BridgePort Raises $13 Million for MobileVoIP Convergence

BridgePort Networks, a start-up headquartered in Chicago with an R&D facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced $13 million in nre venture financing by its current investors. The new financing brings the total capital raised by the company to $51 million.



BridgePort Networks offers a software-based Network Convergence Gateway (NCG) that enables the convergence of mobile and IP voice and data services. The company has signed a global reseller agreement with Siemens Communications.



Existing investors TD Capital Ventures, Polaris Venture Partners, General Catalyst Partners and BCE Capital all participated in the financing. http://www.bridgeport-networks.com

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GLORIAD Research Network Deploys Force10

The Global Ring Network for Advanced Application Development (GLORIAD, a collaborative research network between Russia, China, the U.S., the Netherlands, Korea, Canada and the five Nordic countries, has deployed Force10 Networks' TeraScale E-Series switch/routers as it transitions from Gigabit to 10 Gigabit Ethernet.



The Force10 TeraScale E300 is deployed by the Joint Institute for Computational Science to provide dedicated Gigabit Ethernet services to U.S. scientists. Additionally, the TeraScale E300 is deployed in Chicago-based StarLight, one of the largest optical network exchanges for national and international research and education networks in the world, to interconnect scientists on the GLORIAD network worldwide.



The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI), South Korea's national supercomputer center, also deployed the Force10 TeraScale E-Series in its grid network.

http://www.force10networks.comhttp://www.gloriad.org

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Aruba Networks Outlines Enterprise FMC Roadmap

Aruba Networks outlined a five-phase plan to bring enterprise fixed-mobile convergence (E-FMC) to its enterprise mobility platform. The plan addresses both enterprise-centric and carrier-centric E-FMC architectures. Aruba said it will work with others across the E-FMC value chain, including mobile handset manufacturers, IP-PBX vendors, FMC infrastructure vendors and mobile operators.



Aruba's five-phase plan includes:

• Vo-Fi Awareness (December 2005): The first phase of the plan, bringing voice-aware WLAN features to Aruba mobility controllers, was completed in December 2005. These features were enabled by the Aruba mobility controller's integrated stateful firewall and application-aware adaptive radio management.



• Vo-Fi Scalability (November 2006): Phase two brings new capabilities for scalability, performance and reliability features based on the IEEE 802.11e standard. The new features include WMM, TSpec, WMM-PS, and additional enhancements. Aruba is providing full
  support for the TSpec protocol, allow increased control over the number of active voice calls on an access point (AP) at any given time, assuring bandwidth availability and better call quality, even as voice clients roam between APs. Aruba has implemented an algorithm that enables completely accurate call counts to prevent near-simultaneous call attempts from overloading an AP.
  
  
  
  Aruba is also introducing "Opportunistic Key Caching" (OKC) for WPA2, as well as WPA, that saves considerable authentication time and reduces call interruption when a client roams or hands over from one AP to a neighboring AP. Clients implementing these features have shown
  consistent handoff times of less than 8 milliseconds on the Aruba infrastructure.



• Enterprise Integration (1st half 2007): In the third phase, Aruba will add the WLAN/cellular network call handover function to its existing mobility controllers. The company said this function will be explicitly designed to augment and scale the handover function being planned by IP-PBX vendors, and an open application programming interface (API) will provide the integration hooks necessary for easy integration. The API will also deliver greater visibility into VoIP calls made over the mobile LAN, enabling IP-PBX vendors to inject mobile LAN awareness into their existing VoIP management systems. Phase three will also include the release of a client behavior specification designed to help mobile handset manufacturers deliver faster handoffs both within the WLAN and between cellular and Wi-Fi.



• Carrier Integration (2nd half 2007): Phase four will augment carrier FMC architectures based on the Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) standard with managed WLAN and security services.



• Seamless Networks (2008): The fifth phase will focus on delivering seamless interworking across enterprise-based IP multimedia services and carrier-based IP multimedia services and will rely on IMS architecture being standardized in the 3GPP standards body.

http://www.arubanetworks.com

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Australia's Telstra Selects Amdocs

Telstra has awarded a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract to Amdocs and Cramer -- now part of Amdocs -- to provide software and services for its IT Transformation Program.



Amdocs' new Service Management Suite will be used to help Telstra improve the management and fulfillment of services to its customers through the integration of its operational and business support systems (BSS). At the heart of the suite is the innovative Business and Operational Support System Manager product or B/OSS Manager -- the only offering on the market that spans both BSS and OSS.

http://www.amdocs.com

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AT&T Adds FOX News to U-verse Line-up

AT&T announced a carriage agreement to distribute the FOX News Channel as part of the AT&T U-verse TV channel lineup. Financial and other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

http://www.att.com

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Alcatel Announces $300 Million Partnership with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Alcatel announced a multi-year agreement valued at $300 million to lead an IP network transformation project with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).

Alcatel and UPMC will also establish a joint venture to develop advanced communications technologies and applications focused on the health care industry.

The IP network transformation project, which will commence at the beginning of 2007, includes the upgrade of UPMC's wired and wireless data infrastructure, enterprise telephony system, and contact center platforms and applications to a new converged IP infrastructure.



Under the joint venture, Alcatel and UPMC will each invest USD 25 million to develop applications, technologies and solutions for the health care industry. http://www.alcatel.comhttp://www.upmc.com/The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is also working with dbMotion, a provider of Web-based data-sharing and integration technology, to create one of the largest models of health care data interoperability. dbMotion's technology will provide a flexible platform for UPMC's clinicians to securely access integrated patient information across its 19 hospitals and 400 outpatient sites and doctors' offices, without replacing existing systems.

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Tektronix to Acquire Minacom for Network Test Probes

Tektronix agreed to acquire Minacom, a privately-held provider of active probe test solutions, for approximately US$27 million.



Minacom's test solutions provide active troubleshooting, provisioning, and automated service quality monitoring for VoIP, voice, video, Internet, Fax, and Fax-over-IP.

Minacom's 35 employees will become part of Tektronix and the business will continue to be located in Montreal.

http://www.tektronix.com

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TI Sees Future Transcoding Supporting Multiple Video Formats

Texas Instruments is predicting the next stage of the video revolution will solve the challenge of seamlessly moving multi-format video content between all types of video devices. The company believes transcoding technology will be key to address this challenge.



"Transcoding is a life-or-death issue facing manufacturers and service providers as they try to realize the explosive growth in video entertainment," predicts Gene Frantz, TI's Principal Fellow. "Consumers have an insatiable appetite for immersion in entertainment, and transcoding among multiple formats will be mandatory for all future video products to be successful. Digital signal processing technology will be an essential piece in laying the foundation for transcoding among multiple consumer devices."http://www.ti.com

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Ditech Adds iLBC Transcoding Capabilities

Ditech Networks has enhanced its Packet Voice Processor, a border media processing platform designed to enable carriers to deploy universal transcoding and toll-quality VoIP services, with support for the Internet Low Bit Rate Codec (iLBC) along with its existing broad range of voice codecs. Ditech's PVP will support up to 16,000 simultaneous iLBC transcoding sessions in combination with its Voice Quality Assurance software suite.



In addition to iLBC, the Ditech Packet Voice Processor now supports G.711, G.723.1, G.726, G.729, G.729a, G.729b, G.729ab, G.729e, G.729.

http://www.ditechnetworks.com

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FASTWEB Deploys IPTV Messaging App from CTI2/AudioCodes

FASTWEB, Italy's second largest fixed telephony operator, is using CTI Squared's "InTouch" platform, integrated with AudioCodes IPmedia Media Server, for advanced voicemail and unified messaging services.



FASTWEB will deploy AudioCodes-CTI2's upgraded IPTV messaging application. On top of this FASTWEB will make AudioCodes-CTI2's enhanced Unified Communication service available to its own customer base very close to 1 million clients.



CTI2 and AudioCodes offer a unique IPTV application allowing subscribers to view and respond to voice, email, and fax messages through their television sets. The IPTV application enables subscribers to receive on-line notifications on newly arrived messages while watching TV. Subscribers can then instantly enter their mailbox and navigate between all types of messages via a simple and intuitive user interface.

http://www.audiocodes.comhttp://www.fastweb.it

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Sonus Posts Revenue of $75 Million

Sonus Networks reported Q3 revenue of $75 million. The company did not provide GAAP or non-GAAP financial results for the quarter due to its ongoing review of past accounting practices regarding employee stock options.



Cash, cash equivalents and investments increased by $27 million during the third quarter of 2006 and by $21 million year-over-year to $346 million.



Third quarter gross margins were consistent with Q2. Third quarter net income increased meaningfully from the second quarter of 2006.



http://www.sonusnet.com

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AudioCodes Posts Revenue of $40.1 Million, Up 20.5% Sequentially and 34.9% YoY

AudioCodes announced record quarterly revenue of $40.1 million compared to $33.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 and $29.7 million for the third quarter ended September 30, 2005. Third quarter 2006 revenues grew 20.5% sequentially and increased 34.9% compared to the third quarter of 2005.



Net income for the third quarter of 2006 was $676 thousand, or $0.02 per diluted share, compared to net income of $3.3 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2006 and net income of $3.5 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2005.



"The third quarter marked our twentieth consecutive quarter of sequential revenue growth and five years of continued progress and emergence as a leading player in the VoIP networking industry," stated Shabtai Adlersberg, President, Chairman and CEO of AudioCodes.



"Most notable among our third quarter accomplishments were the completion of the acquisitions of Nuera Communications and Netrake Corporation. We are pleased with our progress to date with the integration of Nuera's and Netrake's activities with our global operations and plan to complete their successful integration in coming quarters. These acquisitions increase our market share in the media gateway market mainly in the evolving cable and wireline markets in North America and Asia Pacific, and provide new growth engines in the evolving session border controller and security gateways market."http://www.audiocodes.com

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Lucent to Delist and Deregister Debt Securities

Lucent Technologies notified the New York Stock Exchange of its intention to voluntarily delist the following series of its debt securities: 5.50% notes due November 15, 2008; 6.50% debentures due January 15, 2028; and 6.45% debentures due March 15, 2029 (collectively, the "Notes"). Lucent said it is taking this voluntary action to delist and deregister the Notes in order to eliminate the administrative costs associated with the listing of the Notes.

http://www.lucent.com

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Spirent Ships Upgraded TestCenter with 10GbE Capacity

Spirent Communications released an updated version of its TestCenter that supports concurrent testing of routers, switches, access and Layer 4-7 devices on a single Gigabit Ethernet module. Spirent TestCenter tests a broad variety of next generation devices and networks while supporting up to 6 users per module and more than 20 users per chassis.

http://www.convergedigest.com

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Verimatrix IPTV Content Security Integrated with Motorola STB

Verimatrix announced a technology alliance with Motorola and the integration of its Video Content Authority System (VCAS) with Motorola's IP set-top boxes (STBs).



Motorola's VIP1900 series is the first line of their IP STBs to fully support the VCAS solution.

http://www.verimatrix.com

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SES AMERICOM IP-Prime Now Carries 290 Channels

SES AMERICOM's IP-PRIME service is now carrying 290 TV channels. The latest programmers to join IP-PRIME represent 80 television channels and more than 90 music audio channels, with the complete MTV Networks lineup.







SES AMERICOM's IPTV content originates from the IP-PRIME IPTV Broadcast Center based in Vernon Valley, New Jersey, where video and audio programming is received, processed, and then securely transported nationwide over the AMC-9 satellite to authorized video hubs and consumer set top boxes.

http://www.ses-americom.com

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ITU opens its Plenipotentiary Conference in Turkey

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) opens its 17th Plenipotentiary Conference in Antalya, Turkey. The event, which will run until 24 November, is expected to attract some 2 000 participants, including 80 ministers, from over 150 countries representing both government and the private sector.

http://www.itu.int

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PMC-Sierra Delivers Next-Gen SONET/SDH Chip

PMC-Sierra introduced a single-chip that combines multi-rate SONET/SDH framers, non-blocking STS/AU and VT/TU cross-connect, and backplane SERDES for next generation compact and scalable chassis-based SONET/SDH platforms. The new device, which adds to PMC-Sierra's existing CHESS III and CHESS Wideband family of SONET/SDH products, can aggregate both new Ethernet services as well as T1/E1/DS3/E3 services onto SONET-based metro transport networks.





"As bandwidth demand increases rapidly due to roll out of quad-play service, SONET/SDH remains the carriers' choice to deliver performance and reliability in the metro network. We optimized the ARROW 2488 for OC-48/STM-16 applications, while allowing scalability to OC-192/STM-64, enabling SONET/SDH to remain the most competitive transport technology and allowing carriers to address network scalability with existing infrastructure," said Dino Bekis, vice president of marketing and applications for PMC-Sierra's Communication Products Division.



Key functionality of the ARROW 2488 includes:

• Optimizes compact OC-48/STM-16 Multi-Service Provisioning Platforms (MSPPs), while allowing scalability to multi-port OC-192/STM-64 applications;
  Addresses optical add/drop requirements for packet MSPPs and Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs);



• Integrates PMC-Sierra's CHESS intellectual property, reducing development cycles for faster time-to-market through reuse of CHESS software base;



• Reduces chip count by up to 80 percent compared with available alternatives, improving bill-of-materials costs and reducing real estate requirements;



• Exceeds the requirement for 50 msec protection switching for up to 5376 tributaries using a fully hardware-based APS algorithm ("MAPS").

The PM5336 ARROW 2488 will be sampling in Q1 2007 and will use 90nm CMOS technology.

http://www.pmc-sierra.com

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Kasenna Unveils DHTML Smart Client Interface for MPEG-4 HD STBs

Kasenna introduced its PortalTV 2.0 IPTV middleware solution featuring a dynamic HTML-based smart client that enables service providers to brand, control and differentiate their IPTV service using Web 2.0 functionality rather than a hard coded client. The web-services, smart client eliminates the proprietary, vendor dominated control over the user interface in other middleware solutions.





The PortalTV 2.0 suite comprises Kasenna LivingRoom 2.0 (IPTV middleware), LivingRoom Smart Client 2.0.1 (IPTV STB client), MediaBase 8.2 (the video delivery platform), vFusion 1.3 (video network management system), and content from ViewNow, a Kasenna company.



Cavalier Telephone is using PortalTV 2.0 to deliver its MPEG-4 HD TV service.

http://www.kasenna.com

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Vernier Networks Ships NAC Appliance at Under $25 Per Port

Vernier Networks began shipping its latest "EdgeWall 8800" Network Access Control appliance at a price of $25 per endpoint. Key functionality includes wire-speed authenticated and validated access to all users throughout the network; protection from security threats and malicious behavior; continuous compliance inspection; and a fully integrated Intrusion Detection and Prevention (IDP) engine. The platform is packaged in a four-slot chassis design with optional interface cards.



Vernier said that unlike other solutions that only inspect traffic at pre-connect, Vernier delivers continuous post-connect traffic inspection to help organizations proactively ensure continuous compliance to IT policies.

http://www.verniernetworks.com

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