HP Supports OSS/J and TMF Standards

The HP Integrated Service Management (ISM) platform, which is an Operational Support System (OSS) based on a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), is gaining new functionality from the OSS through Java initiative (OSS/J). This initiative focuses on the adoption of standards-based Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and design guidelines for the development of component-based OSS systems. OSS/J technologies provide the foundation for unifying legacy systems and new applications quickly and at low cost.HP has developed an OSS/J adapter that...

Read More

T-Online Hungary Tests Microsoft TV / Alcatel

T-Online Hungary, a group member of Deutsche Telekom and Hungary's largest Internet access provider, has selected Alcatel and Microsoft TV as the suppliers for an IPTV pilot project. The trial will have three phases: a technical lab trial, two field trials and a public market trial. The technical lab trial was successfully concluded at the end of January 2006. The first field trial (which included 18 broadcast TV channels, VoD and PVR) was recently evaluated and based on the results, a second extended field trial (with 500 users, enhanced quality...

Read More

Allied Telesis to sell Aperto WiMAX in Japan

Allied Telesis will resell Aperto Networks' carrier-grade PacketMAX products, starting with the 2.5 GHz platform, for the Japanese market. Upon frequency band approval, the partnership will enable Allied, a global provider of secure Ethernet/IP access solutions, to quickly enter the potentially burgeoning WiMAX market in Japan.http://www.apertonet....

Read More

Skype Offers Free Wireline/Wireless Calls in U.S. and Canada

Skype began offering its US and Canadian-based users free SkypeOut calls to traditional landline and mobile phones in the US and Canada. Previously, Skype users in both countries were required to pay for Skype calls from their PCs to traditional telephones. Free SkypeOut calls to the US or Canada will be available to US and Canadian-based Skype users until the end of the year.While SkypeOut calls within the US and Canada will now be free, SkypeOut calls to and within all other countries will continue to incur charges.Skype said it was launching...

Read More

Qwest To Acquire OnFiber for $107 Million

Qwest Communications will acquire OnFiber Communications for $107 million purchase price with Qwest having the option up until closing to substitute up to $35 million of Qwest shares for cash.OnFiber operates an all-optical network in 23 metropolitan areas and features a full offering of access and transport services, including Ethernet, SONET and Wavelength. The company expects to post revenues of nearly $60 million in 2006, representing year-over-year growth of more than 20 percent. "We expect the Ethernet market will grow upwards of 50 percent...

Read More

FiberTower and First Avenue to Merge, Targeting Wireless Backhaul

FiberTower, a national provider of wireless backhaul, and First Avenue Networks, a nationwide provider of fixed wireless transport services, agreed to merge in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $1.5 billion. brThe merger will create one of largest operators of wireless transport services in the U.S. Both companies operate networks to provide backhaul - transport from cell site to switch - for wireless carriers. The new company will...

Read More

Ciena Adds Compact Version of its CN 4200

Ciena introduced a compact version of its CN 4200 FlexSelect Advanced Services Platform designed for deployment at enterprises and carrier locations with space restrictions.Ciena's CN 4200 platform, with FlexiPort optical interfaces, offers individual, remotely-programmable ports that support any optical service type and can function as either client or network interface. The new CN 4200 MC, specifically, extends this value in an edge-optimized platform...

Read More

Cantata Builds EMEA Team with Nitel Appointment

Cantata Technology, the new company formed through the recently merger of Brooktrout Technology and Excel Switching Corporation, announced the appointment of Reinder "Rein" Zwolsman to the position of vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) carrier sales. Zwolsman previously served as CEO of Nitel, the national PTT of Nigeria. Zwolsman has also served as vice president of EMEA marketing, sales, and indirect channels for Lucent Technologies and previously held senior sales positions with AT&T Network Systems and Philips.http...

Read More

Verimatrix's Forensic Watermarking Integrated with Broadcom Chip

Verimatrix announced that its proprietary "VideoMark" user-specific forensic watermarking technology has been integrated with Broadcom's set-top box (STB) reference design platform, the BCM97398.VideoMark, an available feature of the Verimatrix Content Authority System (VCAS), is a robust and invisible content tracking solution that enables forensic, user-specific marking of individual video copies to track piracy to the individual set-top box (STB). Verimatrix said digital video delivered via STB with invisible, user-specific watermarks creates...

Read More

Toshiba and ARC Partner on Configurable Processor Technology

ARC and Toshiba have entered into a strategic collaboration targeting configurable processor technology. Specifically Toshiba has taken a multiyear license for ARC's "ARChitect" processor configuration, which provides design tools and resources using a drag-and-drop graphical user interface (GUI). The companies will also collaborate on development of a next generation version of ARChitect that is more closely suited to Toshiba's Media embedded Processor (MeP). MeP, the core of Toshiba's media-centric processors, offers a 32-bit configurable, asymmetric...

Read More

FCC Commissioner Copps Calls for Investigation into Disclosure of Phone Records

FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps issued a call to open an investigation into the recent reports that the nation's largest telecommunications carriers provided the government with customers' calling records."Recent news reports suggest that some -- but interestingly not all -- of the nation's largest telephone companies have provided the government with their customers' calling records. There is no doubt that protecting the security of the American people is our government's number one responsibility. But in a Digital Age where collecting, distributing,...

Read More

Axiom Hires Cable & Wireless Exec

Axiom Systems, which develops carrier-grade service fulfillment software, named Brian Naughton to lead the company's global product strategy initiatives as VP of Architecture and Strategy. Naughton joins Axiom Systems from Cable & Wireless, where he reported to the Group CIO in an IT Architecture and Strategy role. Most recently, Naughton was responsible for C&W global fulfillment architecture and he was instrumental in creating their next generation OSS blueprint that will underpin C&W's transformation to a NGN.http://www.axiom-eu...

Read More

BroadSoft and Atreus Launch Residential VoIP Self-Service

BroadSoft and Atreus Systems have extended their partnership to target residential VoIP services. The companies already partner on Hosted PBX, IP Centrex and Business Trunking applications.The joint solution enables operators to scale their wholesale and retail hosted VoIP services for residential customers. It combines Atreus' automated provisioning and customer self-management software with BroadSoft's IMS-compliant VoIP application software. The key features will help operators:Streamline service ordering and provisioning using simplified, self-management...

Read More

Alcatel Teams with Video Furnace on Enterprise Video-over-IP

Alcatel agreed to resell Video Furnace's end-to-end solution for enterprise video-over-IP. The Video Furnace System will be sold, distributed, and supported globally through Alcatel distribution channels.Video Furnace's video-over-IP solution is a unique client/server that delivers live broadcast and on-demand TV-quality video services to any network connected viewing device, such as a notebook or desktop computer. It works with Windows, Macintosh, or even Linux-based computers eliminating media player management and compatibility headaches.It...

Read More

BellSouth Denies Bulk Transfer of Calling Records to NSA

In response to media reports that BellSouth provided massive amounts of customer calling information under a contract with the NSA, the company said in a statement that it has conducted an internal review to determine the facts. Based on this review, BellSouth affirms that no such contract exists and that it did not provide bulk customer calling records to the NSA. http://www.bellsouth....

Read More

Netcentrex Reaches VoIP Milestone: 3 Million Lines

Netcentrex announced that its VoIP deployments have exceeded 3 million Class 5 lines in commercial service. Netcentrex customers are currently activating over 5,000 lines per day. The company also noted that its softswitch/application server has demonstrated five nines reliability over an extended time. Key customers with extensive commercial VoIP deployments report a five-year track record of 99.997 reliability and no unplanned outages on the Netcentrex platform. http://www.netcentrex....

Read More

Vodafone Germany Offers Tabletop GSM Phone Competing with Fixed Line

Vodafone Germany introduced a tabletop GSM phone designed to compete with fixed-line, home phones.Vodafone provides an inexpensive phone connection and a fixed network number. There is no complex installation process. All you have to do is plug the phone into the electrical outlet and insert the SIM card. It supports popular mobile functions such as phonebook, call register and text messaging. Text messages can be sent to mobile numbers, German...

Read More

Yahoo! BB Deploys Cisco CRS-1 40 Gbps Trunk for IPTV

Yahoo! BB has deployed the high-capacity 40 Gbps (OC-768c/STM-256c) interface card on its Cisco Carrier Routing System (Cisco CRS-1) and will expand the upgrade across its nationwide backbone. Yahoo! BB currently serves more than 5 million ADSL subscribers and provides advanced video services throughout 23 districts in Tokyo, Hokkaido, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Aichi, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka. http://www.cisco.comhttp://www.softbankbb.co...

Read More

Occam Adds 10 GigE Optical Transport to BLC 6000

Occam Networks introduced a 10 GigE Transport and Optical Line Termination (OLT) blade for its BLC 6000 Broadband Loop Carrier System, as well as a new line of Optical Network Terminals (ONTs). The new BLC 6314 blade adds dual 10 Gigabit Optical Ethernet and multiple 1 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces to the BLC 6000, providing symmetrical bandwidth that enables telcos to create very high capacity access networks with 10 Gigabit Ethernet resilient transport...

Read More