Fujitsu Unveils WiMAX Strategy Encompassing Silicon, Systems and Services

Fujitsu Network Communications and Fujitsu Microelectronics America outlined their WiMAX strategic vision spanning silicon solutions, electronic devices, radio access network solutions, professional services and backhaul infrastructure solutions.



The new Fujitsu WiMAX product line includes two models of base stations for indoor or outdoor use. These base stations include a very compact Radio Frequency (RF) unit with high-efficiency RF amplifiers and a high-performance, compact Baseband (BB) unit. The system is based on the ratified IEEE 802.16-2005 standard and the WiMAX Forum definition of mobile WiMAX. The solutions integrate intellectual property for multiple antenna technologies such as multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) along with its Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD) amplifiers.



In silicon, Fujitsu's System on a Chip (SoC) is designed to optimize both performance and power consumption using proprietary 90 nm process technology suited for PC cards and mobile device applications such as high-speed vehicular data sharing, consumer-in-motion and mobile appliance connectivity.



Fujitsu Network Life Cycle Services are an integral part of the network solution. These services are available to help carriers create and extend their WiMAX footprint by utilizing planning services such as RF engineering, site acquisition and site preparation.



Fujitsu said it would back its WiMAX vision through its full global presence, enabling carriers to work with one strategic partner for broadband wireless networks. The company has formed regional partnerships to augment development efforts and meet specific requirements of carriers around the world. In North America, for example, Fujitsu has partnered with two broadband wireless access leaders -- Airspan Networks for WiMAX solutions and BelAir Networks for Wi-Fi mesh solutions.

http://www.fujitsu.com

	New Opportunities in the Broadband Wireless Era
Consumers and commercial enterprises share a growing need for borderless communications on-the-go. Many wired and wireless broadband technologies, including 3G, 3.5G, WiFi and WiMAX, will co-exist in this era, leading to new opportunities, new lifestyle options and new modes of working. Here's a perspective on future applications.

Read More

Ruckus Gains Traction with Smart Wi-Fi CPE, Secures Funding

Ruckus Wireless, a start-up based in Sunnyvale, California, unveiled its MediaFlex NG gateway that uses it smart Wi-Fi technology for distributing video inside the home. Ruckus also announced that it has closed a new round of funding, led by Motorola Ventures and T-Online Ventures, and has been selected by the national telecommunications providers in Belgium and the Czech Republic to supply its MediaFlex system as the "cable-less" solution.



The MediaFlex NG router is specifically designed to deliver continuous high-performance, video-grade wireless networking. The system is capable of simultaneously supporting three to four standard definition MPEG-2 video streams or one to two high definition video streams, providing 15-25 Mbps of sustained video throughput to any corner of a 3,000 square foot home.



Significantly, the Ruckus MediaFlex NG enables providers to securely operate and manage multiple wireless virtual networks within the home. Each virtual network can be dedicated to a specific organization, service or traffic type, uniquely managed and secured by the service provider or a designated administrator.

Virtual networks can be prioritized by the provider. IPTV traffic, for instance, can traverse a discrete Wi-Fi network and be given higher priority over another wireless network on the same MediaFlex NG system.

Separate statistics for each virtual network (per SSID) can be collected and discrete security policies applied. On the same device, operators can provide users their own wireless network using a separate, user managed SSID.

Key features of the Ruckus MediaFlex NG include:

• the ability to support multiple virtual APs
  
  
• a remote wireless service management technology that provides operators access, via SNMP, HTTP, SSL, SSH and Telnet, to the performance and RF information necessary to manage triple play services, as well as the ability to perform inventory audits on wireless devices within a subscriber's home network.
  
  
• increased capacity and predictable performance using standard 802.11 Wi-Fi
  
  
• the ability to automatically adapt to the changing RF characteristics within the home using smart antenna ("BeamFlex") and quality of service ("SmartCast") technologies.
  
  
• the ability to reliably receive Wi-Fi signals down to -100 dBm.
  
  
• and extensive remote management capabilities.
  
  Ruckus said two major issues have prevented service providers from deploying Wi-Fi as a utility network in consumer homes: 1) unstable performance affecting the quality of delay-sensitive applications such as streaming video and 2) the inability to remotely identify and diagnose Wi-Fi related problems as consumers experience them.
  
  
  
  Ruckus also announced that it will supply its "smart Wi-Fi" technology and systems to Telefonica O2 Czech Republic to support its newly launched IPTV service. Telefonica O2 Czech Republic is initially offering 30 channels of MPEG-4 IPTV packaged within its basic packages O2 TV Entertainment and O2 TV Cinema. Telefonica O2 Czech Republic delivers IPTV over an ADSL2+ infrastructure with plans to begin providing fiber-to-the-home by year's end.
  
  
  
  As for the $16 million in new funding, Motorola Ventures led the third round along with T-Online Venture Fund, Firelake Capital Management and other private investors. The new corporate investors join existing Ruckus Wireless investors which include Sequoia Capital, Sutter Hill Ventures, Investor AB and WK Technology Fund.
  
  
  
  The new financing increases the total investment in Ruckus Wireless to $30 million since its formation in June of 2004.
  
  http://www.ruckuswireless.com
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Smart Wi-Fi Completes the Triple Play

  To date, in-home video distribution -- an essential element for Triple Play delivery -- has been largely ignored: Given its widespread popularity and use within the home, Wi-Fi would be an obvious solution to this problem. Yet conventional consumer Wi-Fi was designed primarily for data applications and provides poor transport for multimedia traffic. Here is how a new generation of Smart Wi-Fi could solve the problem.

Read More

AT&T First Foreign Carrier to be Granted New Telecom Licenses in India

AT&T Global Network Services India Private Limited (AT&T India), a joint venture which is majority-owned by AT&T, has become the first foreign telecom operator in India to secure National Long Distance/International Long Distance (NLD/ILD) licenses to serve global and India-headquartered companies with advanced telecommunications services. AT&T India is planning to provide Virtual Private Network services to the corporate enterprise segment by the end of 2006.

AT&T presently supports its global customer requirements in India through a cooperation agreement with a local licensed service provider, consistent with government regulations. Once AT&T India becomes operational later this year, AT&T India will directly serve the corporate enterprise market.

AT&T said the announcement was made possible by the Indian Government's new policy of November 2005 on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which allows up to 74% foreign ownership for companies doing business in the country. AT&T owns 74% of AT&T India while the remaining 26% equity is held by Mahindra Telecommunications Investment Private Limited.

http://www.att.com

Read More

XO Completes Inter-City Net, Restructures into Carrier/Business Services

XO Communications announced the completion of its inter-city fiber network across the US and announced a corporate restructuring into two new business units: XO Business Services and XO Carrier Services.



The new XO long haul network initially delivers 100 Gbps of capacity and sets the stage for a ten-fold capacity increase up to 400 Gbps between any two cities on the XO inter-city network. It spans 18,000 route miles connecting 75 major metropolitan markets across the United States. In addition to its extensive nationwide inter-city network, XO also owns 9,100 route miles, consisting of more than 1 million fiber miles, of local fiber networks in 37 metropolitan markets



XO Business Services will provide businesses and large enterprises with end-to-end voice, data and managed IP communications solutions that leverage XO's extensive nationwide network reach to 75 metropolitan markets. Tom Cady has been named president of XO Business Services. Cady previously focused on the development of Nextlink, the broadband wireless subsidiary of XO Holdings, XO Communications' parent company, until Nextlink's launch and also previously served as chief marketing officer of XO Communications.



XO Carrier Services will focus on delivering a broad range of wholesale voice, data and IP services to cable companies, content and search companies, telecommunications companies, VoIP providers and wireless service providers. Ernie Ortega has been named president of XO Carrier Services. Ortega has served as president of carrier sales at XO Communications. Prior to his appointment as president of carrier sales, he served as vice president of national accounts for XO Communications.

http://www.xo.com

Read More

Global Crossing Joins Voice Peering Fabric Alliance

Global Crossing has joined Stealth Communications' Voice Peering Fabric Alliance (VPF). Located in nine U.S. cities and London, the Voice Peering Fabric has become the preferred platform for service providers, enterprises and government agencies to buy, sell and peer VoIP traffic and telephony services. VPF is designed as a private voice Internet and functions as an exchange or meet-point for its members to establish peer-to-peer connection.



At current levels, traffic on the VPF is expected to surpass 100 billion minutes in 2006, up from 18 billion minutes in 2005.



Global Crossing will leverage its global MPLS network and portfolio of broadband services to provide customers with Ethernet connectivity to the VPF from any point on the Global Crossing network.



"Global Crossing is committed to the concept of peering," said Anthony Christie, Global Crossing's chief marketing officer. "Our involvement in the VPF gives us access to like-minded VoIP service providers who want to unleash the full potential of end-to-end IP communications."http://www.globalcrossing.com

• Earlier this year, Global Crossing introduced VoIP Community Peering, a feature of the company's VoIP Outbound and VoIP On-Net Plus Services. VoIP Community Peering helps customers more easily predict their costs, potentially attain higher margins on their VoIP services, and offer flat-rate cost models to their end users by eliminating PSTN usage charges that occur in the VoIP-over-PSTN environment that is prevalent today.



• In September, Global Crossing announced its willingness to enter bi-lateral VoIP Peering relationships with other VoIP providers.

Read More

Cavium Debuts High-Performance Multi-core MIPS64 Processors

Cavium Networks introduced the latest members of its OCTEON Multi-core MIPS64 Processor family -- doubling performance through higher frequency and architectural enhancements.



Cavium said the higher computing performance will be required in converged wired and wireless infrastructure equipment to handle features such as Robust Header Compression (ROHC), KASUMI security and subscriber management services.



The 1 Gigahertz OCTEON Plus family, which maintains full software and pin compatibility with previous devices in the series, also includes power management techniques that deliver up to 2X higher performance in the same power budget to set new performance per watt records.



Cavium's OCTEON processors have been adopted by Tier-1 OEMs for networking, security, control plane, wireless, storage and broadband gateway applications.

The single core to 16 core processors have been integrated into over 100 designs that include Routers, L3+ Switches, UTM, Storage, 3G & WLAN Wireless, WiMAX, Broadband Gateways, and VOIP. Customer end products based on the OCTEON family have started rolling out to customers in 2H 2006.



The Wind River Platform for Network Equipment, Linux Edition and Wind River VxWorks 6.1 are available for OCTEON Multi-core MIPS64 based Processor Family.

http://www.cavium.com

Read More

Alcatel Passes 100 Million DSL Lines Milestone

Ten years after pioneering the broadband access market, Alcatel has surpassed 100 million DSL lines shipped. The company, which continues to have more than one third of the DSL market, has doubled its total shipments since October 2004.



Recently, the following new customers have selected Alcatel's ISAM platform:



Europe: Telefonica Spain, Datastream in Malta, Eircom in Ireland, BH Telecom in Bosnia Herzegovina, and Telecom Serbia.



Middle East: Etisalat, Jordan Telecom and the Qatar Public Telecommunications Corporation.



Africa: Moroc Telecom, Algeria Telecom, Telecom Malagasy (Madagascar), and Telma (Madagascar)



Asia-Pacific: Hanaro in Korea, MAXIS in Malaysia, and TOT and TT&T in Thailand.



North and South America: Cincinnati Bell (US), Antel in Uruguay, Telsur in Chile and CANTV in Venezuela.

http://www.alcatel.com

Read More

AirPlay Receives $14 Million for Merging Mobile Gaming and Live TV

AirPlay, a start-up based in San Francisco, secured $14 million in a Series B investment round for its efforts to merge mobile gaming and live television.



AirPlay is seeking to transform television viewing from a passive activity to an immersive experience by allowing viewers to play along with their favorite live television programs from their mobile phones.



In August, AirPlay delivered Emmys AirPlay Live from Sprint, which allowed viewers to predict winners and losers, view commentary and answer trivia questions during the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on August 27.



AirPlay's flagship sports game, AirPlay Live Football, enables football fans to make real-time game predictions from their phones during live broadcasts of this season's NFL games.



QUALCOMM and Motorola, and premier venture funds JK&B Capital, ONSET Ventures and Redpoint Ventures, all participated in the financing led by JK&B.

http://www.airplay.com

Read More

YouTube Strikes Deals with CBS, Sony BMG, Universal

YouTube announced strategic content and distribution deals with CBS, Sony BMG and Universal Music -- providing the popular video sharing site with new revenue-sharing streams and opening the market for user-generated videos that incorporate copyrighted elements.



CBS -- The strategic content and advertising partnership calls for the CBS Television Network, Showtime Networks as well as its basic cable/digital media service, CSTV Networks, to offer the YouTube community a variety of short-form video programming from its news, sports and entertainment divisions on a daily basis beginning this month.



YouTube and CBS will share revenue from advertising sponsorships of CBS Videos. In addition, CBS is the first TV network to test YouTube's new advanced content identification architecture and reporting system which will allow CBS to protect its intellectual property by identifying and locating copyrighted CBS content on YouTube. CBS will then have the opportunity to either remove it from the site or, at CBS's sole discretion, allow it to remain. If CBS allows the content to remain on the site, CBS will share in any revenue from advertising placed adjacent to the content.



CBS will also be providing the YouTube community with video content from CSTV about college sports, including more than 100 broadband channels of live college sports.



Content on YouTube's new CBS Brand Channel will include daily contributions from: CBS Entertainment; including short clips from top CBS programs including "Survivor," "CSI," and "The Late Show with Dave Letterman," as well as mini-previews and footage from its new fall lineup.



Sony BMG -- YouTube will make available a wide variety of video content from the music company's world-renowned library, including ENTERTAINMENT artists ranging from the most important recordings in history to today's hottest young artists. The companies are also collaborating to allow users to include certain SONY BMG sound recordings in their own uploads, adding to the Internet's most vibrant video entertainment destination.



UMG -- YouTube will offer its users access to thousands of videos from UMG's extensive roster of artists covering every genre of music. In addition, under this agreement, UMG broadly embraces the power and creativity of user-generated content, allowing users to incorporate music from UMG's recorded music catalog into the videos they create and upload onto YouTube. UMG and its artists will be compensated not just for UMG produced videos but also for the unique, user created content that incorporates UMG music.



YouTube and UMG have also agreed to a process to protect UMG copyrights using technology to filter out UMG content that is not authorized to appear on the YouTube service.

http://www.youtube.comYouTube recently announced a new content identification architecture, intended to help copyright holders identify their content on YouTube.

Read More

Google to Acquire YouTube for $1.65 Billion

Google confirmed that it will acquire YouTube, the leading, consumer video sharing site, for $1.65 billion in a stock-for-stock transaction. Following the acquisition, YouTube will operate independently to preserve its successful brand and passionate community.


YouTube currently delivers more than 100 million video views every day with 65,000 new videos uploaded daily.

http://www.google.comhttp://www.youtube.com

• YouTube was founded in February 2005, a preview was available in May 2005 and its service officially launched in December 2005.



• In November 2005, the company raised $3.5 million in private equity funding from Sequoia Capital. This amount was increased to $8 million in a second round led by Sequoia in April 2006.



• In September 2006, Level 3 will provide YouTube with its High Speed Internet Access via multiple 10GigE ports. Level 3 will also provide 10 GigE LAN PHY wavelength service across a nationwide footprint connecting YouTube's data centers.

Read More

JDSU Test Probe Monitors More than 500 IPTV Transport Streams

JDSU has added an IPTV transport stream monitoring capability to its QT-600 Ethernet and triple-play probe. The QT-600 IPTV transport stream monitoring capability, which is part of JDSU's NetComplete service assurance IPTV offering, can track more than 500 streams.



As IPTV content travels through the content delivery chain, the QT-600 now helps providers catch and resolve impairments that can be introduced anywhere along that chain.



The ability to monitor several hundred transport streams simultaneously also enables the QT-600 to measure and calculate key IPTV quality indicators that enable service providers to proactively detect quality degradations before impacting the level of service to the customer.

http://www.jdsu.com

Read More

Tellme Expands 411 Capabilities for Cingular

Tellme will provide an expanded unified directory assistance service for Cingular Wireless. The agreement signifies an expansion of the work Tellme has done with AT&T Wireless, now Cingular, in consumer services and directory assistance since 2001.

Cingular callers can use the 411 service to:

• Search for wireline business, residential and government listings in Spanish and English



• Opt to always receive listings by text message



• Use reverse lookup to find who called if they have a number but not
  a name


• Find movie show times, locations and purchase tickets


• Access personalized turn-by-turn driving directions


• Automatically reconnect to their last listing with the Callback History feature

Cingular also offers VoiceDial and VoiceInfo, additional services powered by Tellme.



VoiceDial provides hands-free calling by storing contacts in a network based address book and connecting to any contact by speaking their name or number. VoiceDial is integrated with 411, allowing callers to add listings from 411 directly to their VoiceDial address book.



VoiceInfo provides information and services for Cingular customers to use daily, such as wake-up calls, stock quotes, sports, weather, horoscopes, the Rowdy stock car portal and Instant Alibi, a pre-set phone call, and more.



The new 411 service will be available to all Cingular subscribers in the first part of 2007.

http://www.tellme.comhttp://www.cingular.com

Read More