Session Layer Security Association (SBC)

http://www.netrake.com

Read More

Netrake Scales its Session Manager to 7.2M BHCA

Netrake launched a new session manager designed for scaling VoIP networks using a centralized signaling control plane based architecture. The control plane based architecture provides a single entry point into the network and allows service providers to improve overall network management.


Netrake said its new nCite SM Session Manager would allow service providers to scale their networks to reach new levels of service in their primary sites necessary for the anticipated growth in traffic for VoIP services. The nCite SM when deployed in conjunction with clusters of Netrake's session controllers sets the benchmark for the industry in terms of concurrent sessions and firewall NAT traversals. The nCite session manager will provide up to 2,000 call set ups per second that will allow service providers to scale their network to over 7.2 million BHCA and reach equivalent PSTN capacity levels using IP.


Netrake is currently working with multiple customers in the Carrier IP peering and Residential market segments to implement a control plane based architecture to front end their existing session controller infrastructure. This architecture will place the nCite SM as the focal point for initial inbound signaling traffic that will then route to the appropriate session controller for call processing and control. This nCite SM will provide the following capabilities: self-aware load balancing across multiple session controllers, hardware based DoS protection, priority based routing, and carrier level redundancy and failover.
http://www.netrake.com

Read More

IBM Showcases BladeCenter for IMS, IPTV

At SUPERCOMM, IBM is showcasing open telecommunications solutions built around its BladeServer hardware. IBM is announcing key business partner solutions around IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS), including with AudioCodes, BayPackets, Brooktrout, DataPower, Leapstone and NexTone.


Using NexTone session management software and IBM BladeServer hardware, service providers can build a flexible framework to address immediate VoIP opportunities based on the IMS architecture. This solution, coupled with DSP media processing technology from AudioCodes, enables adoption of new IP based services from SS7 based networks.


IBM is demonstrating an IMS Mobile Prepaid Gaming application built on a single IBM BladeCenter chassis using the same IMS framework without affecting the operational network. The solution leverages the pre-built Gaming demo of Ubiquity SiPEAK Conferencing service, Terraplay Gaming application and IBM Presence Server with the combined element of NexTone session management software, Leapstone service brokering, BayPackets prepaid feature, DSP media gateway technology from AudioCodes, and Brooktrout IP media server.
http://www.ibm.com

Read More

Performance Technologies Targets ATCA Products

Performance Technologies introduced several new products based on the PICMG 3.0 AdvancedTCA specification. Each new product is an integral part of the company's Advanced Managed Platform offering.


The ATC5210 12U General Purpose Platform is an extremely flexible, interoperable and high availability platform that allows designers to focus on quickly delivering telecommunications equipment to market. Equipped with the ATC6610 Embedded Base-Fabric Gb Ethernet Switch and MGT7402 Intelligent Shelf Manager (ISM), it features the same field-hardened software used on Performance Technologies' existing line of switches and management module.


The ATC5210 platform supports five-nines availability with built-in redundancy for active system components including Ethernet hub switches, ISMs, power entry modules and fan trays. The midplane supports 14 slots, update channels, dual star fabric interface and 10/100/1000 Megabit Ethernet dual star base interface.


Based on the PICMG 2.9 Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) standard, the MGT7402 ISM monitors IPMI-based components including fabrics, nodes, hubs, power entry modules, fan trays and any other IPMI device. The ISM may be paired with a redundant standby ISM for use in high availability applications.


The ATC6610 switch can be configured to monitor network status and continuously checks its own health through real-time integrity tests. In the event of system or network failure, data can be automatically re-routed to an alternate path.
http://www.pt.com

Read More

NTT Comware Shows SIP Server on Sun's Netra ATCA Blade Platform

NTT COMWARE demonstrated its next-generation SIP application server technology based on Sun's upcoming Netra ATCA (advanced telecom computing architecture) blade platform. This new platform is scheduled for release at the end of 2005. NTT COMWARE's SIP application server will use an UltraSPARC processor-based ATCA blade running Solaris 10 Operating System.


"Today we are demonstrating a major step toward enabling service providers to quickly deploy next generation voice, video and data services on our upcoming ATCA platform," said Raju Penumatcha, VP of Netra Systems and Networking (NSN), Sun Microsystems. "This demonstration validates the importance of Sun's ATCA strategy for high-performance, highly available next-generation telecom services that meet the demand of today's service providers."


Earlier this year, Sun announced that NMS Communications would be delivering its OpenAccess technology on Sun's upcoming ATCA platform. Concurrently, NMS Communications is announcing publicly its plans for delivering its ATCA standards-based OpenAccess products to the market.http://sun.com/

Read More

Motorola and IBM Collaborate on Telco Open Systems Platform

IBM will offer Motorola NetPlane Core Services software as a key middleware component of the IBM eServer Integrated Platform for Telecommunications.


NetPlane Core Services is Motorola's platform-independent implementation of the Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) Application Interface Specification (AIS) and Hardware Platform Interface (HPI). This open, high availability middleware was first introduced with Motorola's Avantellis 3000 Series of AdvancedTCA-based communications servers.


"This collaboration reflects the move to a commercial off-the-shelf-based (COTS) computing infrastructure to support the convergence of enterprise and communications computing applications in the telecom industry," said Wendy Vittori, corporate vice president and general manager, Embedded Communications Computing, Motorola.


"Both IBM and Motorola are committed to open industry standards like SA Forum and OCAF for telecommunications equipment manufacturers and next generation networks," said Jim Pertzborn, vice president of the Telecommunications Industry, IBM Systems & Technology Group.
http://www.motorola.com
http://www.ibm.com

Read More

Agilent Offers Distributed Network Analyzer for Triple Play

Agilent Technologies introduced its Distributed Network Analyzer PRO designed to deliver critical information from a wide array of network interfaces, allowing engineers to accurately measure and qualify service performance, identify root-cause of impairments, and troubleshoot complex problems on multiservice, multitechnology networks from any location.


The J6803A Distributed Network Analyzer PRO extends the capabilities of the network analyzer solutions from Agilent by providing local and distributed test capabilities for installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of next-generation networks. The small portable platform includes a wireless LAN user interface. New triple-play measurements include support for HSDPA in mobile broadband networks, video protocol analysis, and the ability to directly correlate VoIP voice quality with network impairments.


The Agilent J6803A Distributed Network Analyzer PRO is available now at prices starting from $17,000. http://www.agilent.com/comms

Read More

Agilent Offers Cable VoIP Testing

Agilent Technologies has extended its NgN Analysis System to address the quality assurance needs of cable VoIP service providers. Through the added support for common open policy service (COPS) protocol and for Cedar Point Softswitches, the system now displays end-to-end call flow records for advanced performance metrics and real-time and historical troubleshooting.


Agilent's NgN Analysis System correlates COPS protocol with other protocols such as PacketCable NCS (network call signaling), TGCP (trunking gateway control protocol), SIP (session initiation protocol) and SS7 (signaling system 7) into a single, detailed call record. This enables service providers to drill down to troubleshoot quality of experience (QoE) problems. For advanced troubleshooting, complete decodes are available for all signaling messages.


The NgN Analysis System tracks end-to-end call records and performance metrics for packet cable networks. Network-wide call correlation is now supported for networks using the Cedar Point Softswitch, associating subscribers' endpoint addresses with their phone numbers. http://www.agilent.com

Read More

Spirent Introduces Handheld Broadband Tester

Spirent Communications introduced a new line of intelligent handheld field test units for troubleshooting broadband services. The new Tech-X product includes:

• xDSL Modem Emulation



• ADSL 2/2+ Expert Diagnostics and Analysis



• ATM/IP Service Testing



• Copper Pair Qualification Features



• Wireless Technology Storing Results/Remote Control



• Access to Centralized Test Resources



• Automated Test Scripts

http://www.spirentcom.com

Read More

Sun Offers Open Service Delivery Platform

Sun Microsystems launched its Open Service Delivery Platform Solutions Program aimed at helping telecommunications service providers deliver new, differentiated revenue-generating consumer and enterprise services utilizing technologies such as IMS and VoIP.


Sun is presenting a framework that makes use of end-to-end Java and can leverage the carrier-grade Solaris operating system.


Sun is collaborating with an ecosystem of industry leaders, including Network Equipment Providers (NEPs), Systems Integrators (SIs) and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) to build out the framework. Among the initial partners announced by Sun to build out this framework are Appium, Drutt, EDS, jNetx, Open Cloud and Terraplay. Examples include a solution that lets users purchase, download and play multi-player games and then voice conference with the other players using an existing mobile network.

http://www.sun.com

Read More

Motorola Rolls Out Centellis/Advantellis AdvancedTCA Solutions

Motorola launched a new series of Open Application-Enabling Platforms, pre-integrated and validated communications servers based on AdvancedTCA-based and supporting the Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) standards. Motorola said its communications servers are based on both open hardware and software standards, setting the course for a new generation of network equipment.


The Centellis 3000 series of communications servers is optimized for legacy applications based on proprietary high-availability software. This product series integrates AdvancedTCA hardware, with an operating environment that includes the MontaVista Carrier Grade Linux operating system, SA Forum Hardware Platform Interface (HPI) Specification implementation, comprehensive centralized platform hardware management, high-availability fabric management and high-availability link support. Motorola also verifies thermal, power and mechanical operation.


Key attributes of the AdvancedTCA shelf include:

• 14 slot, 12U height, 19" rack-mount


• Switch Blade Features (ATCA-F101)


• Base Interface and Fabric Interface support


• Optional RTM with 4 ports (base ch.), 8 ports (fabric ch.)


• On-board processor unit for system management


• System Manager & SNMP agent included on Switch Blade


• Linux 2.6 based Kernal -- moving to MontaVista implementation


• 200W (+30W RTB) per slot, fault-tolerant fan tray


• Four (4) load-sharing PSUs

Typical applications could include VoIP platforms, RNCs, and other wireless gear. General availability for Centellis is slated for later this month.


The Avantellis 3000 series leverages the attributes of the Centellis 3000 series and includes Motorola's NetPlane Core Services software for 5NINES+ platform availability. NetPlane Core Services is service availability middleware that implements the SA Forum Application Interface Specification (AIS) and HPI. These SA Forum standards facilitate rapid development of highly-available applications by providing uniform APIs, leading to the creation of predictable systems.


Avantellis is currently entering beta testing and is expected to be generally available by the end of September.
http://www.motorola.com

Read More

Motorola's OLT Supports BPON and GPON

Motorola announced an expansion of its multi-service broadband access products with the Motorola AXS2200 Optical Line Terminal (OLT) which supports converged service delivery over Fiber-to-the Premises (FTTP) and Fiber-to-the-Node (FTTN) user networks.


Motorola's AXS2200 provides voice, data and video service aggregation via integrated TDM voice gateway, ATM and GigE network interfaces. The AXS2200 also features both FTTP (BPON and GPON) and FTTN service delivery architectures. Further versatility is provided through both in-band IPTV and RF video overlay combinations. The element and network management system supports flow-through provisioning via seamless integration into embedded Network Management Systems (NMS) and Operational Support Systems (OSS).



Motorola noted that its AXS2200 optical access products also integrate into its portfolio of video infrastructure, IP and RF set-top boxes, and content security solutions.


Under a recently announced contract, Motorola is providing Verizon with the AXS2200 and a family of Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) to help build out its FTTP network infrastructure.
http://www.motorola.com

Read More

TI Raises Q2 Outlook

Texas Instruments raised its Q2 business outlook citing increased demand across its semiconductor range.


The company's expectations for revenue are:

• Total revenue between $3120 million and $3240 million, compared with the prior range of $3000 million to $3240 million;



• Semiconductor revenue between $2650 million and $2750 million, compared with the prior range of $2550 million to $2750 million;



• Sensors & Controls revenue between $300 million and $310 million, compared with the prior range of $290 million to $310 million; and



• Educational & Productivity Solutions revenue between $170 million and $180 million, compared with the prior range of $160 million to $180 million.

TI expects EPS between $0.27 and $0.30, compared with the previous range of $0.25 to $0.29.
http://www.ti.com

Read More

Jeff Pulver to Invest in VocalTec

VocalTec Communications announced that Jeff Pulver has committed to purchase an equity stake in VocalTec. In addition to being the publisher of The Pulver Report and VON magazine and creator of the leading industry conference (VON), Pulver's ventures have included the founding of companies such as LibreTel and the co-founding of VoIP provider, Vonage.
http://www.vocaltec.comVocalTec Communications launched its first VoIP products in 1995.

Read More

Dan Hesse Named CEO of Sprint Local

Daniel R. Hesse has been named chief executive officer of Sprint's Local Telecommunications Division. Hesse spent 23 years at AT&T, where he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Wireless Services from 1997-2000. He was most recently Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Terabeam, a Seattle- based telecommunications company specializing in wireless technologies.


Following Sprint's expected merger with Nextel this year, Hesse will begin final preparations for the proposed spin-off of Sprint's local operations. Hesse is designated to become the president and chief executive officer of the independent Fortune 300-plus company resulting from the spin-off.
http://www.sprint.com

Read More

Spirent Rolls Out Triple Play Test Scenarios

Spirent Communications has enhanced its approach to assuring QoS for Triple Play services, including the launch of 20 new test scenarios. The new test scenarios are divided into the following areas:

Infrastructure Testing

• Ethernet Aggregation Router


• BRAS / BBNG Capacity / Performance


• IPTV End-to-End


• DSLAM IPTV with Simulated Video


• Voice and Video Interactions on Residential Applications


• CPE & Access Link Performance


• Resilient Packet Ring testing


• Core Router Testing

Applications & Security Testing - (RTP or MPEG, WM9)

• Streaming - Internet Server


• Streaming -- Aware Devices


• Complete Streaming Infrastructure


• Streaming -- DSLAM IPTV

Applications & Security Testing - (SIP / H.323)

• Video Telephony


• Service Rollout


• Time Varying Network Impairment

Services Management

• Service Performance Diagnostics


• Service Performance Monitoring


• Service Provisioning


• Field Testing IP


• Carrier Ethernet

Spirent's triple play solutions incorporate a broad suite of test systems for lab and pre-deployment testing (Avalanche, Abacus 5000, AX/4000, Spirent Converged Network Impairment Emulator, mAXSLAM, TestCenter), as well as post deployment and service (SmartSight BRTU, SmartSight QoS Scope, SmartSight Performance Module, SmartSight Diagnostic Assistants).
http://www.spirentcom.com

Read More

Alcatel and Freescale Align on GPON

Alcatel and Freescale Semiconductor have collaborated to a Gigabit PON (GPON) standards-compliant silicon solution. The chip leverages Freescale's PowerQUICC communications processor architecture based on PowerPC cores and digital signal processors (DSPs) based on StarCore technology, along with Alcatel's implementation of the standard GPON medium access control (MAC). Alcatel's implementation of the GPON MAC offers full compliance to ITU-T G.984 with data rates of 2.5Gbps downstream and 1.25Gbps upstream at a 1:128 split ratio. The MAC also integrates advanced encryption standard, forward error correction in both upstream and downstream directions, and dynamic bandwidth assignment.


The companies said their GPON chip provides full functionality for triple play services, including high-definition IPTV. This includes full QoS support and high bandwidth throughput of 200 Mbps per user and higher, thus eliminating much of the additional circuitry needed to implement economical GPON solutions. The scalable SoC solution can also be easily extended to support business applications, such as E1/T1 circuit emulation services and residential gateway functionality.
http://www.freescale.com
http://www.alcatel.com/

• Earlier this month, Alcatel introduced a GPON solution for its ISAM access family, offering full compliance to the new ITU standard (G.984.x) with 2.4 Gbps of downstream bandwidth and of 1.2 Gbps upstream bandwidth. In comparison, BPON supports 622 Mbps of downstream bandwidth and 155 Mbps upstream. BPON is ATM-based, whereas GPON is native IP. GPON also supports up to a 1:64 passive split and a 20 km reach (28dB link budget). Alcatel said carriers may choose to deploy GPON in new areas of their network, BPON in current network rollouts, and a mixed BPON/GPON environment in others.

Read More

Alcatel Debuts Subscriber Services Controller for Triple Play

Alcatel introduced a new policy management solution that will enable service providers to centrally manage their subscribers for Triple Play services. Key components of the solution were developed in partnership with Bridgewater Systems, a start-up based in Ottawa that offers subscriber-centric policy management software for IP-based services..


The new Alcatel 5750 Subscriber Services Controller (SSC) is designed to consolidate the existing multi-vendor BRAS environment into a new Alcatel Triple Play Service Delivery Architecture (TPSDA). The platform can scale to greater than 50 million subscribers and handle up to 9,000 transactions per second. It will also enable a customer portal, which will give users dynamic self-service options with zero-touch, real-time activation. Users could log into a secure portal and register for premium bandwidth services.


Alcatel is integrating the 5750 Subscriber Services Controller (SSC) into its 7450 Ethernet Service Switch and 7750 Service Router to enable a distributed BRAS solution. Alcatel said it is committed to open interfaces to ensure that the 5750 SSC could be used to control policies on broadband subscriber management systems from major equipment vendors. General availability of the 5750 is expected in August.
http://www.alcatel.com

• In April 2005, Alcatel announced new features on its 7450 Ethernet Service Switch and 7750 Service Router aimed at triple play and business VPN services. Enhancements to the Alcatel 7450 include scalable, highly efficient multicasting for IPTV distribution and automated per-subscriber security policies. In a telco triple play architecture, the Alcatel 7450 would sit at the edge of a metro network accepting a large number of video feeds from a core IP/MPLS network and then multicasting the most watched channels via Gigabit Ethernet links to DSLAMs or ONTs further out in the field. The Alcatel 7450 has also gained the ability to provide DHCP for triple play services. This DHCP capability automatically allocates IP addresses to multimedia appliances or hosts in network (set-top boxes / VOIP Phones). With this process, Alcatel is also providing automatically configured security filters to protect the network against Denial of Service (DoS) attacks and prevent unauthorized user access in the network.



• In October 2004, SBC announced the selection of Alcatel for the delivery of triple play services to 18 million homes in the U.S., as part of its Project Lightspeed.

Read More

Motorola and Microsoft Partner on IPTV

Motorola and Microsoft are extending their long-standing relationship for digital video solutions to include IPTV. The companies agreed to collaborate to deliver an integrated hardware and software solution for IP video services.


Specifically, Motorola and Microsoft will work together to integrate the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform with the features and functionality included in Motorola's forthcoming suite of IP set-tops and advanced encoder products.


Microsoft has announced IPTV contract wins with Bell Canada, BellSouth, Reliance Infocomm Ltd., SBC Communications, Swisscom/Bluewin and Telecom Italia, among others.
http://www.motorola.com
http://www.microsoft.com

Read More

Atrica Adds VPLS Traffic Engineering, OC3 Grooming Capabilities

Atrica unveiled major enhancements to its Carrier Ethernet Systems including VPLS-TE capability, enriched service provisioning and management capabilities on its ASPEN network management platform, and an new Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet Demarcation Devices.


The new Virtual Private LAN Service with Traffic Engineering (VPLS-TE) capability adds carrier-class traffic engineering attributes to basic L2 Ethernet-based VPN capabilities, enabling carriers to deliver a L2 VPN traffic engineered service for multi-site any-to-any connectivity. Service providers are able to set and tune any specific bandwidth per each end user site, while utilizing guaranteed, pre-provisioned core bandwidth resources. Atrica features a "bi-directional traffic conditioning" technology.


The company said its bandwidth-conditioned VPLS-TE delivers guaranteed SLAs and hard QoS with sub-50ms service protection and is user-configurable, based on different traffic patterns. The VPLS-TE capability incorporates ingress and egress policing at every point and direction, operator-configurable ingress and egress bandwidth, and operator-configurable core bandwidth. Its broadcast policing capability allows carriers to control broadcast traffic, further optimizing the performance of the network.


In Release 3.5, Atrica also adds a Service Provisioning Planning Tool in its ASPEN management system, enabling carriers to replicate the existing deployed network topology or a new network topology for testing "what if" scenarios.


Atrica is also introducing TDM integration with Circuit Emulation Services over Ethernet with OC-3/STM-1 to DS1/E1 grooming over the Ethernet network. This enhancement enables service providers to connect customer equipment such as PBXs or routers to the metro Ethernet network using multiple T1/E1 connections from multiple sites in the network. It allows them to groom these connections into a single OC-3/STM-1 service handoff at the central office switch or router. The OC-3/STM-1 grooming capability includes advanced protection mechanisms allowing for 50ms protection against any failures in the network. The grooming feature also delivers 1+1 protection of the OC-3/STM-1 equipment by allowing dual redundant OC-3/STM-1 interfaces to be deployed. Atrica said service providers would be able to cost-effectively aggregate TDM and data traffic from multiple subscriber sites into a main POP/CO over a common Ethernet infrastructure.



Atrica is also introducing two Ethernet demarcation devices -- the A-100 Fast Ethernet Demarcation Device and the A-200 Gigabit Ethernet demarcation device. Both support point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and multipoint-to-multipoint services and support strict SLAs with parameters for including Committed Information Rate (CIR), Excess Information Rate (EIR), priority, delay, and jitter. Pricing is expected to be sub $1,000.
http://www.atrica.com

Read More