Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Limelight to Provide CDN for Japan's New Media Group's IPTV

Limelight Networks has been selected as the exclusive provider of streaming media services by Tokyo-based The New Media Group (TNMG). Under the multi-year agreement, Limelight will deliver TNMG's IPTV offerings to audiences in Japan, Korea and other parts of the world. The Limelight network is now delivering a wide range of popular TNMG-enabled content, via its "World on Demand" IPTV portal, which has exclusive IPTV distribution rights to the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup Tournament in select markets.



TNMG currently offers more than 40 live TV channels from Great Britain, Italy, Pakistan, India, France, Germany, and Australia to thousands of viewers in its core markets.

http://www.llnw.com

MobiTV and NBC Universal to Deliver Prime Time Shows On-Demand

NBC Universal and MobiTV announced a deal to make full-length primetime on demand programming available over US wireless networks for the first time. Consumers will be able to access full episodes of select NBCU primetime shows starting at $1.99 for a 24-hour viewing period, although these rates are subject to change by participating wireless carriers.



In addition to a robust primetime video-on-demand line-up, the two companies will offer select short form programming from Bravo, SCI FI Channel, USA Network, Telemundo and mun2 on five new ad-supported channels to subscribers, which will debut on the MobiTV service in second quarter.

http://www.mobitv.com

SingTel and Indonesia's PT Telkom Interconnect MPLS Networks

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) has formed an alliance with PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (PT Telkom) to deliver MPLS services. With the launch of its new node in Jakarta, SingTel ConnectPlus IP-VPN covers virtually all major business cities in ASEAN. http://www.singtel.com

Neuf Cegetel Deploys Amdocs Service Mediation Manager

Neuf Cegetel has expanded its deployment of Amdocs' Service Mediation Manager platform to support mediation operations at Cegetel, the operator's most recent acquisition. This marks the eighth mediation system that Amdocs is replacing at Neuf Cegetel as the service provider consolidates voice and data mediation support across its acquired entities and new multi-play lines of business.



Amdocs Service Mediation Manager is a single convergent mediation system for all types of networks and services. It serves as a network-abstraction layer for both operations and business support systems (OSS and BSS), transforming network data into business information and providing a complete view of information related to network services. http://www.amdocs.com

Sprint Nextel Selects Nokia for WiMAX Rollout in Texas

Sprint Nextel selected Nokia for the initial build-out of its mobile WiMAX network in four cities in Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin. Nokia will deploy WiMAX infrastructure, including the Nokia Flexi WiMAX Base Station, at sites throughout the four Texas markets. Service is expected to commence in these markets during the first half of 2008. Sprint Nextel's mobile WiMAX network intends to cover 100 million people nationwide by the end of 2008. Financial terms were not disclosed.



In addition to supplying Sprint Nextel with WiMAX network infrastructure, Nokia will also develop WiMAX-enabled mobile devices, including multimedia computers and Internet tablets, which are expected to be available in 2008.

http://www.nokia.com

http://www.sprint.com
  • In February 2007, Sprint Nextel has selected Samsung Electronics to help develop Mobile WiMAX wireless broadband network infrastructure for the Washington D.C. and Baltimore, MD markets. Washington D.C. and Baltimore, MD are the first markets awarded to Samsung since Samsung and Sprint Nextel agreed last August to work together on the major US carrier's 4G wireless broadband initiative which will use the Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e TDD OFDMA) technology standard.


  • In January 2007, Sprint Nextel selected Motorola for the build-out of its WiMAX wireless broadband service in Chicago. Specifically, Motorola will deploy WiMAX infrastructure to at least 1,000 sites in the greater Chicagoland area, providing select area coverage that complements Sprint Nextel's existing EV-DO network. Initial service is expected to begin late in 2007, with the commercial launch set for the first half of 2008.


  • Also in January 2007, Sprint Nextel named Nokia as a key infrastructure and consumer electronic device provider for its 4G WiMAX network. Nokia joined Intel, Samsung and Motorola on the Sprint Nextel project. At the time, Sprint Nextel said it is expecting to invest up to $800 million in 2007 and between $1.5 billion and $2 billion in 2008 relating to the 4G WiMAX mobile broadband network.

NETGEAR Ships HD Digital Entertainer Box

NETGEAR released its Digital Entertainer HD (EVA8000) media receiver, enabling consumers to stream digital content over their home networks to their HD home entertainment systems. Using High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) technology, the device supports open standards for streaming digital content from Windows as well as Macs, network storage devices, USB media devices, and from popular Internet sites including YouTube and Flickr). The MSRP is $399.

The Digital Entertainer HD automatically discovers HD movies, TV shows, music files, and personal photos on a home network, across multiple computers, and organizes these into a single media library displayed on a TV without the need for media server software running on the computer. Users can play HD movie downloads, including those from BitTorrent's new online marketplace.



The Digital Entertainer HD decodes many leading audio formats (MP3, WAV, WMA, WMA-Pro, FLAC, M4A, AAC, AC3), purchased music from iTunes on Windows (M4P), video formats (MPEG1/2/4, WMV, XviD, H.264) and image formats (JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF). It integrates a 10/100Base-T Ethernet controller, support for 802.11g wireless networking, and two USB 2.0 ports. It also supports multiple interoperability standards, including Universal Plug-and-Play (UPnP AV), Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) and emerging digital rights management technologies such as Microsoft Windows Media DRM 10 for Network Devices. It supports several wireless security standards including WEP, WPA-PSK and WPA2- PSK.

http://www.netgear.com

Vonage and Motorola Offer Co-Branded Internet Telephone Adaptor/Router

Vonage and Motorola released a co-branded wireless router for VoIP telephony and that includes a 4-port wired and 802.11 b/g wireless access point. The unit is priced at $59.99 after a $40 instant rebate. It can connect up to two Vonage lines, including telephone and fax, through a high-speed Cable or DSL Internet connection.



http://www.vonage.com

http://www.motorola.com

Microsoft to Acquire Tellme, a Voice Service Portal

Microsoft agreed to acquire Tellme Networks, which operates a leading voice service portal, for an undisclosed sum. Using voice-recognition technology, Tellme provides consumers with up-to-date information via its toll-free number (1-800-555-TELL). Tellme answers millions of calls every day for information such as finding local businesses, driving directions, sports scores, stock quotes, weather, news, movie show times and more. Businesses use Tellme's voice services and platform to provide customers with voice-access services ranging from banking to package tracking.



Potential areas of development resulting from the deal will range from hosted voice-enabled customer service solutions that complement Microsoft's existing unified communications offerings to voice user interfaces in existing Microsoft products to search services on mobile phones that integrate with Live Search for mobile offerings.



Microsoft said the deal will mark an important step forward in its strategy for delivering software plus services. In particular, Microsoft plans to incorporate Tellme into its unified communications voice services portfolio. In the long term, Tellme technology could enhance Microsoft's many voice-enabled applications, including the Windows Vista operating system, the Microsoft Office system, and mobile applications such as Windows Mobile and Windows Automotive.



Tellme, which has more than 320 employees, will continue to operate from its Mountain View, California, headquarters as part of the Microsoft Business Division.

http://www.microsoft.com

http://www.tellme.com
  • In February 2007, Tellme Networks enhanced its voice services platform with new multimodal capabilities for mobile phones allowing companies to create a visual experience. Tellme is now using VoiceXML to create a multimodal "voice & visual" interface, enabling users to simply say what they want and then see it on their mobile screen. Tellme said it will continue to work with the W3C on VoiceXML 3.0 and multimodal standards.

AudioCodes Trims Estimates for Q1

AudioCodes revised its financial guidance, saying revenues and earnings for the first quarter of 2007 are anticipated to be lower than previously estimated. Citing a slower than expected intake of orders, the company said it now expects revenues for the first quarter to be approximately $36 to $38 million compared to the original guidance that revenues for the first quarter would be up to a level of 5% higher than the fourth quarter of 2006. Revenues in the fourth quarter of 2006 were $42.6 million. As a result, AudioCodes also expects that it will not achieve the net income per share previously anticipated.

http://www.audiocodes.com

Broadcom Names New CFO

Broadcom named Eric K. Brandt as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Brandt was a former chief financial officer of Allergan and most recently chief executive officer of Avanir Pharmaceuticals. He replaces former CFO William J. Ruehle, who retired last September.

http://www.broadcom.com

Nokia Siemens Networks to Launch April 1

Nokia and Siemens will complete their merger and begin operations as a joint company on 01-April-2007. Nokia and Siemens are contributing their respective carrier networks businesses and corresponding assets into this new 50:50 company. Both parties have agreed to increase their respective net asset contributions to the new company, with Siemens to contribute EUR 2.4 billion and Nokia to contribute EUR 1.7 billion.



"In the consolidating telecommunications market Nokia Siemens Networks will offer customers cost-saving, leading-edge solutions that will also optimally meet their needs with regards to convergence," said Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo.



The companies also emphasized the role of ethics and integrity in the new Nokia Siemens Networks. Since Nokia will consolidate the financial results of Nokia Siemens Networks, both companies have agreed that the compliance processes will be based on Nokia's system and practices. The new company will have an expanded compliance program including training programs and defined approval processes for governmental business and for engaging third party consultants in the sales process.

http://www.nokia.com

http://www.siemens.com

Deutsche Telekom Accelerates VDSL Rollout

At the CeBIT show, Deutsche Telekom's T-Com division announced its plans to increase the marketing basis for Triple Play products and IPTV. The aim is to cover more than 17 million households by the end of 2007.



As the next step in the expansion of its VDSL access network, Deutsche Telekom will provide its customers in the following cities with the new high-speed technology: Bochum, Bonn, Bremen, Darmstadt, Dortmund, Dresden, Duisburg, Essen, Karlsruhe, Ludwigshafen, Mainz, Mannheim, Wiesbaden and Wuppertal. This will bring the number of VDSL connected cities in Germany to 26. T-Com will also continue its deployment of ADSL2+ technology. By the end of the year, the company will be offering Internet access to customers in 750 towns and cities with transmission rates of up to 16 Mbps.

http://www.telekom.de