Symmetricom Acquires QoSmetrics

Symmetricom agreed to acquire QoSmetrics, a privately held provider of QoE solutions for IPTV and other triple play services, for $16 million in cash.



QoSmetrics offers a broad base of tools to measure key IP Performance Metrics (IPPM), as well as to monitor VoIP and video-based data streams. The products provide real time, multi-protocol, end-to-end monitoring and diagnostic capabilities that enable service providers to troubleshoot and often prevent network issues.



Symmetricom said the acquisition would enhance its position in emerging areas of the global telecommunications industry by providing those service providers with the tools and monitoring capabilities necessary to maximize QoE for end users of triple play services.



QoSmetrics was founded in 1999 and maintains corporate and R&D facilities in Camarillo, California and in Paris, France.

http://www.symmetricom.com

http://www.qosmetrics.com

• Symmetricom specializes in timing solutions, delivering precision, reliability and efficiency to wireline and wireless networks, instrumentation and testing applications and network time management. The company's synchronization solutions include primary reference sources, building integrated timing supplies (BITS), GPS timing receivers, time and frequency distribution systems, network time servers and ruggedized oscillators. Symmetricom also incorporates technologies including Universal Timing Interface (UTI), Network Time Protocol (NTP), Precision Time Protocol (IEEE 1588), and others supporting the world's migration to Next Generation Networks (NGN).

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SpectraLink Shows its Next Generation Wi-Fi Telephones

SpectraLink announced its next-generation Wi-Fi telephony handsets supporting IEEE 802.11a, b and g radio standards.



The new NetLink 8000 Series handsets are enterprise-grade handsets designed for long talk times (four, six and eight hours depending on model) added durability and resilience.



Two models are available: the basic NetLink 8020 Wireless Telephone, and the enhanced NetLink 8030 Wireless Telephone supporting SpectraLink's exclusive integrated push-to-talk (PTT) capabilities, now enhanced with 24 PTT channels plus a unique priority channel for emergency broadcast applications.



The handsets can use either SpectraLink Voice Priority (SVP) or Wireless Multimedia (WMM) (depending on Wi-Fi infrastructure support). Security includes Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2).



List price for the NetLink 8020 Wireless Telephone is $595, while the PTT-enabled NetLink 8030 Wireless Telephone is priced at $675.

http://www.spectralink.com

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Atheros Debuts XSPAN Dual-Concurrent Wireless Router

Atheros Communications launched its highest performance 802.11n solution to date -- a chipset that combines its XSPAN draft 802.11n technology with its Wireless Network Processor Unit (WNPU). The chipset offers concurrent operation in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless LAN (WLAN) frequency bands, delivering up to 600 Mbps aggregate physical data rates and the flexibility to segregate application content into the channels that provide the best user experience.
The solution provides up to 27 non-overlapping channels, enabling end users to run numerous WLAN applications simultaneously while avoiding interference which often plagues networks operating solely in the 2.4 GHz frequency band.



Atheros said its new AR5008AP-3NX2 chipset targets retail, SOHO and enterprise networking customers that want to provide the highest wireless throughput, coverage and capacity. Specifically, the combined 2.4 and 5 GHz channel capacity supports jitter-free transmission of multimedia applications.



For instance, the 2.4 GHz band could be used for applications less sensitive to bandwidth limitations and interference, such as Internet data traffic, streaming MP3s and wireless printing. The 5 GHz band with 24 channels, fewer legacy devices and virtually no interferers, could be used for high-bandwidth, latency-sensitive applications that require uninterrupted throughput: HD video streaming, VoIP calls and multi-player online gaming.



Atheros also noted that the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system advocates use of dual-concurrent networks and the allocation of applications onto separate frequency bands based on throughput requirement, latency-sensitivity and interference in the network.



The new Atheros AR5008AP-3NX2 chipset consists of dual AR5416 MAC/baseband ICs, the AR2133 and AR5133 radios and the AR7161 wireless network processor. The solution is based on Atheros' XSPAN with Signal-Sustain Technology, a 3x3 MIMO architecture. The wireless network processor features dual 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports, dual USB 2.0 and additional interfaces for video, audio and voice applications.

http://www.atheros.com

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NextWave Wireless to Acquire GO Networks for Metro WiFi

San Diego-based NextWave Wireless will acquire GO Networks, a privately-held developer of 802.11 based mobile broadband wireless solutions for wide area, high capacity metropolitan deployments.



GO's Metro Broadband Wireless (MBW) system is a highly-scalable Wi-Fi network solution that combines a proprietary adaptive beamforming antenna engine with a self-organizing and multi-frequency mesh architecture.



GO Networks is headquartered in Mountain View, California and has its research and development facilities in Tel Aviv, Israel.



NextWave will pay approximately $13.3 million in cash at closing. Additional consideration of up to $25.7 million will be paid in NextWave common stock, based on the achievement of certain operational milestones in the 18 month period subsequent to the closing of the acquisition, as specified in the agreement. NextWave will also assume GO's existing obligations totaling approximately $7.46 million, of which $1.33 million will be paid at closing and the balance will remain in place following the merger.



NextWave Wireless develops WiMAX semiconductors, network components and complete wireless LAN/WAN network solutions. Its PacketVideo subsidiary, a global provider of embedded multimedia software for mobile phones and converged devices, provides a wide range of multimedia solutions to many of the leading wireless carriers and handset manufacturers worldwide. The company was founded in 2005 by veterans from AT&T Wireless, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, QUALCOMM, and Texas Instruments.



NextWave has acquired a nationwide spectrum footprint in the U.S. that covers 247 million people and owns nationwide WiMAX spectrum in Germany through a majority-controlled joint venture. The company intends to partner with companies to deploy next-generation wireless broadband networks on its spectrum that utilizes its next-generation wireless broadband products and technologies.
http://www.nextwave.com/http://www.gonetworks.com

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Sonus Posts Record Year End Order Activity

Sonus Networks reported very strong customer activity in the fourth quarter of 2006, resulting in both fourth quarter and full year 2006 orders at record levels.



The company said its growth is being fueled by continued demand as major network operators increase their adoption and deployment of IP-voice networks.



Sonus also announced that the NASDAQ Listing Qualification Panel has allowed the company until February 12, 2007 to file its Form 10-Qs for the quarters ended June 30, 2006 and September 30, 2006 and any required restatements. http://www.sonusnet.com/

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Wisair Debuts Wireless USB PCI Express Mini Card

Wisair is introducing a Wireless USB PCI Express Mini Card reference design for notebook PCs, as well as a Wireless USB hub reference design. Both reference designs leverage the company's latest 542 chip, based on Certified Wireless USB, which was recently granted WiMedia PHY registration. The design provides four to seven USB ports and includes features such as dual internal antennas fitting into slim enclosures, as well as unique PHY capabilities for extended coverage and link robustness.

http://www.wisair.com

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Asia Netcom Restores 100 Gbps of Capacity on EAC

Asia Netcom confirmed that it restored all of its customers' traffic along its EAC cable system on 27th December and continues to actively help the region get back online by allocating spare capacity to ISPs and third party telecommunications carriers. In total, Asia Netcom's engineering team restored more than 100 Gbps of capacity on EAC. The company said the majority of the traffic has gone to support Asia Netcom's customers with the remaining being provisioned to support the Internet bandwidth demands of the region's carriers and ISPs.

http://www.asianetcom.com

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Verizon Expands FiOS TV in California

Verizon launched its FiOS TV service in Redlands and Redondo Beach, California. The company already provides the all-digital, fiber-optic TV service in more than a dozen California communities.

http://www.verizon.com

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Broadcom Closes Acquisition of LVL7 Systems

Broadcom completed its acquisition of LVL7 Systems, a privately-held developer of production-ready networking software for networking equipment manufacturers (OEMs), for $62 million in cash.



LVL7's FASTPATH family of software will enable Broadcom to enhance its existing product offering in the small-to-medium-sized business (SMB) market segment. http://www.broadcom.com

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EarthLink Announces Passing of CEO -- Garry Betty

Garry Betty, EarthLink's President and CEO, passed away on January 2 due to complications from cancer. He was 49. Mr. Betty had been with the company since 1996. Before joining EarthLink, Garry served as CEO of Digital Communications Associates, Inc. (DCA) -- the youngest CEO of a New York Stock Exchange listed company. He also was a member of the Boards of Directors of Equifax, Global Payments, Inc., and the Carter Center Board of Councilors. Garry graduated in 1979 from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering.




EarthLink also announced that Mike Lunsford will remain interim CEO, a position he has held since November 27, 2006, when Mr. Betty took a leave of absence.


http://gbetty.earthlink.net/

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Amdocs to Acquire SigValue for Customer Billing

Amdocs agreed to acquire SigValue Technologies, a provider of a light-weight billing, customer care, and service control platform designed for service providers, for about $54 million in cash. Amdocs currently owns 14% of SigValue's outstanding capital stock.



SigValue's platform is aimed at service providers in emerging markets, such as Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia, where the telecommunications customer base is predominantly composed of mobile pre-paid subscribers.



SigValue's platform provides the basic functions required for billing and customer care with a service control function. It supports multiple networks, multiple services and all lines of business.



"The regions referred to as "emerging markets" are the fastest-growing in telecom, and Amdocs has already enjoyed success in the more economically developed portions of these regions - including Moscow, Russia and Beijing, China, among others," said Patrick McGrory, Network Business Unit president, Amdocs.




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http://www.amdocs.com

http://www.sigvalue.com

• SigValue is a private company founded in April 2000, has approximately 75 employees and is based in Hod-Hasharon, Israel. SigValue's venture capital investors include AIG Orion Fund L.P. and Holland Ventures.



• In July 2006, Amdocs agreed to acquire Cramer Systems, a supplier of operations support systems (OSS) solutions, for approximately $375 million in cash.



• In April 2006, Amdocs agreed to acquire Qpass, a leading provider of digital commerce software and solutions, for approximately $275 million in cash. Qpass can act as a channel between the content provider and the service provider, helping to determine how to offer, manage, charge, and fulfill for the service. It plays a key role in enabling the value chain and monetizing digital content.

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