CableLabs and EuroCableLabs Extend Working Relationship

CableLabs and EURCableLabs have extended their cooperation on the development of cable technology in the U.S. and Europe. The agreement provides EURCableLabs access to CableLabs' DOCSIS and PacketCable specifications and test plans, thereby assuring greater consistency across cable technologies developed for the North American and European markets.The agreement assures EURCableLabs will have access to draft specifications for DOCSIS and PacketCable, including proposed engineering changes to these specifications, to allow for European adaptations...

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Canada's Gold Line Deploys Pactolus SIPware Pre-paid Calling Card Application

Gold Line Telemanagement, Canada's leading provider of calling card services with more than half of the country's $350-million pre-paid long-distance business, selected Pactolus as its exclusive provider of calling card applications. Gold Line has deployed Pactolus' SIPware Calling Card application and RapidFLEX Service Delivery Platform. http://www.pactolus.comhttp://www.goldlinegroup....

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WildBlue Signs Wholesale Deals with DIRECTV and EchoStar

WildBlue Communications signed five year wholesale distribution agreements with both DIRECTV and EchoStar Communications for its broadband Internet access via satellite.DIRECTV and EchoStar currently offer digital television entertainment via satellite to a combined total of more than 27 million customers nationwide. Each of DIRECTV and EchoStar intends to begin offering WildBlue high-speed Internet service in the coming months across the contiguous United States with further details on availability and pricing of their respective offerings to...

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Sprint and Universal Music Group Host Live Concert for Mobile Phone Listeners

Sprint and Universal Music Group will deliver live country music for the first time with video and audio on mobile phones during a concert tonight from Nashville's Rocketown music venue. The concert features country artists, including Josh Turner, Billy Currington, Julie Roberts and Gary Nichols. The concert will be available for free to all Sprint PCS Vision and Sprint Power Vision customers who have multimedia phones and data plans. These customers can also experience the concert afterwards on-demand.http://www.sprint....

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Cable & Wireless Shifts to Wholesale Broadband Strategy

Cable & Wireless will adopt a wholesale strategy with regard to consumer and small business services delivered over its local loop network. Starting next month, the company's Bulldog division will offer wholesale services to other broadband providers. Bulldog will cease its own proactive sales and marketing to attract new residential or small business customers. It will continue as a retail brand for existing customers.Cable & Wireless said its local loop rollout plan remains unchanged -- a total of 800 fully un-bundled local exchanges...

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Cisco Authorizes Up To $5 Billion in Additional Stock Repurchases

Cisco Systems' Board of Directors authorized up to $5 billion in additional repurchases of its common stock. Cisco's board had previously authorized up to $35 billion in stock repurchases. There is no fixed termination date for the repurchase program."We evaluate our use of cash on a regular basis to determine the best way to optimize the value to our shareholders," said Dennis Powell, Chief Financial Officer, Cisco Systems. "Today, our share repurchase program allows us to return cash to our shareholders, while at the same time provides the flexibility...

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AOL Offers Free Active Security Monitor

AOL launched Active Security Monitor, a free downloadable program that continuously checks the status of key security programs - including anti-virus, firewall, spyware protection, wireless security, and Windows/browser updates - on a user's home computer. Active Security Monitor assigns a Security Score to each PC on the user's network, and it offers specific recommendations based on the scan's results to improve user security.Specifically, Active Security Monitor examines each computer on a user's home network in eight important areas: firewall,...

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VSNL Offers Ethernet Connecting North America, Europe, Asia & India

Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) launched Dedicated Global Ethernet private line service connecting major cities throughout North America, Europe, Asia and an extensive footprint connecting 120 cities in India. Dedicated Global Ethernet offers bandwidth between 2 and 1,000 Mbps with the flexibility to upgrade the bandwidth on an as-needed basis without service interruption. VSNL International said its service combines the flexibility and features of Ethernet with the proven reliability and high performance of SDH/SONET to create a robust, highly...

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Verizon and DIRECTV in New Venture to Offer Wholesale "Triple Play"

Verizon and DIRECTV will form a new venture to enable Verizon wholesale customers to sell a package of voice, DSL and DIRECTV services. Financial terms were not disclosed.The packaged offering will be available to telecom service providers that utilize Verizon's Wholesale Advantage voice service. Verizon expects to make the bundle available to wholesale customers in July."The triple-play offer for wholesalers enables DIRECTV to reach a new segment of customers with an attractive array of services that will more effectively compete with the local...

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China Netcom to Sell Asia Netcom, Undersea Cable System

China Netcom agreed to sell all of its Asia Netcom assets to an investor group led by Ashmore Emerging Markets Liquid Investment Portfolio and also including Spinnaker Global Opportunity Fund Limited and Clearwater Capital Partners, for approximately US$402 million. Completion of the deal is conditioned on regulatory approvals. Since China Netcom purchased the former Asia Global Crossing and launched Asia Netcom in 2003, the company has emerged as a top regional provider of IP- based communications solutions. It operates a subsea cable system,...

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AOL and Warner Bros. Expand 'In2TV'

AOL is expanding "In2TV", its free TV over the Web service, with two new channels: "Gone But Not Forgotten TV," showcasing recent, but prematurely cancelled series, and "Get Real TV," a reality TV channel. "In2TV" also adds twelve new series including many episodes that have never aired on television and more than a dozen new video features.http://www.aol.com/in...

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SIRIUS Signs Space Systems/Loral to Augment Satellite Constellation

SIRIUS Satellite Radio reached an agreement with Space Systems/Loral, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications for the design and construction of a new satellite. SIRIUS FM-5 is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2008 and will carry an X-band uplink and S-band downlink payload. The companies said the satellite will be one of the most powerful ever constructed, with end-of-life power capability at more than 20 kilowatts. SIRIUS FM-5 is based on SS/L's flight proven 1300 platform and will have a specified service life of 15...

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SR Telecom Signs Sagem for WiMAX Distribution

SR Telecom, a supplier of licensed OFDM-based WiMAX solutions, signed a Sales Cooperation Agreement with Sagem Communication, a member company of SAFRAN Group. Sagem will market and re-sell the SR Telecom symmetryMX line of WiMAX products.With this agreement, Sagem and SR Telecom will build on their joint- marketing efforts and focus on telecommunications service providers across Europe and Africa.SR Telecom has its principal offices in Montreal, Mexico City and Bangkok.http://www.srtelecom.comhttp://www.sagem....

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