NTT DoCoMo Achieves 1 Gbps in 4G Field Test

NTT DoCoMo achieved 1 Gbps real-time packet transmission in a wireless downlink at a moving speed of about 20 km/h in a field experiment on fourth-generation (4G) radio access technology. The experiment took place last month in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.


NTT DoCoMo said the 1 Gbps transmission was realized through Variable Spreading Factor-Spread Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (VSF-Spread OFDM) radio access and 4-by-4 Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) multiplexing. The MIMO used a technique called "adaptive selection of surviving symbol replica candidate" (ASESS) based on Maximum Likelihood Detection with QR decomposition and the M-algorithm (QRM-MLD), which was developed by DoCoMo.


NTT DoCoMo said its new algorithm reduces the large computational complexity of the original MLD method while maintaining almost the same achievable throughput performance. Frequency spectrum efficiency, which is expressed as information bits per second per Hertz, is 10 bits per second per Hertz, about 20 times that of 3G radio networks' spectrum efficiency.


During an earlier trial in July 2003, DoCoMo achieved 100 Mbps and 20 Mbps data rate transmission in the downlink and uplink, respectively, in outdoor environments using the same 100MHz bandwidth.


DoCoMo's field trials are part of its program to develop a 4G global standard in cooperation with the International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector. The telecommunications council of Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications aims to see 4G services commercialized in Japan by 2010.
http://www.nttdocomo.com

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Intelsat Americas-8 Satellite Successfully Launched

Intelsat Americas-8 (IA-8), a high-power satellite built for by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), was successfully launched on a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket from the Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned on the equator in the Pacific Ocean. The IA-8 satellite carries 28 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders, as well as 24 Ka-band spot beams and will have total end-of-life power of 16 Kw -- making it one of the most powerful communications satellites to date. The satellite will provide coverage of North and South America, Alaska, Hawaii and the Caribbean from its orbital slot at 89 degrees West longitude.


IA-8 will be the fifth Intelsat satellite in the North American arc and the 28th satellite in Intelsat's global fleet.


IA-8 is the thirty-second satellite built by SS/L for Intelsat, including all of the recently launched Intelsat IX series of satellites. In addition, SS/L is currently building the Intelsat Americas-9 satellite, which will further expand the operator's coverage and services in North America.
http://www.ssloral.com/http://www.loral.com/

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Vitesse Adds to its Ethernet Marketing Team

Vitesse Semiconductor named Richard Martin to the newly created position of director of strategic marketing and Claus Stetter as the worldwide product line director for its Ethernet Switch IC products.


Prior to joining Vitesse, Martin worked at Broadcom as the director of product marketing for the successful StrataSwitch, RoboSwitch and StrataXGS product lines.


Stetter formerly worked as a senior product line manager for Broadcom, where he was responsible for the Robo-HS Gigabit Ethernet switch product line and for a family of Faster Ethernet Switch and PHY devices. He joined Broadcom through the Allayer Communications acquisition.
http://www.vitesse.com

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Sprint and Nextel Unveil New Logo

Sprint and Nextel Communications unveiled a new brand and logo to be used upon completion of the companies' merger, expected in the third quarter of 2005, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals. The new go-to-market brand name of the combined Sprint Nextel will be Sprint, with the Nextel name continuing as a key product brand.
http://www.sprint.com
http://www.nextel.com

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Sun Highlights Telecom Features of Solaris 10

Sun Microsystems certified its Netra server line of telecom hardware for the Solaris 10 OS. Additionally, more than 50 telecom software and hardware partners have announced support for Solaris 10.


Sun recently made the source code to Solaris available at opensolaris.org under the Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL). This OSI approved open source license allows network equipment providers (NEP's) to safely develop innovative new solutions for distribution under their own terms. Solaris 10 is indemnified by Sun, providing its customers and partners with patent, copyright and trademark infringement protection.


Sun said more than 50 hardware and software partners in the telecom industry have announced support for Solaris 10. These include: AC Corporation, Adax, Appium, AsiaInfo Technologies (China) Inc., BOCO Inter-Telecom, Cntomorrow, DigitalChina, Flextronics Software Systems (FSS), Hurray! Times, Infozech Software Ltd., jNETx, Jaatayu Software, Kabira Technologies, Lenovo, LHS Telekom GmbH & Co. KG, Longshine, Metarnet, Mpathix, Neusoft, NMS Communications, Object Computing, Inc., Open Cloud, Poson, Pronto Networks, Runway, Shanghai Ideal, Sleepycat Software, Subex Systems, Syndesis, TransNexus, Ubiquity, UshaComm, Ulticom, Veraz Networks, VoiceGenie, Wayout, Xbell, ZCXC, Zhongyin-Unihub, and Zznode.


For example, Veraz Networks plans to adopt the Solaris 10 Operating System for its next generation ControlSwitch product. Veraz has started testing Solaris 10's advanced telecom features including Solaris Containers, Predictive Self Healing, and Dynamic Tracing (DTrace). Veraz said the nearly a dozen distinct software elements in its ControlSwitch map to functional IMS components are deployed across multiple SUN servers. Solaris Containers can increase the flexibility of ControlSwitch software element deployment combinations and thus facilitate network planning, design, and network and service traffic expansion. http://www.sun.com

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TeliaSonera Selects Ericsson's Softswitch

TeliaSonera International Carrier selected Ericsson's Telephony Softswitch for the upgrade of its circuit-switched network to packet technology. The contract covers international switch applications for Europe and the United States, enabling TeliaSonera International Carrier to offer its customers voice, data and multimedia services with the same functionality, security and quality as it does today, but with the added benefits of overall increased scalability and new product
creation opportunities. Financial terms were not disclosed.


Ericsson said it now has more than 30 Telephony Softswitch solution customers around the world.
http://www.ericsson.com

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AT&T Adds a 6th Videoconferencing Hub for DoD

AT&T Government Solutions is adding a sixth video hub location in southwest Asia for the global video teleconferencing service it provides to the Defense Department. AT&T Government Solutions maintains and operates video hubs around the world that are used by the DoD to conduct more than 2,000 video conferences per month for both command and control and administrative purposes. AT&T also operates a 24-hour-a-day network management center to support the video network, which can link up to 25 sites for a video teleconference. More than 3,000 military units around the world have access to the network, including U.S. Central Command.


In addition, the company was recently awarded a 22-month, $26 million contract extension to continue providing the service.
http://www.att.com/

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AT&T Expands its Global Network Services

AT&T is further expanding its portfolio of global networking services for business customers and extending them into additional locations in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The expansion includes the rollout of new access nodes in China through network interconnections with China Netcom and China Telecom, as well as new nodes in Croatia, Cyprus, Ecuador, India, Malaysia, Qatar, Panama and United Arab Emirates. Interconnections are also being established in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and the UK. These complement AT&T's previously announced network interconnections with Alestra's network in Mexico and Unisiti in China. Additional interconnections are planned for later in the year.


AT&T announced global enhancements to its portfolio of IP VPN-based services, hosting, managed services and security offers, including AT&T "Internet Protect" and said that by year-end, it will expand the reach and in-country coverage of its global portfolio in the following critical high-growth regions:

AT&T also is increasing the breadth of supported access technologies, including:

• global WiFi access from more than 9,200 hot spots in key business locations in 36 countries worldwide -- increased from more than 5,000 at the end of 2004 -- and has plans for a total of more than 15,000 by the end of 2005.



• wired Ethernet to more than 1,700 locations globally, increased from 1,300 at the end 2004.



• DSL expansion into Europe and Asia.



• trials of WiMAX technology are being deployed in two key U.S. markets -- New Jersey and Georgia -- with a third site to be announced shortly.

http://www.att.com

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BT Avoids Break-up in Agreement with UK Regulator

BT reached an agreement with Ofcom, the telecom regulatory authority in the UK, that avoids the break-up of the company and provides a long-term framework for the UK's fixed line telecommunications market. Under the agreement, BT agreed to substantive changes in its structure and behaviour, significant cuts in the price it charges for unbundled local loops, to continue its universal service obligations, and to ensure that its 21CN Next Generation Network does not inhibit reasonable developments by alternative network operators. Full details of the agreement will be published by the end of the month. Some key points include:

• BT will set-up a new - and operationally separate -- business unit, provisionally entitled Access Services, but with a distinct new brand and identity. The new business unit will be staffed by around 30,000 employees presently responsible for the operation and development of BT's local access networks. It will have separate physical locations for management teams and separate bonus schemes with long-term incentive plans that reflect the objectives of the new business unit, not those of the BT Group plc.



• The new business unit will be required, through a set of formal rules on governance and separation, to support all providers' retail activities (including those of BT Retail) on a precisely equivalent basis. The new business unit will offer a universally available product and service set, including Local Loop Unbundling (LLU), shared loops (where BT Retail continues to provide voice services and another provider is responsible for broadband), Wholesale Line Rental (WLR), and Backhaul service. Equivalence of Input will also apply to IPStream - BT's wholesale internet products used by many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to provide broadband connections for their customers.



• The BT Group plc shall adopt the same clear principles in the design, procurement and build of its next generation 21st Century Network.



• BT Group plc and the new business unit's compliance with the proposed undertakings will be monitored by a new Equality of Access Board (EAB), which will also oversee the delivery of other legacy regulated products not directly delivered by the new business unit.



• BT will cut the price for full LLU by 24% per cent from £105 to £80 per year. It has also committed to deliver stability on IPStream pricing until there are 1.5 million unbundled lines in the UK to encourage competition.

Ofcom Chief Executive Stephen Carter said: "Effective regulation for the telecommunications industry needs to be forward looking, needs to encourage competition in the right places and needs to deliver tangible benefits for customers."


BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen stated "This has been a meticulous process during which BT has engaged in depth with Ofcom and the industry. We came up with bold proposals in February that reflected the reality of the market and we have now committed to a framework to ensure others have confidence in the settlement. It is time to draw a line under twenty years of micro-regulation and to welcome a new era where regulation is focused where needed and rolled back elsewhere."http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2005/06/nr_20050623http://www.btplc.com

• The UK government licensed the first telecom competitor (Mercury) in 1980s and encouraged the company to build its own network. From 1994 to 1997, the regulator at that time (Oftel) favored competition between fixed-line companies that owned their own networks - and particularly those with networks that actually came into homes and offices, such as cable operators. Oftel also licensed two extra mobile networks, so that there were four network operators competing from the mid-1990s. However, in the mid-1990s Oftel was less favourable to companies that did not own a network.



• There are five mobile network operators in the UK, plus others which offer services by using another company's network. On the other hand, BT has an 80% share of the residential phone market, and supplies most business lines as well. For Internet access, it seems at first glance that there's a whole variety of internet service providers (such as AOL and Freeserve) supplying narrowband and broadband services to homes and offices. However, almost all of them use just one of two networks -- cable or DSL.

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