Venezuela's CANTV Selects Alcatel's Metro Ethernet

ANTV, the principal operator in Venezuela, has selected Alcatel to implement a nation-wide Metro Ethernet network. The Alcatel IP/MPLS solution is the foundation for CANTV's next generation, service-aware aggregation network and provides the infrastructure CANTV requires for triple play service roll out.


CANTV will utilize the Alcatel solution to construct 14 rings across five cities, enabling the operator to introduce IP and Ethernet based services, such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for enterprises with differentiated service levels based on customer specifications. The deployment is based on the Alcatel 7450 Ethernet Service Switch and 5620 Service Aware Manager. The network will be completed by November 2005.
http://www.alcatel.com

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Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom selects Alcatel's Metro Ethernet

Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), the incumbent operator in Taiwan, selected Alcatel to supply its Metro Ethernet solution to support the roll out of a triple play network.


CHT will deploy the Alcatel 7450 Ethernet Service Switch to aggregate triple play services delivered to residential and enterprise users as part of a fiber-to-the-building (FTTB) project. Phase one of this FTTB project is targeting the end of 2005 to meet the business communication needs of enterprises in Taiwan's major cities. This contract was won in partnership with inTECH (System Integration) and ZyXEL (Layer 2 switches).
http://www.alcatel.com

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Ya.com Selects Alcatel for Triple Play in Spain

T-Online's Spanish subsidiary Ya.com selected Alcatel to supply a turnkey triple play solution in Spain.


Ya.com recently acquired Albura and its modern network infrastructure in Spain. Alcatel will be responsible for the integration and end-to-end IP network deployment, including project management, integration of the operating support system (OSS), maintenance and training. The network will include the Alcatel Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM), Alcatel 7750 Service Router, Alcatel 7450 Ethernet Service Switch and Optical Multi-Service Node systems.


Alcatel will integrate the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform for television services, following the strategic agreement signed by the two companies early this year. Alcatel will also supply and integrate the encoding head-ends, the video servers, as well as the content management and control tools.


Deployments are expected to begin in Q4 of 2005, with commercial operations due in the first half of 2006. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.alcatel.com

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Motorola to Resell Sandvine's Application-Aware Platform

Motorola will resell Sandvine's PacketCable Multimedia (PCMM) application manager, which enables QoS for revenue-generating IP services. Sandvine's application manager plays a significant role in ensuring QoS by improving network control to give operators the ability to identify, analyze, mark and prioritize broadband traffic. The deal is a non-exclusive reseller agreement.


Components of the Motorola PCMM solution include the Motorola Broadband Services Router 64000 (BSR 64000) - the first Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) to receive PCMM Qualification within DOCSIS 2.0 from CableLabs - Motorola's system integration services, and Sandvine's PCMM application manager.

http://www.motorola.com
http://www.sandvine.com/

• In May 2005, Sandvine, a start-up based in Waterloo, Ontario, secured US$15 million in venture capital financing for its application and subscriber-aware broadband management solutions. Sandvine's platforms help service providers better understand subscriber behavior, recognize and address network threats, classify applications, guarantee service levels and create profitable tiers for multiple broadband services - without a forklift upgrade to current infrastructure. The company claims deployments in over 100 ISP networks in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, and North America, including six of the top 12 broadband service providers. The new funding was led by Newbury Ventures and included existing investors, BDC Private Equity Partners, Celtic House Venture Partners, Tech Capital Partners, and VenGrowth Capital Partners.

Network Neutrality: A Broadband Wild West?

Should broadband network operators be legally bound to treat all services that move across their network the same way - not blocking any competing service or boosting their own offerings? With limited network resources and many competing demands by subscribers, applications, and content providers, satisfying the demands of one stakeholder means taking resources away from another.  This problem, along with the greedy nature of applications and the over-subscription model of the Internet challenges network operators and the regulatory environment as they strive to maintain Internet freedoms.

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TI Announces VoIP Gateway Platform for T1/E1 Enterprise Applications

Texas Instruments announced a new VoIP gateway platform targeted at T1/E1 enterprise applications and based on its digital signal processing (DSP) technology and Telogy Software. The solution can be implemented in standalone VoIP gateways or as a VoIP gateway card in legacy PBX or IP-PBX applications.


TI said its new TNETV2520 incorporates its newest VoIP software features, including advanced conferencing support with full conferencing bridge services. It is also the first enterprise gateway implementation of TI's enhanced security framework, which includes support for SRTP. Its media independent interface (MII) also allows easier scaling to configure with additional systems as the enterprise expands, supporting multiple instances of T1 or E1.


Additionally, TI's latest VoIP gateway architecture includes voice quality management features, enabling an end-to-end view of voice performance as the end user experiences it by extending how quality is currently monitored and managed on IP networks. TI said this new approach will enable customers to proactively monitor quality with real-time diagnostic tools and historical reporting capabilities, enabling them to identify trends and avert problems before customers are impacted.


The TNETV2520 is currently available with pricing starting at less than $75 for 10K unit volumes. http://www.ti.com/

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Verizon Adds Scripps Programming to FiOS TV

Verizon announced a distribution deal to carry Scripps Networks programming on its FiOS TV service. Scripps Networks' content includes HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, FINE LIVING, Great American Country (GAC) and Shop at Home -- as well as video-on-demand programming. http://www.verizon.com/

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Marconi Outlines IMS Strategy

Marconi outlined its IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) strategy aimed at enabling operators to build integrated fixed-mobile core networks that offer open IP-based services. The IMS capabilities, which are already commercially available, include a portfolio of products from Marconi and its partners.


At the core of Marconi's strategy are software components that are deployed on a common modular processor platform that exploits a common operating system, common redundancy and recovery capabilities and the ability to be geographically dispersed - meeting and exceeding the Telcos' reliability requirements.


Marconi said its single IMS platform provides support for sophisticated multimedia communications and traditional PSTN features under a common management solution.
http://www.marconi.com

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Marconi to Resell Pirelli's CWDM Metro Platform

Marconi and Pirelli Broadband Solutions announced an alliance to deliver next-generation network transmission solution. Specifically, Marconi will provide to its customer base Pirelli's City8 Multiservice Platform, a CWDM metro access system. Pirelli's City8 platform is managed by Marconi's Network Management System technology (ServiceOn), which allows users to remotely manage an entire telecommunications network.

http://www.marconi.com
http://www.pirelli.com

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Hitachi Unveils its GPON Product Line

Hitachi Telecom (USA) introduced its new AMN1220 family of GPON optical access solutions. The GPON line, which complies with ITU-T G.984 standards and FSAN recommendations, provides data rates of 2.488 Gbps downstream and 1.244 Gbps upstream. The product is based on GPON Encapsulation Mode (GEM) framing, allowing TDM services such as T1 to be handled in their native formats.


Hitachi's AMN1220 line consists of a centrally located Optical Line Terminal (OLT) connected via single-mode fiber to Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) at the subscribers' premises. The OLT is equipped with a hybrid Layer 2/3 + TDM switch fabric for flexible traffic management and consolidation. ONTs include the SFU, a single family / small business unit, and the MXU, a configurable multi-dwelling / multi-business ONT. All ONTs can provide a Gigabit Ethernet line rate interface to the customer. Hitachi will offer integrated bandwidth management and QoS capabilities, native support of T1 traffic, and optional support for RF video.


Hitachi expects the products to be generally available in the first quarter 2006.
http://www.hitachitelecom.com

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N.E.T. announces Executive Appointments

Network Equipment Technologies (N.E.T.) announced that Talbot Harty has accepted the dual positions of V.P. of Marketing and Chief Technology Officer, replacing Stephen T. Gleave, who has accepted a position with another company. Harty has been with N.E.T. since 2003 and has most recently been instrumental in shaping the company's VoIP strategy for the enterprise. Harty was previously Vice President of Product Development at Perfect Commerce, a provider of on-demand supplier relationship management solutions. Prior to Perfect Commerce, Harty was VP of Product Marketing at Mobileum (now Roamware), a start-up company in the wireless application server market.


N.E.T. also appointed Michael Shephard as VP of Sales for EMEA. Previously, Shephard was a director with Sandrock Management specialising in business development consultancy in the communications market. He was also EME sales director at Rockwell FirstPoint Contact, a leading provider of mission critical contact centre solutions.

http://www.net.com

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Motive Teams Up with Thomson for Triple-Play Management

Motive and Thomson announced a strategic alliance to help broadband providers speed deployment and improve the management of advanced services in the digital home. Specifically, the companies agreed to:

• Build Motive management software into Thomson IP set-top boxes so that Motive and Thomson customers can remotely support IPTV subscribers through an automated and turn-key process.



• Collaborate with the DSL Forum to finalize an IP set-top box management protocol.



• Complete Thomson home gateway interoperability testing for the DSL Forum's TR-069 and TR-064 management protocols.



• Extend current interoperability testing to include management for VoIP devices and services.

Motive and Thomson recently submitted a co-authored draft specification for a proposed IP set-top box management standard to the DSL Forum and are jointly editing the document with the Forum. The two companies are also collaborating to enable diagnostics and management for DSL residential gateways and have completed interoperability testing for the DSL Forum's TR-069 and TR-064 protocols for WAN- and LAN-side gateway management.
http://www.motive.com
http://www.thomson.net

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Zhone Sells Arca-DACS and Sechtor 300 Products to Verilink

Zhone Technologies has sold its Arca-DACS and Sechtor 300 products to Verilink. Zhone will receive 2 million common shares of Verilink in exchange for the inventory, equipment and liabilities associated with the products.


The ARCA-DACS 100 and Sechtor 300 products are suited for grooming fractional T1s at the network access facility, allowing carriers to choose switching granularity from DS3 down to DS0, all in one efficient, effective, and economical platform. The Arca-DACS and Sechtor 300 are OSMINE-certified and Network Equipment Building Standard (NEBS) Level-3 compliant. Both are carrier-class products.


For the past several years, Verilink has been a major OEM of these products with a successful sales and service record of deploying these products at some of the world's largest carriers.
http://www.zhone.com
http://www.verilink.com

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Far EasTone Deploys Agilent's Service Assurance

Far EasTone Telecommunications, a leading Taiwan wireless service provider, has deployed Agilent Technologies' network and service assurance solutions to manage the quality of its mobile data services. The fault management and active testing solution has enabled FET to proactively manage its GSM and GPRS services now, and add management for UMTS services as they are deployed.


FET's new, Agilent-based service operations support system (OSS) tests wireless services such as WAP, MMS, IVR and SMS before and after services are launched to ensure high QoS and a positive customer experience. The OSS combines the Agilent OSS Wireless QoS Manager and Fault Manager, so FET can simulate subscriber use and, if there are problems, drill down into the network data to find a root cause. This helps the service provider detect and correct problems quickly, minimizing impact to subscribers and ensuring billable services are up and running.
http://www.agilent.com

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Ember Supplies ZigBee for SK Telecom' "digital smart home" Service

Ember Corp. is supplying ZigBee wireless networking technology for a new "digital smart home" service that South Korea's SK Telecom plans to roll out this month.


The service will enable customers to monitor and control their homes remotely using cell phones, and the Internet.


The first phase of the digital home service rollout will offer a range of 802.15.4/Ember-enabled wireless devices, sensors and services to monitor and control appliances, lights, smoke detectors, intrusion detectors, climate controls, gas valves and electronic door locks, all linked to the Internet wirelessly via a ZigBee-based residential gateway. Customers can monitor and control the devices themselves - both remotely and in the home - using SK Telecom's 24x7 home monitoring service. The tiered services will be offered for both new and existing homes. TSC Systems, based in Seoul, South Korea was the system integrator for the project.


Ember noted that SK Telecom's service, which is currently in field tests in 400 Korean households, recently won the "Intelligent Home Network Innovation Award" from the Korean government.
http://www.ember.com
http://www.zigbee.org

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Zhone Sells its eLuminant Product Line to CTDI

Zhone Technologies has sold its eLuminant product line to Communications Test Design (CTDI) for $9.0 million in exchange for the inventory, equipment, intellectual property and liabilities associated with the products.


Products included in the acquisition include Zhone's eLuminant ISC-303 digital loop carrier, the VISTA Access SONET ADM, the RC-28D and the FD-6 multiplexer. CTDI is the primary subcontractor currently providing test and repair service for these products.

http://www.zhone.com

• In February 2003, Zhone Technologies acquired NEC Eluminant Technologies, a developer of optical access products, for an undisclosed sum. Products included in the acquisition include eLUMINANT's ISC-303 digital loop carrier, the VISTA Access SONET ADM, the RC-28D and RC-28E M13 multiplexers and the FD-6 fiber access multiplexer. NEC retained the rights to the FiberSLAM product and intellectual property associated with the passive optical networking (PON) system.



• eLUMINANT was spun off from NEC America, Inc. in 1998. The company has raised $31 million in funding from ITOCHU Corporation, NEC USA, and Yasuda Enterprise Development Co., one of Japan's largest venture capital companies.

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ntl to Acquire Telewest, Consolidating Cable Market in UK

ntl confirmed plans to acquire Telewest for GBP 3.4 billion ($6 billion), creating the UK's second largest communications company with a cable footprint covering more than 50% of the nation's households. The combined company will have nearly 5 million customers, including 2.5 million residential broadband subscribers and the second largest fixed telephony supplier with 4.3 million subscribers.


The companies said their merger would allow an accelerated deployment of next generation services, including HDTV, VOD and VoIP.


Simon Duffy, ntl's CEO, said "This is a transforming transaction for the UK cable industry. It marks not only the culmination of a decade of consolidation but, more importantly, the creation of a new competitive force in the communications and entertainment sectors in the UK.
http://www.ntl.com
http://www.telewest.co.uk

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Meru Hires Cisco Exec as VP of Engineering

Meru Networks, a supplier of wireless VoIP infrastructure, named Om Tiku, as Vice President of Engineering. Previously, Mr. Tiku spent over nine years at Cisco, where he was responsible for the concept, architecture, development and delivery of an enterprise branch and small office family of routers, including the first industry standards-based Mobile Access Router.
http://www.merunetworks.com/

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Korea's SK Telecom Selects LGE, Nortel UMTS/HSDPA

SK Telecom, Korea's largest mobile communications provider, has selected LG Electronics (LGE) and Nortel to provide Advanced HSDPA and UMTS technology to support new high-speed wireless broadband services throughout southern Korea. Financial terms were not disclosed.


SK Telecom's commercial launch of UMTS services in Pusan, Korea's second largest city, and the southern provinces of Gyeongsang-do, Jeolla-do and Jeju Island is planned for November 2005, with commercial launch of HSDPA following in early 2006.

http://www.nortel.com
http://www.lge.com

• In August 2005, LG Electronics and Nortel signed a definitive agreement to form a joint venture that will offer telecom and networking solutions in the wireline, optical, wireless and enterprise areas for South Korean and global customers. Nortel will own 50 percent plus one share in the joint venture, in exchange for which Nortel will contribute its South Korean distribution and services business and pay US$145 million and other non-monetary consideration. Separately, LG Electronics may be entitled to payments over a two-year period based on achievement by the joint venture of certain business goals.

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QUALCOMM Integrates High-End GPS into Mass-Market Chips

QUALCOMM announced improved sensitivity, enhanced indoor accuracy and the seamless simultaneous operation of voice and GPS positioning for location-based services and E911 calls. The enhancements to the Company's gpsOne technology are featured on the newly announced Mobile Station Modem (MSM)) MSM6125 for CDMA2000 1X networks.


"Powerful new position-location capabilities are now targeted for the everyday consumer and enterprise user, supporting a wide range of applications such as child locators, turn-by-turn navigation, directory services and many other services," said Robert Rovetta, senior director of product management for QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies.
http://www.qualcomm.com

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Vitesse Trims Financial Guidance

Vitesse warned that revenues for its fourth quarter of fiscal 2005, which ended on September 30, will be below previous expectations. The company now expects revenue of $48 million, compared to an earlier guidance range of $52 to $53 million established in July. The company also anticipates that revenues in the first fiscal quarter of 2006 ending December 31, 2005 will be $53 to $54 million.


Lou Tomasetta, Vitesse President and CEO, commented, "During the quarter we saw some softness in turns business and delays in the production ramp of our SAS products. Additionally, we were unable to obtain all of the required material from our assembly subcontractors in time to ship by the end of the quarter as assembly lead times have lengthened significantly. We were, however, encouraged to see continued design-win activity and double digit growth in sales in our Ethernet business."http://www.vitesse.com

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Strix Unveils WiMAX Strategy for Mesh Networks

Strix Systems, a start-up based in Calabasas, California, outlined its strategy for implementing WiMAX and mobile WiMAX in high-performance, large-scale mesh networks. Strix's existing Wi-Fi-based mesh technology already provides many WiMAX-like capabilities, including broadband coverage with a range of several hundred meters outdoors. WiMAX promises to increase range and quality of throughput with an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM)-based modulation technique that will achieve a maximum coverage radius outdoors using OFD Multiple Access (OFDMA).


Strix currently supplies a high-capacity multi-radio, multi-channel, and multi-RF mesh networking solution. Strix's Access/One Network OWS supports up to six radios per node, enabling some dedicated radios to be used for backhaul ingress, backhaul egress, and client connectivity. The design can use any combination of 802.11a, b, or g radios. The multi-radio mesh architecture segments the network and supports QoS for voice and other applications.


Strix plans to offer in-network upgrades that add WiMAX radios to existing mesh nodes. This will deliver 802.16 backhaul capabilities for the Wi-Fi mesh. In late 2006 or early 2007, Strix will also add the capability to support mobile access via WiMAX.
http://www.strixsystems.com

Which Mesh Architecture is Best for Delivering VoIP? by Cyrus Irani

For wireless data networks, voice is a "killer app." This article will first look at the four key mesh network performance requirements for real time applications; the three mesh architectural options when deploying wireless voice over IP (wVoIP) over a WiFi mesh network; how a multi-radio, multi-RF architecture positively impacts the capital cost to deploy; and the operating expenses involved to properly operate such networks.

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Google Bids to Offer Free Wi-Fi in San Francisco

Google submitted a bid to the City of San Francisco to offer free Wi-Fi service to residences and city offices. The Google plan would provide free 300 kbps service capable of reach 90% of building interiors in the city. A premium Wi-Fi service with higher access speeds would be offered through other wholesale carriers. Several other carriers, including Earthlink, also submitted proposals for San Francisco's TechConnect project.
http://www.sfgov.org/site/tech_connect_page.asp?id=33899

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