EchoStar Communications' DISH Network added approximately 225,000 net new subscribers during the first quarter of 2006, ending the quarter with approximately 12.265 million subscribers.
http://www.echostar.com
http://www.echostar.com
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
NTT DoCoMo to Add Windows Media to 3G Handsets
NTT DoCoMo agreed to incorporate Microsoft Windows Media technologies in NTT DoCoMo's 3G FOMA handsets, starting with the F902iS model to be launched this summer. The F902iS will support both Windows Media Audio and Windows Media Digital Rights Management 10 for portable devices. In addition to Windows Media Audio technologies, NTT DoCoMo will evaluate the incorporation of Windows Media Video, Microsoft's version of SMPTE VC-1 in future handsets.
Microsoft said other i-mode alliance partners that provide i-mode mobile Internet services will also consider the use of Windows Media technologies in their handsets.
http://www.microsoft.com
Microsoft said other i-mode alliance partners that provide i-mode mobile Internet services will also consider the use of Windows Media technologies in their handsets.
http://www.microsoft.com
AT&T Offers Hosting for Online Gaming Companies
AT&T has launched a practice with a dedicated team of labs and operations engineers partnered with hosting sales specialists devoted specifically to its online gaming customers, including Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) and its massively multiplayer online gaming titles, including "EverQuest", "EverQuest II" and "PlanetSide".
The service leverages AT&T's global Internet Data Centers (IDCs) to deliver their game content efficiently through AT&T's Global IP Backbone. In addition, AT&T has a 24/7 dedicated Gaming Core Team that provides "white-glove" customer service to its online gaming clients -- a critical component of its online gaming practice. AT&T's Gaming Core Team acts as a single point of contact and provides near real-time information, which is vital for the online gaming business; making the gamer's experience the best it can be.
http://www.att.com
The service leverages AT&T's global Internet Data Centers (IDCs) to deliver their game content efficiently through AT&T's Global IP Backbone. In addition, AT&T has a 24/7 dedicated Gaming Core Team that provides "white-glove" customer service to its online gaming clients -- a critical component of its online gaming practice. AT&T's Gaming Core Team acts as a single point of contact and provides near real-time information, which is vital for the online gaming business; making the gamer's experience the best it can be.
http://www.att.com
Motorola Introduces Enterprise Mobility Framework
Motorola introduced a software framework designed to enable rapid development and deployment of enterprise-wide mobile applications, with integration to existing information systems. The Motorola Mobility Suite offers device-level intrusion protection, user authentication and authorization, data encryption and secure network access control. In addition, comprehensive management of mobile devices is enabled through the platform, with key features including device provisioning, configuration management, backup and restore, and diagnostics.
The Mobility Suite also provides a web services-based approach to integrating and mobilizing business applications such as Customer Relationship Management, Sales Force Automation and Executive Information Systems, supporting both online and offline processing modes. Motorola said this enables mobile workers to more effectively and efficiently manage enterprise information, improve customer service and enhance customer loyalty.
"Enterprise CIOs need an integrated approach to securing and managing the rapidly growing population of mobile devices accessing corporate information systems," said Motorola's John DeFeo, corporate vice president, Enterprise Products. "They also want the ability to leverage existing tools and technology to help achieve a rapid return on investment. The Mobility Suite provides a comprehensive solution to enhance mobile worker productivity across a wide variety of industries and job functions."http://www.motorola.com/enterprise
The Mobility Suite also provides a web services-based approach to integrating and mobilizing business applications such as Customer Relationship Management, Sales Force Automation and Executive Information Systems, supporting both online and offline processing modes. Motorola said this enables mobile workers to more effectively and efficiently manage enterprise information, improve customer service and enhance customer loyalty.
"Enterprise CIOs need an integrated approach to securing and managing the rapidly growing population of mobile devices accessing corporate information systems," said Motorola's John DeFeo, corporate vice president, Enterprise Products. "They also want the ability to leverage existing tools and technology to help achieve a rapid return on investment. The Mobility Suite provides a comprehensive solution to enhance mobile worker productivity across a wide variety of industries and job functions."http://www.motorola.com/enterprise
BT Outlines Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) for Business, Selects Alcatel
BT announced plans for a Fixed- Mobile Converged service for large businesses and multi-national companies both in and outside the UK. This new solution will utilize Wi-Fi as the interface to the fixed network in key locations such as the office, home, and BT Openzone hotspots. This follows the recent launch of BT Fusion intelligent fixed - mobile phone for consumers and small businesses.
BT said it will be building the solution over the coming months and will be undertaking live pilot implementations with corporate customers in early 2007.
The new "Enterprise FMC" service will enable a mobile handset with PBX type functionality at home, in the office and at BT's Openzone hotspots. The service will link to BT's 21st Century network, providing intelligent routing of calls. By linking information from a user's calendar, the network will ensure that, for example, if the user is in a meeting, an incoming call will be automatically diverted to voicemail, reverting to normal service when the meeting ends. Alternatively, certain pre-selected callers can be either routed directly to the user or to a pre-specified alternative colleague in the company.
As prime contractor, Alcatel will lead the design, integration (including a number of third-party components) and testing of the end-to-end solution. Alcatel will supply key platform elements from its leading Managed Communication Services (MCS) portfolio and will also ensure that the solution integrates seamlessly into BT's enterprise customer sites.
The Alcatel-primed consortium includes Lucent Technologies (who will provide the Lucent VPN Firewall and VitalAAA security products and design team specialists).
BT is in parallel testing a number of different dual mode mobile handsets and discussions are well advanced with these manufacturers on supplies for launch.
http://www.btplc.comhttp://www.alcatel.com
BT said it will be building the solution over the coming months and will be undertaking live pilot implementations with corporate customers in early 2007.
The new "Enterprise FMC" service will enable a mobile handset with PBX type functionality at home, in the office and at BT's Openzone hotspots. The service will link to BT's 21st Century network, providing intelligent routing of calls. By linking information from a user's calendar, the network will ensure that, for example, if the user is in a meeting, an incoming call will be automatically diverted to voicemail, reverting to normal service when the meeting ends. Alternatively, certain pre-selected callers can be either routed directly to the user or to a pre-specified alternative colleague in the company.
As prime contractor, Alcatel will lead the design, integration (including a number of third-party components) and testing of the end-to-end solution. Alcatel will supply key platform elements from its leading Managed Communication Services (MCS) portfolio and will also ensure that the solution integrates seamlessly into BT's enterprise customer sites.
The Alcatel-primed consortium includes Lucent Technologies (who will provide the Lucent VPN Firewall and VitalAAA security products and design team specialists).
BT is in parallel testing a number of different dual mode mobile handsets and discussions are well advanced with these manufacturers on supplies for launch.
http://www.btplc.comhttp://www.alcatel.com
- In June 2005, Alcatel confirmed that it had been selected as the lead contractor for BT Fusion, previously known as "Project Bluephone", the fixed/mobile service from BT. Alcatel leads a consortium that includes Ericsson, Inventel, IVT, Lucent, and Motorola. Alcatel said its role as prime contractor includes project management as well as extensive development and integration work in BT labs, and interoperability testing between the consortium vendors.
- BT Fusion uses the UMA standard, which has now been formally released and accepted into the 3GPP standards group for generic radio access. UMA allows BT to carry GSM signalling and telephone calls over the public Internet using DSL access, with a Bluetooth interface. BT Fusion will be technology agnostic and in time, will work across other standards including WiFi and SIP.
Cisco's Linksys Appoints New GM
Linksys, a division of Cisco Systems, appointed J. Michael Pocock to the position of Linksys senior vice president and general manager. Victor Tsao and Janie Tsao, Linksys founders who have shared this SVP/GM role since 2003, will now focus their efforts on new opportunities in China for Cisco.
Pocock most recently served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Polaroid. Prior to joining Polaroid in 2003, Pocock served in leadership roles at Xerox Corporation, Epson, Digital Equipment Corporation, Compaq and General Electric. Pocock will report into Charles Giancarlo, Cisco SVP, chief development officer and Linksys president.
http://www.linksys.com
Pocock most recently served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Polaroid. Prior to joining Polaroid in 2003, Pocock served in leadership roles at Xerox Corporation, Epson, Digital Equipment Corporation, Compaq and General Electric. Pocock will report into Charles Giancarlo, Cisco SVP, chief development officer and Linksys president.
http://www.linksys.com
BellSouth Strikes Deal with Samsung on Broadband-Enabled Devices
BellSouth and Samsung Telecommunications America announced a strategic agreement to market and co-brand broadband-enabled devices in consumer and business markets. The two companies will work throughout 2006 to identify opportunities in which a relationship between BellSouth's broadband platform and Samsung's innovative devices could extend broadband usage and deliver enhanced solutions to BellSouth customers.
"BellSouth and Samsung recognize that convergence is the future of our industries," said Randy Roberts, vice president - consumer devices & wireless, BellSouth. "We are excited about the potential to leverage the brand strength of both companies to provide our customers with simple, seamlessly-integrated products."
"Our vision is to enable a digital home in which a customer can share photos and music, download and watch video, play games online, or talk to their friends and family -- from whatever device they choose at any location in their home," continued Roberts.
http://www.bellsouth.comhttp://www.samsung.com
"BellSouth and Samsung recognize that convergence is the future of our industries," said Randy Roberts, vice president - consumer devices & wireless, BellSouth. "We are excited about the potential to leverage the brand strength of both companies to provide our customers with simple, seamlessly-integrated products."
"Our vision is to enable a digital home in which a customer can share photos and music, download and watch video, play games online, or talk to their friends and family -- from whatever device they choose at any location in their home," continued Roberts.
http://www.bellsouth.comhttp://www.samsung.com
PCCW Global and China Telecom Launch Ethernet Private Line
PCCW Global and China Telecom have launched the first-ever private line Ethernet service providing high bandwidth connectivity between Hong Kong and China. The service, International Ethernet Private Line (IEPL), is an end-to-end managed bandwidth solution, providing dedicated point-to-point cross border connectivity over a reliable platform, at high speed and with scalable upgrades.
http://www.btnaccess.com
http://www.btnaccess.com
Kasenna Names Kumar Shah as CEO
Kasenna, which supplies video-on-demand content and MPEG-4 ready IPTV applications for Triple Play services over broadband networks, 
named Kumar Shah as its new CEO, succeeding Mark Gray, who will continue to serve on the Kasenna Board as its Chairman and also continue to drive strategic partnerships across the globe.
Shah was recruited by the Kasenna board members from US Venture Partners, where he was an Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR). Prior to that, Mr. Shah was involved with a number of venture capital funded start-up companies, most recently as President & CEO of Occam Networks and prior to that as Chief Marketing Officer of AccessLan Communications, which was acquired by Advanced Fibre Communications, which in turn was acquired recently by Tellabs.
http://www.kasenna.com
named Kumar Shah as its new CEO, succeeding Mark Gray, who will continue to serve on the Kasenna Board as its Chairman and also continue to drive strategic partnerships across the globe.Shah was recruited by the Kasenna board members from US Venture Partners, where he was an Entrepreneur-In-Residence (EIR). Prior to that, Mr. Shah was involved with a number of venture capital funded start-up companies, most recently as President & CEO of Occam Networks and prior to that as Chief Marketing Officer of AccessLan Communications, which was acquired by Advanced Fibre Communications, which in turn was acquired recently by Tellabs.
http://www.kasenna.com
Deutsche Telekom Reaches 9.2 million DSL Users, On-track for IPTV Launch
Deutsche Telekom reported continuing growth DSL subscribers and in net additions at T-Mobile USA and in Britain. The group's overall Q1 revenue increased to EUR 14.8 billion, up 3.9% from a year earlier. EBITDA was EUR 4.9 billion compared with EUR 4.8 billion in 2005, an increase of EUR 0.1 billion or 1.4%.
Some highlights for the quarter:
"The Mobile Communications strategic business area remains the growth driver. We are on track overall with our performance in the first quarter, so we can confirm the guidance for the current and next year. We have made certain adjustments for 2006 at the level of strategic business area planning to reflect developments in our ongoing operations," said Kai-Uwe Ricke, Chairman of the Board of Management.
http://www.telekom.de
Some highlights for the quarter:
- Overall, the Mobile Communications strategic business area increased revenue by 12.3 percent to EUR 7.6 billion compared with the first quarter of 2005. The number of mobile customers in the Group increased in the first quarter to 87.7 million. T-Mobile USA remains the strongest growth factor for the company, while T-Mobile Germany faces a tough competitive environment.
- In DSL in Q1, the number of broadband lines provided by T-Com in Germany and abroad increased by 735,000 to 9.2 million. In Germany, there were 643,000 net DSL adds for the quarter, compared with 660,000 net adds in Q4 2005.
- Despite this increase, total revenue of the Broadband/Fixed Network strategic business area came in 6.1 percent below the figure in the prior-year quarter mainly as a result of losses in call revenue and access lines in the first quarter of 2006.
- Total revenue of Broadband/Fixed Network was EUR 6.2 billion in the three months, compared to EUR 6.6 billion in the first quarter of 2005. Revenue in the Business Customers strategic business area also decreased to EUR 3.0 billion, 3.1 percent below the prior-year figure.
- Deutsche Telekom confirmed that it is on-track to launch its IPTV service by mid-year. VDSL upgrades have been completed at 12,000 aggregation points in ten cities. The company said it has signed agreements with a number of TV content providers. It also has suppliers on board for set-top boxes (Cisco) and software (Microsoft).
- Deutsche Telekom is also on-track to launch its "T-One" fixed-mobile-convergence service by mid-year. A trial with some 1,000 users will launch this month.
- T-Com Germany continues to be impacted by lower calling revenues.
- Guidance for the Group's net revenue remains unchanged in the current year. On the back of the first-time consolidation of tele.ring, Deutsche Telekom now expects net revenue for the full year 2006 to be in the upper half of the range between 62.1 and 62.7 billion EURs.
"The Mobile Communications strategic business area remains the growth driver. We are on track overall with our performance in the first quarter, so we can confirm the guidance for the current and next year. We have made certain adjustments for 2006 at the level of strategic business area planning to reflect developments in our ongoing operations," said Kai-Uwe Ricke, Chairman of the Board of Management.
http://www.telekom.de
Alcatel Selected for "Alice" Triple Play in Germany
Telecom Italia's HanseNet subsidiary in Germany has named Alcatel as its exclusive technology partner for its new "Alice" Triple Play Service. Alcatel is providing the IP-based infrastructure. The deployment includes upgrading HanseNet's access network with the Alcatel 7302 Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM), Optical Multi-Service Node (OMSN) systems and 1678 Metro Core Connect (MCC), which will aggregate and transport the multiple services across the network. Alcatel will also deliver its integrated end-to-end video solution.
Alcatel is also providing a service integration for the project.
http://www.alctel.comhttp://www.alice-dsl.de
Alcatel is also providing a service integration for the project.
http://www.alctel.comhttp://www.alice-dsl.de
- In April 2006, Telecom Italia's HanseNet subsidiary launched its "Alice" IPTV service in Hamburg, Germany and plans to expand country-wide over the coming months. The IPTV service include 100 standard definition channels and VOD delivered over DSL.
- HanseNet has deployed Harmonic's DiviCom Electra 5000 Multi-Service Encoders for MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) digital video compression. The Harmonic-based headend encompasses standard definition DiviCom real-time encoders for low bit-rate MPEG-4 AVC video as well as the ProView receivers and decoders for scalable content acquisition. HanseNet also uses the versatile NMX Digital Service Manager for advanced monitoring and control.
- HanseNet is also using Nagravision's conditional access system to secure the delivery of the content.
