Comverse to Acquire Netcentrex for Softswitching

Comverse will acquire privately-held Netcentrex S.A., a supplier of next generation network (NGN) voice and video solutions.Comverse provides value-added messaging and real-time converged billing solutions for network operators. The deal was valued at approximately $164 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments and a contingent earnout of up to an additional $16 million. The companies said their merger addresses the market opportunity for VoIP, fixed mobile convergence (FMC) and IMS. The combined product portfolio would enable converged...

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EC Sees No Need to Extend Universal Service to Mobiles, Broadband

The European Commission has concluded that there is at present no need to extend the "universal service" safety net to mobile and high-speed Internet services.In a new report, the EC finds that consumers already have widespread affordable access to mobile communications within their home countries, and so far only a minority has high-speed internet connections, so the cost of extending universal service obligations to these services would exceed benefits to users. "This report reflects a broad stakeholder consensus that bringing mobile and high-speed...

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Skype Acquires Sonorit and Camino Networks

Skype has acquired Sonorit Holding AS and its US subsidiary Camino Networks, developers of VoIP technologies. Skype said the acquisition helps it build its online voice engineering team. Sonorit is based in San Francisco, with additional offices in Aalborg, Denmark, and Stockholm, Sweden. The companies specialize in high quality speech processing, coding, and transmission for the next generation of Internet-based networks.Skype, an eBay company, has agreed to acquire all outstanding securities of Sonorit for approximately 700,000 shares of eBay...

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MetaSwitch Partners with Dash911 on VoIP E911

MetaSwitch has partnered with Dash911 to simplify the implementation of 9-1-1 emergency calling by VoIP providers. The joint solution is already being deployed by several service providers including Public Interest Network Services, Inc. (PINS), a communications provider based in New York City's "Silicon Alley."The implementation combines MetaSwitch's Class 5 softswitch with Dash911's hosted service platform, to enable VoIP service providers to route 911 calls to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) based on the subscriber's current...

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ComSpanUSA and Ledcor Deploy Metaswitch in FTTP Network

ComSpanUSA, a facilities-based CLEC, and its development partner Ledcor Technical Services (LTS) are deploying a FTTP network in Bandon, Oregon. The network includes the MetaSwitch VP2510 integrated softswitch, a compact class 4/5 softswitch, installed in the Bandon, Oregon switching center. http://www.metaswitch....

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Occam Networks Supports DSL Forum Plugfest

Occam Networks is supporting the operation of the DSL Forum's current TR-069 Interoperability Plugfest series with its BLC 6000 System, the company's IP- and Ethernet-based broadband loop carrier (BLC). The DSL Forum has sponsored this series of Plugfests for system integrators to test the interoperability of their implementations of DSL Forum TR-069, CPE WAN Management Protocol. This test event series allows multiple system integrators, both Auto-configuration Server (ACS) and CPE, to test their implementations with other system integrators....

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ARRIS to Resell BelAir's Wireless Mesh Platform

ARRIS TeleWire Supply, a leading full-line supplier of broadband Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) products in the U.S., will resell BelAir Networks' wireless mesh product portfolio in North America.The BelAir family of single-, dual-, and multi-radio wireless mesh nodes includes the BelAir50S and BelAir100S which are optimized for strand-mounting on existing cable infrastructure, feature a DOCSIS(R) interface and are plant-powered. With more than 120 deployments worldwide, BelAir developed the first multi-service wireless mesh architecture supporting...

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ICTV Offers Content Delivery Network

ICTV, which offers a hardware platform for the delivery and distribution of interactive television programming, introduced a content delivery network solution pushing Web-driven programming and elements, live video and VOD to television sets. The service leverages IPTV's HeadendWare to deliver Web programming as MPEG video to any digital set-top box. The AVDN runs within the existing Web and VOD infrastructures, acquiring programming from standard Web servers, mixing it with live and VOD elements and delivering it from the headend as MPEG video....

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Alcatel Makes Executive Appointments

Alcatel announced the following executive appointments:Etienne Fouques, EVP, is appointed President of Europe and South. He was previously President of Alcatel's mobile communications activities. Marc Rouanne, is appointed EVP and President of the mobile communications activities. He was previously the COO of these activities. Hubert de Pesquidoux is appointed EVP and President of Alcatel activities in North America. Hubert joined Alcatel in 1991 as Corporate Treasurer. In 1998, he was appointed CFO for Alcatel in the USA. Subsequently, he was...

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T-Com Selects Microsoft/Alcatel IPTV in Slovakia

Slovak Telekom, a group member of Deutsche Telekom and Slovakia's leading telecommunication services provider (which provides its products and services under the T-Com brand), selected Alcatel as the supplier for its upcoming IPTV deployment. The network will be based on the combination of Alcatel's services integration solution and the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform. A market trial is slated for Q3 2006. Financial terms were not disclosed.Alcatel said it is providing a complete services integration solution that brings together...

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Vodafone Selects Huawei in Czech Republic

Vodafone awarded a contract to Huawei Technologies for the construction of a UMTS network in the Czech Republic. Huawei will provide a UTRAN system based on the new generation Node B technologies for Vodafone's operations in the Czech Republic. Financial terms were not disclosed.http://www.huawei.comhttp://www.vodafone....

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Avanex Develops Ultra-Thin Amplifier Module

Avanex introduced an ultra-thin erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) module that measures 7.5 mm in thickness, over 35% thinner than any amplifier previously available from Avanex. Avanex said its new PureGain 400 is designed to work within the stringent space constraints found in transponder and line card applications and is an essential tool to enable increased bit rate transponders. The physical and electrical interface of this new product can be shared with transponders.http://www.avanex....

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XO Tops 2.9 Billion Minutes of VoIP Traffic in Q1

XO Communications carried more than 2.9 billion minutes of VoIP traffic across its nationwide IP network in Q1 2006, a 32% increase over the previous quarter. The increase was driven by greater deployment of XO's VoIP solutions by businesses and service providers, demonstrating the increasing growth of delivering voice services over an all IP environment.XO's commercial and wholesale VoIP services are delivered over a softswitch IP network powered by Sonus Networks and Juniper Networks. This VoIP platform delivers both traditional circuit-switched...

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Nortel Hires IBM Exec to Head Global Operations

Nortel appointed Dietmar Wendt, a 46-year-old IBM executive, as president of Global Services. He will be responsible for Nortel's financial performance, portfolio development and go-to-market strategies. Wendt will join Nortel from IBM in Shanghai, China, where he is currently vice president, Asia Pacific Information Technology Services Transformation. Prior to that, Wendt was vice president, Integrated Technology Services for IBM in Central Europe and Russia.http://www.nortel.comIn November 2005, Nortel selected Mike S. Zafirovski to succeed...

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Xbox Showcases Paramount Movie Content in HD

Microsoft's Xbox Live is launching a Movie Showcase that will feature free, high-definition, downloadable content from two upcoming Paramount Picture films: "Mission: Impossible III," and "Nacho Libre."The Xbox Movie Showcase content includes HD movie trailers, exclusive theme packs, and graphics to customize the Xbox interface.http://www.paramount.com/http://www.xbox....

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