Lucent's "Acuity" Architecture Positioned for IMS

Lucent Technologies outlined a new "Acuity" Network Architecture for "service aware" networks that dynamically adjust bandwidth and QoS parameters simultaneously while managing the availability of required network resources.Lucent said its goal is to enable optimum end user "Quality of Experience" (QoE) for enterprise services such as VoIP, video conferencing and Ethernet access, and consumer services such as high-definition video/IPTV and multi-party video gaming on both fixed and wireless devices. The "Acuity" Network Architecture would also...

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Alcatel Introduces DSL Diagnostic Tool in North America

Alcatel announced the North American availability of its 5530 Network Analyzer (NA), an advanced DSL diagnostic, optimization and analysis software tool. The Alcatel 5530 NA provides proactive quality management and expert diagnostics to continuously ensure the quality of services delivered over broadband access lines. Alcatel specifically designed the 5530 NA as a multi-vendor solution for triple play broadband access services.The Alcatel 5530 Network Analyzer is a real-time automated troubleshooting tool that continually monitors network performance...

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Tellabs adds VDSL2 and Ethernet to Access Portfolio

Tellabs has added Very High Data Rate Digital Subscriber Line-2 (VDSL2) and fast Ethernet to its Tellabs 1150 multiservice access system.The Tellabs 1150 system enables service providers to address copper DLC and fiber-to-the node (FTTN) deployments as well as fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) and fiber to the premises (FTTP) in a single platform.http://www.tellabs....

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Enhancements to Cisco 7600 Target IP NGNs

Cisco Systems announced significant enhancements to its Cisco 7600 Series Router portfolio, including a multicast connection admission control (CAC) capability to more efficiently deliver video services and an integrated video/IPTV quality-monitoring module to improve the delivery of high-quality video services. The new Cisco multicast and previously announced video-on-demand (VoD) CAC solutions distinguish among paid VoD, free VoD, specific high-demand broadcast channels and many other video deliverables.Cisco said service providers can avoid...

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Vitesse Lands Backing from Tennenbaum Capital Partners

Tennenbaum Capital Partners has agreed initially to lend to Vitesse up to $24 million in the form of a four year, secured note at a LIBOR-based interest rate, and, if requested by Vitesse and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, up to an additional $30 million. The net proceeds will be used to fund new product development, repay certain loan amounts and for general corporate purposes.Vitesse also announced that its Storage Products Division recently achieved its highest volume quarter in 2006. The company also noted that several...

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ADVA Acquires Movaz Networks for ROADMs

ADVA Optical Networking agreed to acquire privately-held Movaz Networks, a supplier of WDM transport and Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexing (ROADM) solutions. Movaz has approximately 100 customers comprised of telecommunications carriers, cable network providers, research and educational organizations and government agencies. This customer base is served by a three pronged distribution strategy that includes direct sales, a private label partnership agreement with Lucent and several value added resellers. Under the terms of the agreement,...

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Juniper Launches Open IPTV and Multiplay Initiative

Juniper Networks launched an "Open IPTV and Multiplay Initiative" that would allow content and application service providers, complementary service infrastructure providers and third-party developers to utilize the open interfaces and flexible programming environment of Juniper Networks SDX-300 Service Deployment System to create enhanced service capabilities and offerings. The company also announced enhancements to its E-series Broadband Services Router.As the first phase of this initiative, Juniper is introducing the new Open IP Service Creation...

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Juniper and Microsoft to Enhance IPTV Infrastructure Security

Juniper Networks and Microsoft announced a global agreement to deliver high-performance security solutions that enhance protection for IP networks. Specifically, the companies are collaborating to provide IPTV network security solutions to customers of Microsoft TV IPTV Edition.The Juniper Firewall and Firewall IDP (Intrusion Detection and Prevention) product platforms will be used to complement the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition content security mechanisms to help protect the infrastructure from malicious traffic and attacks such as worms, trojans,...

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Level 3 to Acquire Looking Glass for its Metro Networks

Level 3 Communications agreed to acquire Looking Glass Networks, Inc., a privately held facilities-based provider of metropolitan transport services, for $165 million. The deal includes $87 million in unregistered shares of Level 3 common stock and $9 million in cash. At closing, Level 3 will also pay Looking Glass liabilities of approximately $69 million.Looking Glass, based in Oak Brook, Illinois, provides data transport services including SONET/SDH, Wavelength and Ethernet as well as dark fiber and carrier-neutral colocation. Looking Glass'...

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Global Crossing Launches VoIP Community Peering

Global Crossing announced VoIP Community Peering, an enhancement to its VoIP service that creates an extranet community for enterprises and their various business partners -- such as suppliers, manufacturers and distributors in a supply chain -- that experience high call volumes. Global Crossing VoIP Community Peering provides Global Crossing VoIP Outbound and VoIP On-Net Plus customers with usage-free VoIP calling to all Global Crossing VoIP Local Service end points.Global Crossing said VoIP Community Peering would provide the cost benefits of...

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Gas Station TV Plans IPTV Service at the Fuel Pump

Gas Station TV (GSTV) announced plans to building a national digital media network offering IP-based digital television on 20" high-definition, daylight viewable LCD monitors embedded into gas pumps. GSTV will feature national ABC content such as its popular 'News You Can Use' segments, as well as local news, AccuWeather forecasts and traffic from ABC affiliates.GSTV said it has secured partnerships with ABC, Murphy Oil USA (a "big box" gas retailer), Gilbarco (the largest manufacturer of gas retailer equipment), and Delphi Display Systems, the...

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Vongo Boosts Encode Rates of Web VOD Service to 1.3 Mbps

Vongo, the Internet-based video service launched by Starz Entertainment Group, unveiled a "gold" version of the service with over 1,600 movie and video selections. Based on consumer feedback, the encode rate was raised to 1.3Mbps for most selections. Improvements to the user interface include more descriptive listings of series and episodic content and better performance and search capabilities when managing and exploring content in "My Library" and "search." Vongo's price remains unchanged -- $9.99 per month for unlimited subscription downloads.Vongo...

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AT&T Labs Joins MoCA

AT&T Laboratories has joined the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA), an open, industry driven initiative promoting distribution of digital video and entertainment through existing coaxial cable in the home. "We are evaluating MoCA technology as one option for distributing IP-based video services in customers' homes," said David Deas, vice president networks & services, AT&T Laboratories Inc. Other MoCA members include Comcast, Cox Communications, EchoStar Technologies, and Verizon, amongst others.http://www.mocalliance.orgA MoCA...

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Tropic Networks Adds Wavelength Selective Switching to ROADM

Tropic Networks introduced its next evolution of the Reconfigurable Optical Add Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) based on its Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) technology.In common with both the static OADM and blocker-based ROADMs, Tropic Networks has integrated its Wavelength Tracker all-optical management technology into the WSS solution. The launch of the WSS ROADM variant rounds out the portfolio for Tropic Networks and allows customers to mix and match solutions as required. For example, while WSS technology may be required at video distribution...

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Tropic Networks Outlines IP over DWDM Strategy

Tropic Networks, which supplies metro-regional OADM/DWDM platform, outlined an IP-over-DWDM strategy that allows third party transponders to be launched directly from the switch/router into the DWDM layer together with the associated optical management and power control that its Wavelength Tracker metro regional DWDM system delivers.Tropic Networks' "Wavelength Tracker" technology tags each wavelength in the DWDM layer with a unique signature that tracks, monitors and reports faults -- without requiring any additional DWDM transponders. This capability...

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Digital Fountain Debuts "ToughStream" Forward Error Correction for IPTV

Digital Fountain introduced its "ToughStream" Forward Error Correction (FEC) technology for streaming applications including IPTV and Internet TV. The technology minimizes bandwidth overhead and all-but eliminates buffering delays by recovering lost packets without requiring retransmission. Any packetized stream can be protected, independent of the type of media encoding or compression, data rate, or use of encryption. Alternative methods for ensuring...

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ntl:Telewest Employs Brix for MPLS Core Monitoring

ntl:Telewest, the UK's largest cable operator, has selected the Brix System to monitor the quality of its MPLS core network.ntl:Telewest's Broadnet MPLS core network serves as the foundation for the company's next-generation, IP-based services, including the recently rolled out Metnet managed Ethernet service. Brix Networks' seamlessly integrated hardware and software products -- collectively called the Brix System -- are strategic service assurance solutions that proactively monitor IP service and application quality. Financial terms were not...

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PCCW Selects Intellon's Powerline HomePlug

PCCW, Hong Kong's incumbent telecom operator, is deploying network adapters based on Intellon's HomePlug 1.0 with Turbo ICs as a home networking solution. PCCW claims top market share for Hong Kong's broadband market with over 800,000 subscribers, of which 550,000 customers have also signed up its IPTV service - nowTV. The Intellon-based HomePlug with Turbo adapters enable a customer-installable alternative to running new cables along floors and under rugs to connect the PCCW broadband modem to computers, digital media adaptors and IP set-top-boxes...

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EMBARQ Logistics Signs Wave7 Optics for FTTP

EMBARQ Logistics, the deployment, distribution and logistics division of Embarq (Sprint's former local telephone division), will now include Wave7 Optic's new "universal PON" Trident7 Optical Access platform and Wave7's existing Last Mile Link (LML) Ethernet-based FTTP system as part of its product portfolio.http://www.wave7optics.comhttp://www.embarq.comIn September 2005, Wave7 Optics introduced its Trident7 Optical Access Platform – an advanced "universal PON" system supporting its own Ethernet-based Last Mile Link (LML) system, IEEE 802.3ah...

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Metaswitch Unveils Enhanced IMS-based Solution Set

MetaSwitch announced a range of new technologies as part of its Multimedia-Enhanced Telephony Architecture (META) strategy, targeted at carriers migrating to converged multi-service networks. The addition of Home Subscriber Server (HSS) support delivers a key component in IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks, to create an efficient service creation and delivery program for different services and different types of access networks. Additionally, MetaSwitch announced functionality for core trunking / tandem switching applications, enhanced operational...

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Hammerhead Announces Multi-Segment Pseudowire and Pseudowire Switching

Hammerhead Systems introduced multi-segment pseudowires and pseudowire switching functionality on its HSX 6000 Layer 2.5 Aggregation Switch, which leverages a unique Bandwidth Pooling architecture to virtualize key switch resources and eliminate stranded capacity. Hammerhead already offers Service Agile Ports that enable flexible software provisioning of any physical port for a variety of services and data rates. A Service Interworking Engine allows service providers to introduce new Ethernet-based services to their existing Frame Relay and ATM...

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MRV Upgrades Aggregation Switches for EFM Services

MRV Communications debuted a software update to its OptiSwitch 9000 (OS9000) carrier aggregation switching family, enabling a range of Ethernet in the First Mile (EFM) features.The OS9000 product family, launched last year, is a carrier-class Metro Ethernet platform that aggregates Gigabit Ethernet links, provisions enhanced Ethernet/IP/MPLS services, and provides WDM transport. The new software enables aggregation of EFM-standard 802.3ah devices and auto-discovery of all 802.3ah enabled customer-premise equipment (CPE). The new software enable...

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