Thursday, August 31, 2006

Deutsche Telekom Outlines Seven-Point Strategy

Deutsche Telekom's Supervisory Board has given the go-ahead for changes in DT's management structure, in line with a new, 7-point program called "Telekom 2010." T-Systems CEO Lothar Pauly will head the areas Networks, IT and Purchasing worldwide, while T-Mobile CEO Rene Obermann will be responsible for over-the-counter sales in Germany. Kai-Uwe Ricke will assume responsibility for advertising budgets, media planning and media coordination along with...

Huawei to Supply UMTS for Uruguay's ANTEL

Administración Nacional de Telecomunicaciones ("ANTEL"), the leading telecom operator in Uruguay has selected Huawei Technologies for its UMTS network. Huawei is supplying the HSDPA-based end-to-end UMTS solution for ANTEL. Financial terms were not disclosed.Huawei's UMTS solution encompasses its HSDPA-based series NodeB, compatible mobile Softswitch core network for GSM/GPRS/3GPP R99/3GPP R4, open intelligent network and mobile data platform, uniform...

Amino Announces Internet-TV Set-top Box

Amino has entered the Internet TV market with a new set-top box designed for Web-based video services. The AmiNET125i is a multi-codec unit, designed to deliver Windows Media 9 and MPEG-4 video streams to a TV. The product features a low-cost digital signal processor (DSP) supporting a range of decoders which are widespread in the world of Internet-based content. There is also a host processor to ensure the user experience is on a par with that of...

BT Anticipates First Live Customer Upgrades to 21CN in November

BT announced details of the first steps it will take to transition customers in the UK to its 21st century network (21CN). Starting in late November this year, BT, working closely with other communications providers, will begin the planned upgrade of customers and their voice and broadband services, in Cardiff and the surrounding area. The first stage of the new network will be delivered in three phases, increasing in scale with each phase. Phase one, to run from November this year until March 2007, will see the upgrade of voice services to some...

Working Prototype of Prototype of Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Receiver Developed

STMicroelectronics, in cooperation with Kenwood and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (Fraunhofer IIS), presented a fully working prototype of a "Digital Radio Mondiale" (DRM) receiver at last week's IFA Consumer Electronics trade fair in Berlin. The prototype could pave the way to the development of a low-power Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) for DRM applications such as fixed and portable radios, car receivers, software receivers, and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). Standardized by the International Electrotechnical...

Broadcom's Antitrust Complaint Against QUALCOMM Dismissed

The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey has dismissed Broadcom's antitrust complaint against QUALCOMM in its entirety. Originally filed in July of 2005 and later amended, the complaint alleged a variety of purported antitrust violations by QUALCOMM, each of which was rejected by the District Court. "QUALCOMM is pleased by the Court's thoughtful and comprehensive ruling dismissing all of Broadcom's claims," said Steve Altman, president, QUALCOMM. "Our business model is built upon making our innovations available to the entire...

RadiSys Completes Convedia Acquisition

RadiSys Corporation completed its previously-announced acquisition of Convedia, a leading supplier of IP media processing technologies and IP media server products.RadiSys paid $105 million in cash at closing. RadiSys could pay up to an additional $10 million in cash determined by a contingent formula tied to achieving certain profitability goals during the twelve-month period beginning October 1, 2006.http://www.radisys.comhttp://www.convedia.comConvedia's family of media servers enable fixed, mobile and cable service providers to deliver processed...

Global Crossing to Provide VoIP for UK's Inuk Networks

Global Crossing was awarded a three-year contract to offer VoIP as part of a triple-play offering being launched by Inuk Networks later this year aimed initially at the UK university student population, which totals over three million. The service will include broadband Internet access, IPTV and VoIP. Inuk's "Freewire" promises broadcast-quality television over IP networks that have a multi-casting capability. The Freewire bundle includes VoIP and...

Alcatel to acquire Nortel's UMTS Radio Access Business

Alcatel agreed to acquire Nortel's UMTS radio access business (UTRAN) and related assets for US$320 million -- making Alcatel one of the world's largest suppliers of UMTS radio access solutions.The proposed sale includes Nortel's UMTS access product portfolio made up of the Radio Network Controller and Node B products and OAM solutions, related services and associated assets. It is anticipated that the significant majority of employees of Nortel's...

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Huawei Wins Phase II IPTV contract in Morocco

Morocco's Maroc Telecom has selected Huawei as the exclusive supplier for the second phase of its IPTV project. In just 3 months since launching IPTV service, Maroc Telecom has registered more than 10,000 subscribers.The first phase of the IPTV project covered the capital city Rabat and Casablanca, and the service focused on BTV and VOD using H.264 encoding.In the phase two contract, Huawei will enable "Video Value-Added Services" for Maroc Telecom,...

Ciena Reports 16% Sequential Revenue Rise, 1-for-7 Reverse Stock Split

For its fiscal third quarter 2006 ended July 31, 2006, Ciena reported revenue of $152.5 million, representing a 16.3% sequential increase from fiscal second quarter revenue of $131.2 million, and an increase of 38.0% over the same period a year ago when the company reported sales of $110.5 million. Ciena's net loss (GAAP) for the fiscal third quarter 2006 was $4.3 million, or a net loss of $0.01 per share. This compares with a reported GAAP net loss of $51.0 million, or a net loss of $0.09 per share, for the same period a year ago. "Strong sequential...

Nokia Acquires gate5 for Mapping/Navigation in Mobile Devices

Nokia agreed to acquire gate5, a supplier of mapping, routing and navigation software and services, for an undisclosed sum.gate5, which was founded in 1999 and is based in Berlin, provides software to leading personal navigation device manufacturers around the world. Its "smart2go" software enables a sophisticated mapping and navigation experience with advanced features such as house polygons, earth browsing and dynamic route guidance. All applications...

Telstra Awards Contracts Valued at EUR 270 million to Alcatel

Telstra has budgeted AUD460 million (EUR 270 million) for upgrades to its fixed networks in a works program led by Alcatel.In 2006/07, Alcatel will establish an IP network footprint in five Australian cities - Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide - by supplying and deploying its IP-DSLAMs, Ethernet aggregation and optical networking solutions. A milestone reached in the lead up to this next phase of upgrades is the establishment of Telstra's...

Arcadian Raises $20 Million for IP-based Wireless Monitoring Network

Arcadian Networks, a privately held wireless carrier based in New York, raised an additional $20 million of financing from Clal Industries and Investments Ltd. (CII), Goldman Sachs and Gilo Ventures.Arcadian Networks commenced operations in April 2006 and has introduced IP-based, private network and turn-key carrier services for real-time monitoring and control of mission-critical applications such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), security surveillance, VoIP, automatic meter reading (AMR), and workforce management. Industries...

Fujitsu Names Keith Horn COO for U.S. Semiconductor Operation

Fujitsu Microelectronics America (FMA) named Keith Horn to be its Chief Operating Officer (COO). Horn, who is currently serving as senior vice president of sales and marketing, will report to Kazuyuki Kawauchi, President and CEO of Fujitsu Microelectronics America.http://us.fujitsu.com/mi...

HelloSoft to Provide Symbian VoIP and IMS/VCC Solutions

HelloSoft is extending its VoIP and IMS/VCC software solutions for mobile devices to the Symbian OS ecosystem. HelloSoft has a range of VoIP and wireless products. In addition, HelloSoft's IMS/VCC stack enables seamless hand-off between cellular and Wi-Fi networks for multi-mode handsets. HelloSoft is headquartered in San Jose, California with an R&D facility in Hyderabad, India. http://www.hellosoft....

ESnet and Internet2 to Launch Next Gen Research Network

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) and Internet2 will deploy a high capacity nationwide network that will greatly enhance the capabilities of researchers across the country who participate in the DOE's scientific research efforts. Called ESnet4, the new network created through this partnership will initially operate on two dedicated 10 Gbps wavelengths on the new Internet2 nationwide infrastructure and will seamlessly...

GSM Exceeds 50% Market Share in the Americas

GSM has taken more than fifty percent of the market share in the Americas, adding nearly 100 million new customers from June 2005 to June 2006. At the end of 2Q 2006, two billion of the world's 2.41 billion cellular subscribers used GSM/UMTS. Informa's World Cellular Information Service projects three billion GSM/UMTS customers by 2009, with 551 million of these subscribers using UMTS services. Some other notes:At 2Q 2005, GSM held 38% of the Americas...

CBS Launches More Than 100 Broadband Channels of College Sports

CSTV Networks, a division of CBS, is launching more than 100 new broadband channels dedicated to live college sports. Consumers can subscribe to CSTV XXL via www.CSTVXXL.com or CSTV.com, which includes the entire array of All-Access broadband channels and all 10,000 events.The service is powered by thePlatform Media Publishing System and Maven Network's Maven Media System."Exclusive Internet content has become a vital element as we segue from a mass media to a personalized media world," said Brian Bedol, President and CEO, CSTV Networks, Inc. "Oftentimes...

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Azaire Networks Secures $21 Million for FMC

Azaire Networks, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California, raised $21 million in new funding for its Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) solutions.Azaire Networks' IP Converged Network Platform (IP-CNP) enables service providers to offer mobile broadband services through the creation of hybrid networks that integrate cellular and IP access networks (such as Wi-Fi and WiMAX).The new funding was led by Investor Growth Capital and existing Series B investors Convergence Partners, Rustic Canyon Partners and Woodside Fund also participated in the rou...

FiberTower and First Avenue Networks Complete Merger

First Avenue Networks competed its merger with FiberTower Corporation. The old FiberTower Corporation is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the company, and the company has changed its name to FiberTower Corporation. Shares will be traded on Nasdaq under the new ticker symbol "FTWR".The merger creates one of largest operators of wireless transport services in the U.S. Both companies operate networks to provide backhaul - transport from cell site to...

Flextronics Software Systems Claims Leading Share for SIP Stacks

Flextronics Software Systems (FSS) has captured the leading global market share in the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) stacks , according to a recent Venture Development Corporation (VDC) report. The company claims 32% share, according to VDC's Telecom Core Infrastructure Market Intelligence Service 2005-2006. http://www.flextronicssoftware....

Reliance Infocomm Deploys Ventuti Optimization on CDMA Network

Reliance Infocomm, India's largest CDMA operator, has deployed Venturi Wireless' optimization solution to enable its newly launched Netconnect with Netbooster service -- a mobile broadband service. The Reliance deployment consists of the Venturi VServer along with the VClient software for mobile devices. Venturi's "Adaptive Airlink Optimization" leverages a patented Venturi Transport Protocol (VTP), developed specifically for wireless IP transport....

Space Data Awarded $49 Million Air Force Contract For Near Space Communications System

Space Data Corporation of Arizona was awarded a five-year $49 million contract by the U.S. Air Force Space Command Space & Missile Systems Center's Development and Test Wing to provide a near space communications system. "Near space" is defined as 65,000 to 135,000 feet (19,812m to 41,148m) above the earth--higher than airplanes fly, but lower than satellites. Space Data said the Air Force Space Battlelab has carried out extensive testing of...

Sierra Wireless Introduces USB modems for EV-DO Rev A and HSDPA

Sierra Wireless introduced its AirCard USB Wireless Modems for EV-DO Revision A and HSDPA networks. Based on Sierra Wireless PCI Express Mini Card embedded modules, the AirCard USB modems can either plug directly into the USB ports of both notebook and desktop computers, or be connected through a docking cradle. This offers an alternative for customers without PCMCIA card slots, and allows them to move a single wireless data service between multiple...

SingTel Launches Global Ethernet Services

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) launched international Ethernet service for its global corporate customers. SingTel's MPLS-based ConnectPlus Ethernet-VPN provides any-to-any connectivity between two or more countries and comes with Class of Service (CoS) and Service Level Guarantees (SLG).ConnectPlus Ethernet-VPN will be available immediately between Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and United States. The service offers a bandwidth from 1 Mbps to 45 Mbps, with 1 Mbps increments. Network coverage will be enhanced...

Extreme Networks Appoints Mark Canepa as CEO

Extreme Networks named Mark Canepa as its new CEO, replacing company co-founder Gordon Stitt, who is retiring. Previously, Canepa was with Sun Microsystems where he served as executive vice president of the Network Storage Products Group. Before that, he served in multiple vice president and general manager roles at Sun, after joining the company in 1996.http://www.extremenetworks....

ZyXEL Selects Texas Instruments' VoIP for Access Devices and IP Phones

ZyXEL Communications, a supplier of residential gateways, has chosen Texas Instruments' VoIP products for its voice-enabled DSL access devices, VoIP gateways and IP phones. The first IP phones with TI's chipset will be available at CeBIT 2007. Prior to that, ZyXEL will roll out its high-port density VoIP gateway, P2024.TI's VoIP gateway product suite combines hardware and software-based functionality on an optimized architecture and co-defined features...

Sumitomo Selects Ikanos' VDSL2 Chipsets

Sumitomo Electric Networks (SEN) has selected Ikanos Communications' Fx 100100-5 and Fx100100S-5 CO and CPE chipsets for its next generation of broadband equipment. Ikanos' products enable symmetric 100 Mbps bandwidth as well as POTS-compatible "IP-Phone" services.http://www.ikanos....

JDSU Posts Revenue of $318.2 million

JDSU posted GAAP net revenue for its fourth fiscal quarter ended 30-June02006 of $318.2 million, up 86% year- over-year, due primarily to 25% growth in its Optical Communications business and the addition of the Communications Test and Measurement segment in August last year. Fourth quarter GAAP net loss of $(45.8) million compares to a GAAP net loss of $(145.7) million in the year-ago quarter, and to GAAP net income of $3.7 million in the third quarter."Year-over-year revenue growth and improved profitability metrics highlight JDSU's advancement...

Verizon Removes DSL Supplier Surcharge

Verizon Communications will drop previously announced plans to impose a supplier surcharge for DSL-based Internet access service on its retail customers. A small number of customers who have already been billed for the surcharge will receive a credit.Verizon Online began notifying its retail customers earlier this month of its plans to pass through a surcharge imposed by its affiliated operating telephone companies to cover costs associated with providing DSL service to customers who do not also subscribe to Verizon's traditional phone service....

TiVo Reaches 4.4 Million Users

TiVo reported better than expected bottom line results with a net loss of ($6.4) million and net loss per share of ($0.07) for the quarter, compared to a net loss of $(0.9) million, or $(0.01) per share, for the second quarter last year. For the quarter, service and technology revenues increased 30% to $52.9 million, compared to $40.7 million for the same period last year.TiVo-Owned subscription gross additions were 74,000 for the quarter, a 4% decrease compared to 77,000 in the second quarter of last year.TiVo reported 30,000 new net TiVo-Owned...

Monday, August 28, 2006

Huawei Wins HSDPA Contract with Saudi Arabia's Mobily

Saudi Arabia's Mobily selected Huawei Technologies for the construction of a UMTS terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) based on High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA). Huawei will supply its New Generation Node B solution, which incorporates highly efficient digital power amplifiers and support the multi-carrier technology. Financial terms were not disclosed.Mobily is owned by Etisalat of the United Arab Emirates. As one of Mobily's primary...

ADC Posts Sales of $344 Million, Up 12% from 3Q05

ADC reported revenue for its third fiscal quarter ended July 28, 2006 of $343.6 million, compared with $358.1 million in the preceding quarter and $307.0 million a year earlier. Gross margin was 39.2%, compared with 38.7% in Q2 and 41.2% last year.Broadband Infrastructure and Access sales of $293 million decreased by 4% from the second quarter of 2006. The sequential decline is primarily due to short-term impacts of both customer consolidation activity affecting current spending rates and customers' current inventory levels, which are higher than...

China Netcom Deploys Alcatel's NGN in Hei Longjiang

Hei Longjiang Netcom, a subsidiary of China Netcom, has selected Alcatel's Next Generation Network (NGN) platform. The project is the first province-wide fixed network migration for China Netcom. Upon completion, which is expected at the end of September 2006, seven million subscribers of Hei Longjiang Netcom will be able to access multimedia services such as prepaid phone, color ring back tones, universal personal telecommunications (UPT), free calls from the internet (Web 800), and click-to-dial.The deployment includes the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch,...

Universal Music Group Signs with SpiralFrog for Advertising-Supported Downloads

Universal Music Group (UMG) agreed to make its extensive music catalog available for legal downloading in the US and Canada via SpiralFrog's advertising-supported service. SpiralFrog will offer users of its no-cost web-based service the ability to legally download music. Microsoft's DRM is built-in to all audio and video content as part of measures that SpiralFrog and its partners are actively taking to address piracy. SpiralFrog plans to launch...

RCN Deploys Turin's Traverse Multiservice Transport Switch

RCN Business Solutions is deploying Turin Networks' Traverse Multiservice Transport Switch to launch Carrier Ethernet services to business customers. The Traverse platform unifies Carrier Ethernet/MPLS switching with next-generation SONET/SDH functionality in a single shelf optimized for metro and interoffice deployments.RCN Business Solutions has over 9500 route miles of fiber optic and coaxial cable at its disposal in six key metropolitan markets: Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Chicago and San Francisco.The deployed Carrier...

Kineto Announces UMA Support for 3G/UMTS Handsets

Kineto Wireless' UMA client software now supports 3G/UMTS. UMA enables consumers to seamlessly roam and hand-over between the cellular network (3G/UMTS or 2.5G/GSM/GPRS/EDGE) and Wi-Fi access points in the home or office.Kineto's client technology supports 2.5/GSM/GPRS/EDGE today and is currently licensed by Samsung, LG Electronics, and SIM Technology Group. The client is available for platforms from Philips Electronics, Texas Instruments, and Infineon/Comneon....

Wi-Fi Alliance to Certify Pre-Standard IEEE 802.11n

The Wi-Fi Alliance plans to certify interoperability of Wi-Fi products that include baseline features from the developing IEEE 802.11n standard in the first half of 2007. This is the first phase in a certification program of the next generation of Wi-Fi products. A second phase brings full alignment with the ratified standard. The second phase of the program, which will be introduced at the time of final IEEE 802.11n ratification, will support compatibility...

Hibernia Atlantic Cites Risk to Submarine Cables

Hibernia Atlantic, which operates the trans-Atlantic undersea cable systems linking Dublin, Manchester, London, New York, Halifax, Montreal and Boston, issued a call for the greater awareness and need for government understanding of the submarine cables linking North America with Europe. Hibernia Atlantic is concerned that the cables' importance as an economic infrastructure has not been properly addressed within the global community.Hibernia Atlantic...

Verizon and Microsoft to Co-branded Windows Live Services

Verizon Communications has expanded its alliance with Microsoft and plans to offer its consumer DSL and FiOS Internet customers a co-branded suite of Microsoft Windows Live services. Under the partnership, Verizon customers will have access to:a co-branded Live.com home pagea Windows Live Toolbar, a co-branded Windows Live Search page, Verizon e-mail powered by Windows Live Mail, a co-branded version of Windows Live Messenger safety protection...

Nokia to Resell Sourcefire's Intrusion Prevention System

Nokia plans to offer Sourcefire's Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) on its portfolio of high-performance IP Security Platforms. Nokia Intrusion Prevention with Sourcefire will provide enterprises with defense-in-depth by analyzing network traffic to discover risks, determine their business impact and take actions to defend the network. Sourcefire's Intrusion Prevention system leverages open source Snort technology, which it created and manages.The Nokia Intrusion Prevention line will join the Nokia IP Security family which also features Integrated...

Verizon Wholesale Offers National SLAs for High Capacity Circuits

Verizon Partner Solutions has filed tariffs with the FCC for a new national service level agreement (SLA) plan for customers who buy interstate DS-1 and DS-3 special access services.Under the new Verizon optional National SLA plan, if a special access service is not installed by the committed due date, DS-1 customers could receive a credit worth up to 50 percent of the monthly recurring charge for the service, or up to $500 -- depending on the Verizon...

Motorola to Develop Mobile WiMAX Chipset

Motorola has launched a strategic initiative to develop mobile WiMAX chipsets for use in Motorola's next-generation WiMAX devices. Motorola's initial chipset will focus on core 802.16e mobile WiMAX functionality supporting voice, video, and data for low power mobile applications in handsets and modules. These first chipsets are scheduled to support commercial Motorola WiMAX devices in 2008 for carriers in North America, Japan and around the world including Sprint and others. Motorola is working with its silicon vendors on the overall fabrication...

Fujitsu Microelectronics Expands Networking ASIC Cores

Fujitsu Microelectronics America expanded its portfolio of IP cores for networking, communications and storage system applications, introducing three new macros for custom ASIC designs.The new macros include Fujitsu's Serial ATA physical layer storage interface, a 10 Gbps clock data recovery transceiver, and a SerDes macro that is compliant with PCI Express version 1.0a. All three macros can be used in designs built using Fujitsu's 0.11-micron process technology. The PCI Express SerDes and Serial ATA macros have also been designed to be used in...

AT&T Awarded $250 Million DoD Networking Contract

AT&T Government Solutions was awarded the Joint Hawaii Information Transfer System (JHITS) contract by the Defense Information Technology Contracting Office (DITCO) - Pacific. JHITS is a six-year contract with four one-year options and has an estimated value of $250 million. AT&T will provide customized telecommunications and data services to the Hawaii-based military departments.DITCO-Pacific is a part of the Defense Information Systems...

Google CEO Joins Apple's Board of Directors

Dr. Eric Schmidt, chief executive officer of Google, was elected to Apple's board of directors. Schmidt joined Google from Novell, where he was chairman and CEO. Prior to joining Novell, Eric was chief technology officer at Sun Microsystems, Inc., where he led the development of Java, Sun's platform- independent programming technology, and defined Sun's Internet software strategy. Before joining Sun in 1983, he was a member of the research staff at the Computer Science Lab at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), and held positions at Bell...

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Psytechnics Raises $20 Million for its Quality of Experience (QoE) Assessment Tools

Psytechnics, a start-up headquartered in Ipswich, UK with US offices in Boston, closed a new round of funding bringing total capital raised to over $20 million. The company specializes in solutions for Quality of Experience (QoE) assessment for mobile, fixed and converged network service providers.Psytechnics' products provid real-time, per-session measurement of end user experience for rapid detection and resolution of service affecting issues....

PMC-Sierra's PALADIN 20 Targets Remote Radio Head Architecture

PMC-Sierra introduced its third generation Digital Predistortion (DPD) solution targeting next gen wireless equipment designed for Remote Radio Head (RRH) deployments. RRH promises to significantly lower the cost of 3G network rollouts by reducing power requirements for base stations and thereby eliminating the need for expensive air-conditioned housing. PMC-Sierra's new PM7820 PALADIN 20 device, which offers full software compatibility with its...

Spirent Adds 10GbE X2 Interface for Enterprise Switch Testing

Spirent Communications announced new test solutions to help network equipment manufacturers of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) switches and routers. Spirent now offers 10GbE copper and fiber interfaces on a single test module. The solution provides twenty-four ports of GigE and two ports of 10-Gigabit Ethernet. The new MSA-1001A Two port 10GbE test Module with X2 interfaces starts at $70,000 US List price.Spirent said equipment vendors are seeing high growth rates in blade switches and stackable Gigabit Ethernet switches that have two or four 10GbE...

Riverbed Launches New WAN Optimization Appliances

Riverbed Technology introduced three new "Steelhead" WAN optimization appliances that deliver high scalability and acceleration for up to one million simultaneous connections at 4 Gbps throughput. The latest release of the Riverbed Optimization System (RiOS), version 3.0, supports QoS enforcement for all traffic types, including TCP, VoIP, video, and any other forms of UDP.The Steelhead appliances, which sit at both ends of a WAN connection, optimize...

Verizon Launches Free "PlayLinc" Games Messenger

Verizon began offering a free "PlayLinc" service that provides gamers with an integrated interface for voice, instant messaging and access to free public servers. Essentially, PlayLinc is a free games messenger with VOIP tools. It also allows players to host games on their own PCs and invite friends to private Internet gaming sessions.PlayLinc can be used with any broadband connection, but Verizon said its fiber-based FiOS Internet service will...

XO Deploys Fixed Broadband Wireless in Nine U.S. Cities

XO Communications announced its first significant market deployments of fixed broadband wireless in nine metropolitan markets -- Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, Tampa and Washington, DC.The deployments are the first in a series of markets nationwide in which XO plans to utilize fixed broadband wireless technology through a partnership with its sister company, Nextlink, the nation's largest holder of Local Multipoint Distribution System (LMDS) spectrum with licenses in 75 metropolitan markets.XO is using LMDS fixed...

QUALCOMM Introduces Single-Chip CDMA Solution for Low-Cost Handsets

QUALCOMM introduced a single-chip solution for low-cost CDMA2000 handsets aimed at emerging markets worldwide. The design integrates baseband modem, RF transceiver, power management and system memory into a single chip. QUALCOMM said the chip reduces the number of discrete components required, reduces bill-of-materials costs and delivers board-area savings of more than 50%. Key features include downloadable polyphonic ringtones and color displays.http://www.qualcomm.comhttp://www.cdmatech.com/singlec...

Atheros Adds Network Processor and Debuts 802.11n Chipset with 2x2 MIMO

Atheros Communications launched its first family of network processors, the AR7100, targeting triple-play wireless APs and routers. Key features of the Atheros network processors include a high-performance MIPS-based processor core; a 33/66 MHz PCI interface; dual Ethernet ports for LAN and WAN connectivity; a high- speed 32-bit DDR memory controller to support high-bandwidth applications; and on-chip cache memory. The NPUs also offer dual USB 2.0...

KPN Selects Alcatel/Lucent for All IP Network

KPN, the incumbent operator in the Netherlands, selected Lucent Technologies to manage the deployment and integration of KPN's All IP Next Generation Network (NGN), based on IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service architecture. Lucent will serve as prime integrator in the migration of KPN's existing services and customers to the new All IP network, which will support multimedia services across the nation. KPN has earlier announced that it will be spending...

Consolidated Communications Launches IPTV in Texas

Consolidated Communications, the 17th largest local telephone company in the United States, launched its IPTV service in Conroe and Katy, Texas, offering 157 local and premium digital channels and over 1000 hours of movies on-demand. Consolidated serves approximately 239,000 local access lines and 46,000 DSL accounts.http://www.consolidated....

MoCA Certifies ONTs from Motorola and Tellabs

The Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA-TM) has certified Optical Network Terminal (ONT) triple-play fiber-to-the-home terminals from Motorola, Inc. and Tellabs. These devices, the first ONTs to be certified by MoCA, convert optical signals, delivered over a passive optical network (PON) on fiber, into electrical signals that are sent to a homeowner's entertainment devices. MoCA technology, embedded in the ONT, enables triple-play content, including...

Google Launches Hosted Communications Services for Businesses

Google began offering a set of business communications services, including email, messaging, calendaring and other web-based applications, aimed at small businesses that "the hassle of installing and maintaining software or hardware.""Google Apps for Your Domain" allows a company to customize the user interface with their own branding and color scheme. Over time, Google will offer versions of Google Apps for Your Domain that are oriented toward the needs of a variety of organizations, from family websites and community groups to non-profits and...

Thursday, August 24, 2006

RADVISION Enhances H.324M Toolkit for Fast Video Call Set-up

RADVISION announced the availability of fast call set-up support in the new release of its 3G-324M toolkit, aligning the software with the recent improvements to the 3G standard established by ITU-T Study Group 16. These improvements are designed to enhance the experience of 3G video subscribers by significantly reducing the amount of time required in setting up a video call. The ITU has included RADVISION's intellectual property related to fast call setup as an integral and mandated part of a revision to the H.324M standard for 3G video, known...

DISH & Warner Bros. Sign VOD Deal

EchoStar Communications' DISH Network satellite TV service reached an agreement with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group to carry the studio's current and catalog titles on its Video On Demand platform, DISH On Demand, as well as Pay-Per-View services, including high definition. DISH On Demand service is currently available on certain DVR receivers. http://www.dishnetwork....

SunRocket Raises $33 Million for Consumer VoIP Service

SunRocket, a provider of consumer VoIP service, secured $33 million for its Series C round of institutional financing, bringing the firm's total venture capital raised to approximately $80 million.The company said it has nearly tripled its subscriber base in 2006, although subscriber numbers were not disclosed.SunRocket plans to use the money "to accelerate product and feature development, penetrate strategic new sales channels, and enhance the overall...

Nokia Siemens Networks Announces Executive Team

Nokia and Siemens announced the key executive appointments that will become effective when their merger is complete and the new company starts operations, which is expected by January 1, 2007. Nokia and Siemens announced previously that Simon Beresford-Wylie would assume the position of CEO at Nokia Siemens Networks; Mika Vehvilainen would serve as Chief Operating Officer (COO); Karl-Christoph Caselitz would serve as Chief Market Operations Officer (CMO); and Peter Schonhofer would serve as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The business units of Nokia...

Global Crossing Offers to Acquire UK's Fibernet for $96 Million

Global Crossing announced a cash offer to acquire all of the issued and to-be-issued shares of Fibernet Group Plc , a UK-based provider of specialist telecommunications networks, for approximately $96.1 million (50.6 million British pounds sterling). Fibernet serves a marquee roster of UK corporate enterprise and carrier customers, including the Bank of England, Citigroup, IBM and Carphone Warehouse. provides its services from a national fiber network in the UK and also from its metropolitan networks in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh,...

FCC Grants New Certification for XM Radios

The FCC issued new grants of authority for three XM Satellite radios with FM transmitters after determining that the radios are in compliance with FCC regulations. The XM plug-and-play radios -- Audiovox Xpress, Delphi RoadyXT, and XM Sportscaster -- are three of XM's primary products at retail. XM Satellite pulled the units off of the market in May 2006, after the FCC questioned whether the power output of the FM radio was too strong.http://www.xmradio....

ST and China's Dahua Develop Dual-Mode Cable/IP STB

STMicroelectronics and Dahua Technology, a Chinese supplier of cable and IPTV set-top boxes, announced a jointly-developed, highly- integrated, digital-cable and IP set-top box. At the heart of Dahua's design is a dedicated chip belonging to ST's STi7100 family of Advanced Video Codecs (AVC). This system-on-chip (SoC) solution integrates support for advanced high-definition H.264/MPEG4 AVC and MPEG4 P2 standard definition (SD) in addition to MPEG2 encoded video signals. The box, which begins deployment in Hangzhou Province in August 2006, will...

Broadcom Marks 15th Anniversary

Broadcom marked the fifteenth anniversary of its founding in 1991 by Henry T. Nicholas III and Henry Samueli, each of whom earned a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from UCLA. The company went public in April 1998.Broadcom chips are found in broadband gear such as DSL and cable modems, digital cable, satellite and IP set-top boxes, and high definition DVD players and personal video recording devices; in networking infrastructure equipment, which rely on Broadcom switches, controllers, PHYs, security processors, broadband processors, and...