Telenor and Thuraya Ink Satellite Services Agreement

Telenor will begin offering Thuraya products and services throughout Telenor's global distribution network under a new agreement announced by the firms. Under the distribution agreement, Telenor now offers ThurayaDSL Services, in addition to Thuraya's standard handheld satellite communications services.ThurayaDSL providing "always on" GPRS packet data services using a notebook-sized satellite IP modem for communications up to 144 kbps. http://www.telenor....

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University at Buffalo Adds 834-Node Dell Supercomputing Cluster

The Center for Computational Research (CCR) at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York (UB) has installed an 834-node, high-performance computing cluster made up of Dell PowerEdge SC1425, 1850 and PowerEdge 2850 servers. It has a theoretical peak performance of more than 10 TFlops, with an anticipated sustained performance of more than 7 TFlops. The installation brings the number of processors in UB's CCR to nearly 7,000 and extends the center's theoretical peak performance from approximately 12 trillion floating point operations...

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Keynote Ranks VoIP Providers by Audio Quality

Keynote Systems released a benchmark study ranking the audio quality of major VoIP providers in the U.S. as perceived by end-users. For the study, Keynote ranked six leading VoIP providers on critical performance factors that influence the end-user experience using Keynote's VoIP Perspective measurement service. Included in the study were AT&T CallVantage, Packet 8, Primus Lingo, SkypeOut, Verizon Voicewing and Vonage in the New York and San Francisco metro areas. Key conclusions included:Vonage ranked first overall as the most reliable VoIP...

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Skype and Boingo Merge Internet Telephony with Wi-Fi Hotspots

Skype and Boingo Wireless announced a partnership under which Skype's more than 45 million users will be able to make and receive Internet telephony calls via Boingo's network of 18,000 Wi-Fi hot spots at discounted prices. Unlimited Wi-Fi access for Skype Internet telephony calls is available for $7.95 per month or $2.95 for a 2-hour connection. The service will use a custom Skype version of the Boingo Software.The combined Skype Zones service is in beta testing and currently available for download. http://www.skype.com http://www.boingowireless.comSkype...

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NDS Supplies IPTV/VOD Content Protection in Spain

Auna, Spain's second largest network operator, selected NDS for its IP television offering and Video-on-Demand service. Using NDS' "Synamedia" solution integrated with its "VideoGuard" ) content protection, Auna will make its existing cable pay-TV service and Video-on-Demand available to new subscribers that are connected to the Auna broadband ADSL network. NDS will protect Auna's IPTV and VOD broadband roll out for Spain's major cities.NDS said its architecture protects content at all stages of broadband IP delivery--from the broadband access...

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Motorola Selects Freescale for 3G Development

Motorola selected Freescale Semiconductor to develop new platform solutions for 3G UMTS products expected to hit the market in 2008. Motorola will use Freescale's 3G platforms, featuring high speed download packet access (HSDPA) and its single core modem architecture to bring high-performance, low power, and competitively priced phones to a mass market audience. The contract includes baseband, RF, power management and power amplifier components. The new multiyear contract builds on four years of ongoing collaboration between Freescale and Motorola...

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Airbus to Deploy 40,000 IP Phones with FT/Cisco

Airbus selected France Telecom, its fully-owned subsidiary Equant, and Cisco Systems for a five-year project to implement IP telephony. Under the contract, France Telecom Group will provide a full IP solution in Airbus sites, starting in France and the UK. Cisco Systems, a long-term LAN supplier for Airbus, will provide the IP-based telephony system. The contract includes migration from traditional PBXs to fully IP-based telephony system for 30,000 extensions in France, at both Toulouse sites, and 10,000 extensions in the United Kingdom, at sites...

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Alcatel Sees Better-Than-Expected Q2

Alcatel released preliminary second quarter 2005 earnings, saying results were ahead of expectations: Revenues of EUR 3.14 billion, an increase of 8% over the same period last year (around 10% at a constant EUR/US$ exchange rate). This higher than expected revenue growth resulted from a strong momentum in IP routing and optical transmission, mobile communications, and enterprise solutions. Operating margin amounted to slightly above 8% of revenues. Diluted EPS of around EUR 0.13 (US$0.16(1) per ADS), and included a positive impact from tax income...

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Former Alcatel CTO Joins Overture's Board

Overture Networks, a supplier of converged packet access platforms, appointed Dr. Niel Ransom to its board of directors. Ransom most recently served as Alcatel's chief technology officer before retiring in June 2005. During his tenure at Alcatel, Dr. Ransom led overall product strategy, standardization, corporate research, M&A strategy, and intellectual property.http://www.overturenetworks.co...

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Comcast Boosts its Top Cable Modem Speed to 8 Mbps

Comcast, the largest U.S. broadband provider, is boosting its residential cable modem speed tiers, introducing new rates of 8Mbps/768kbps and 6Mbps/384kbps. The speed upgrades will begin this month in eastern and central Pennsylvania, New England, New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan and Washington, D.C., with nearly all Comcast markets scheduled to be complete this summer. The speed increases will be automatic and customers will not need to take any action.Comcast has boosted its broadband speeds three times since October 2003. Comcast currently serves...

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XO Carries 1.6 Billion VoIP Minutes in Q2

XO Communications carried more than 1.6 billion minutes of VoIP traffic across its national IP network in Q2. VoIP traffic grew by 15% during the second quarter due to an increased usage of XO's commercial and wholesale VoIP solutions. http://www.xo.c...

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Microsoft Offers Remote Keyboard for Windows XP Media Center

Microsoft introduced a Remote Keyboard for Windows XP Media Center Edition designed for use in a living room. The three-in-one device can be used to turn up the volume, type a message, or point and click with the fully integrated remote, keyboard and mouse capabilities. The design uses backlit buttons for use in low-light conditions. MSRP is $104.95. http://www.microsoft....

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America Online and Partners Target Multi-Platform, Live Programming

America Online is teaming up with XM Satellite Radio, AEG (a sports and entertainment presenter) in a joint venture that will deliver multi-platform, live entertainment programming.Building on the record-setting broadcasts of Live 8 by AOL and XM, the new company, called Network Live, will be a multi-platform digital entertainment company committed to delivering live entertainment programming through the Internet, satellite and other third party global media platforms such as VOD, wireless and HDTV. The content will be promoted to AOL's web audience...

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SBC Yahoo! DSL to Provide Live Video Feed for Space Shuttle Launch

SBC Communications and Yahoo! are partnering to provide live video feed for this week's Discovery liftoff in Cape Canaveral for SBC Yahoo! DSL subscribers.In addition, SBC Yahoo! DSL subscribers will have access to exclusive video footage of astronaut training sessions, a Discovery mission overview and a tour of the International Space Station. Following the liftoff, subscribers can continue following Discovery's mission through ground-tracking cameras that will capture an on-orbit inspection of the Orbiter thermal protection system and other on-orbit...

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Equinix Launches 10 GigE Exchange Anticipating Content Growth

Equinix is rolling out 10 Gigabit Ethernet capabilities on the company's Equinix Exchange service in Washington D.C., Silicon Valley, Chicago and New York by the end of 2005. Equinix said the upgrade, which includes the addition of 10 Gigabit Ethernet switching capabilities, comes in response to strong demand for its network and content peering service, for which annual revenue grew by more than 50% in 2004. The initial customers migrating to the new service will be Limelight Networks, Time Warner Telecom, and nLayer.Equinix has deployed Force10...

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Samsung Electronics First to Mass Produce 667 Mbps DDR2 Memory

Samsung Electronics has begun mass producing 667 Mbps DDR2 (Double Data Rate 2) DRAM memory for desktop and notebook PCs, workstations and server. The new Samsung DDR2-667 Mbps device will optimize performance in both single-core and new dual-core processors. The company said DDR2-667 has 25% greater bandwidth than the fastest main memory currently available. Samsung's DDR2-667 is available in 256Mb and 512Mb versions. A 1 Gb version is expected late this year.http://www.samsung....

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