Juniper Expands its Open IP Service Creation Program

Juniper Networks has expanded industry collaboration within its Open IP Service Creation Program (OSCP) with the addition of Acme Packet and BitBand. Introduced in June 2006, the OSCP facilitates the deployment of multiplay services such as IPTV and VoIP by opening up the IP network and enabling applications, services and subscribers to interact intelligently with the network.



Companies who have joined the OSCP and are working to develop, deploy and/or market innovative network solutions now include:

• Acme Packet: Testing underway to couple Net-Net session border controller with Juniper Networks Session and Resource Control Portfolio to deliver assured quality for VoIP/IMS applications, as well as uniform management across IMS and non-IMS applications, using standards-based interfaces such as DIAMETER.



• BitBand Technologies: Proof-of-concept offering delivers admission control functionality for Video-on-Demand Services via SOAP/XML signaling between the video servers and the Juniper policy platform.



• Ellacoya Networks: Joint solution delivers session and quota-based bandwidth management and service optimization at both the application and subscriber levels.



• Exent Technologies: Solution enables dynamic, application-driven high-speed game delivery and game play for broadband subscribers.



• Intelliden, Inc.: Joint Dynamic Network Automation (DNA) under development is intended to be an advanced policy management solution that can intelligently and dynamically coordinate applications and network resources to provide service assurance for IPTV and other resource-intensive applications.



• SeaChange International: Integrated functionality delivers admission control and resource allocation for Video-on-Demand services via SOAP/XML interface.



• Tropos: Proof-of-concept offering enables scalable subscriber and bandwidth management for secure, multi-service metro Wi-Fi networks.

http://www.juniper.net

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Juniper Delivers Session and Resource Control for SRC

Juniper Networks introduced a portfolio of Session and Resource Control (SRC) solutions that provide subscriber management and deep policy control capabilities for Juniper's widely deployed SDX-300 Service Deployment System, and the new C-series family of controllers which support end-to-end policy management on a dedicated, purpose-built platform.



Juniper said the new SRC solutions simplify network operations and deployment, while delivering the end-to-end performance, reliability and scalability required to support multiplay services such as IPTV, video on demand, VoIP and advanced mobile and FMC applications.



Juniper's Session and Resource Control portfolio gathers and compiles data from multiple sources -- the network, subscribers and applications -- and uses this information to automatically control and manage network resources in real time.



The Session and Resource Control portfolio overcomes the operational complexities of deploying advanced multimedia services, and is closely aligned with emerging next-generation network architectures and specifications proposed by industry organizations including ETSI/TISPAN, the ITU, 3GPP IMS and CableLabs. The portfolio also includes a webservice interface that forms the basis for future participation in an IPsphere service management framework.



Juniper's SRC family of software modules will include the SRC Policy Engine, which monitors and allocates network resources; the SRC Diameter Gateway, for end-to-end control of IMS applications over the network; and the SRC SOAP Gateway, for seamless integration with a wide variety of Juniper and third-party developed applications.

http://www.juniper.net

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NexTone Employs Cavium Processor for Enhanced SBC

NexTone is working with Cavium Networks to embed its OCTEON Multicore MIPS64 Processors in NexTone's latest version of its Session Border Controller (SBC). Leveraging a carrier-hardened, Linux-based software architecture and standardized hardware components, the NexTone SBC offers service providers a fast, flexible, and fully-upgradeable solution to secure their VoIP and IMS networks.



With Cavium Networks OCTEON Multicore MIPS64 processor, NexTone is able to double the line-rate for SBC media functions from existing performance of 2 Gbps to 4 Gbps. The Cavium Networks OCTEON Multicore MIPS64-based media engine includes significant troubleshooting and monitoring capabilities.

http://www.nextone.com

http://www.caviumnetworks.com

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Equinix Names Former HP Executive as CEO

Equinix has named Stephen M. Smith as its new CEO, replacing Peter Van Camp, Equinix's chairman and CEO since 2000, who is transitioning to the role of executive chairman and will remain actively involved with the company. Smith is a 19 year industry veteran and recently served as senior vice president of HP Services, the $15 billion professional services segment of HP. Before joining HP, Smith served as vice president of Global Professional and Managed Services at Lucent Technologies.

http://www.equinix.com

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Korea's Dreamline to Deploy Ciena's CN 4200

Dreamline, a Korean competitive carrier that owns and operates a nationwide DWDM network comprised of both mesh and ring topologies with 400 Gbps of capacity in most metropolitan areas, will deploy Ciena's CN 4200 in its backbone network to carry TDM and Ethernet traffic for customers. Dreamline also plans to employ Ciena's ON-Center Network and Service Management Suite to maximize network flexibility, enhance element manageability, and more efficiently utilize resources throughout the network. Ciena has partnered with Yukyung, a Korean systems integrator, to deploy these solutions in Dreamline's network. Financial terms were not disclosed.

http://www.ciena.com

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AT&T Introduces U-verse in Kansas City

AT&T announced the launch of its U-verse services to tens of thousands of homes in the Kansas City metropolitan statistical area (MSA), including parts of Kansas City, Leawood, Lenexa, Mission, Mission Hills, Olathe, Overland Park, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, and Shawnee. AT&T will continue to increase availability throughout the area on an ongoing basis.

http://www.att.com

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UWB Platform Approved as ISO/ IEC International Standard

The WiMedia UWB Common Radio Platform has been approved for release as an ISO/ IEC International Standard.



Specifically, the ECMA-368 standard, titled "High Rate Ultra-Wideband PHY and MAC Standard", was approved as ISO/IEC 26907, which specifies a distributed medium access control (MAC) sublayer and a physical layer (PHY) for wireless networks. The PHY and MAC specified in this Ecma standard are compatible to high data rate communications between a diverse set of mobile and fixed electronic devices.



In conjunction with this standard, the ECMA-369 standard, titled 'MAC-PHY Interface for ECMA-368', was approved as ISO/IEC 26908 and specified the MAC- PHY interface for a high rate, ultra-wideband wireless transceiver.



In early 2005, members of both the WiMedia Alliance and Ecma submitted the WiMedia UWB platform specifications to Ecma for standards development. Created by WiMedia members from leading PC, CE, mobile device and semiconductor companies, these specifications set the groundwork for enabling short range multimedia file transfers at data rates up to 480Mbps that operate in the UWB spectrum of 3.1 to 10.6 GHz. The Ecma standards were established in December 2005, after which Ecma submitted the standards to ISO/IEC JTC 1 for fast track approval.

http://www.ecma-international.orghttp://www.wimedia.org

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Tektronix Expands VoIP Monitoring Solution

Tektronix has expanded its assurance suite of VoIP monitoring solutions to include new active test probes and capabilities that enable service providers and cable companies to effectively deploy, monitor and maintain VoIP services to their enterprise customers.



The Active Assurance product enhancements represent a key new element of Tektronix' Unified Assurance performance monitoring portfolio to provide network core-to-premise visibility into VoIP, data and Fax-over-IP service delivery at the network, service and customer layers.

http://www.tektronix.com

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Microsoft Unveils "Response Point" VoIP for SMBs

Microsoft unveiled a small-business IP phone system, code-named "Response Point" that includes a voice-activated user interface. Now in beta testing, "Response Point" will be generally available later this year in three models: D-Link DVX-2000, Quanta Syspine and Uniden Evolo.



Microsoft said its "Response Point" phone system software will use voice commands and speech-enabled auto-attendant capabilities to deliver a vastly improved user experience for an SMB phone system. In addition to "Response Point," Microsoft delivers an extensible, software-based VoIP foundation through Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007. Microsoft will distribute the public beta versions of Communications Server 2007 and Communicator 2007 later this month. The Beta 2 release of "Response Point" is scheduled for early April.



http://www.microsoft.com

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Nokia Files Patent Case Against QUALCOMM in Europe

Nokia has filed complaints against QUALCOMM in Germany and the Netherlands requesting declarations that QUALCOMM's European patents are exhausted in respect of products placed on the European Union (EU) market with a QUALCOMM license, in this instance chipsets supplied by Texas Instruments. Texas Instruments and Qualcomm are publicly known to have entered into a so called Patent Portfolio License in 2000.



If Nokia's claim succeeds, Qualcomm would be prevented in Europe from enforcing its respective patents in relation to Nokia handsets incorporating such chipsets.
http://www.nokia.com

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Global Crossing Supplies GigE IP Transit for Brazil's GVT

Global Crossing announced a two-year contract to provide Brazilian carrier GVT with GigE IP Transit services. GVT provides telecommunications, high speed broadband, Internet, multimedia and solutions development services and has one of the fastest growth rates in the Brazilian market.



Global Crossing said that as a Tier 1 ISP with extensive private peering relationships, it provides direct links to many of the largest Internet content sites, at high-speed connectivity, ranging from T1/E1 to 10GigE. In addition to IP Transit, connection to Global Crossing's IP network is available through a variety of access options, including IP VPN, Ethernet, wavelengths, metro networks and carrier rings. Global Crossing was the first-and remains the only-global communications provider with IPv6 natively installed on all IP services access routers, and as a result, it is uniquely qualified to enable a transition to IPv6.
http://www.globalcrossing.com

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JDSU Introduces Two New Amplifier Pump Lasers

JDSU introduced two new high-performance products and disclosed industry leading reliability data related to its Erbium-doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) 980 nanometer (nm) pump laser portfolio.



First, JDSU announced the release of its new 3000 Series 980 nm pump that produces 660 milliWatts (mW) of optical power, allowing for improved amplifier designs that capitalize on increased power to reduce the component count and noise figure of EDFAs. The 3000 Series represents the highest power Telcordia-qualified 980 nm pump laser available in the market today.



In addition, JDSU launched the new 2945 Series 980 nm pump that provides a 20 percent reduction in power consumption compared to previous offerings. This new pump produces 400 mW of optical power, while operating at an elevated internal temperature of 45 degrees C. The 2945 Series is enabled by laser chip technology that no longer requires power-hungry refrigeration down to 25 degrees C for reliable operation.



JDSU also disclosed that its current 980 nm pump lasers have performed in the field at a reliability figure below 5 Failure in Time' (FIT), based on more than five billion estimated deployment hours. This figure, which equates to less than one failure every two hundred million accumulated field hours, is five times better than any previously disclosed 980 nm pump laser failure rate. http://www.jdsu.com

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Narad and Strix Systems Team on Wireless Mesh for MSOs

Narad Networks and Strix Systems completed interoperability testing of their complementary Carrier Ethernet solutions. The combined solution provides network operators with a new, high capacity, carrier class option for plant extension and wireless mesh (Wi-Fi) backhaul for metro areas.



The companies said Narad's switched Ethernet-over-coax solution combined with Strix Outdoor Wireless System (OWS-2400) supports performance exceeding an aggregate rate of 35 Mbps from end-to-end. This gives operators the ability to offer MEF E-Line and E-LAN services over wireless mesh with coaxial cable used as backhaul. http://www.naradnetworks.com/http://www.strixsystems.com

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XO Launches Broadband Wireless Services in Phoenix

Nextlink Wireless, an affiliate of XO Communications and the nation's largest holder of Local Mulitpoint Distribution System (LMDS) spectrum, launched business broadband wireless service in the Phoenix metropolitan area. XO can deliver high speed network services directly to businesses over wireless links at speeds ranging from 10 Mbps to 155 Mbps.



Services include high-speed dedicated Internet access, metro Ethernet, VoIP, wide area networks in campus or business park settings and network redundancy. From wireless hubs deployed in the Phoenix metropolitan area, XO can provide these services to qualified line-of-sight locations within a range of up to 12 miles.



Nextlink holds LMDS licenses in 75 metropolitan markets.

http://www.nextlink.com/

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ARRIS Opens R&D Center in Shenzhen, China

ARRIS opened an R&D Center in Shenzhen, China to focus on solutions for the Asia-Pacific region's cable operators. This is the fourth R&D Center operated by ARRIS, with substantial lab facilities also operating in Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; and Cork, Ireland. http://www.arrisi.com

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Average U.S. Household Receives 100+ TV Channels

The average U.S. household receives over 104 TV channels and yet watches only 16 of them, according to a new study from Nielsen. The percentage of homes receiving 100+ channels rose from 42% in 2005 to 47% in 2006, with 33% receiving between 60 and 99 channels, down 4% since 2005. Nielsen found that the average television household in the U.S. receives more than 17 broadcast TV channels, while 58% of all homes can receive 15 or more, and 36% receive 20 or more.



Nielsen also noted that there are an average of 111.4 million TV homes in the U.S., while the average U.S. TV home has 2.5 people and 2.8 television sets.

http://www.nielsenmedia.com/

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Verizon Business Debuts Carrier IP Termination Transport

Verizon Business introduced Carrier IP Termination Transport, the latest addition to its wholesale VoIP portfolio. Carrier IP Termination Transport carries VoIP calls between IP networks and the public telephone network.



Carrier IP Termination Transport allows long-distance voice calls to be terminated around the world when the call originates as non-IP but is converted to IP. By connecting to the Verizon Business global network via Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), carriers with IP-based networks need not convert the IP call to time division multiplexing (TDM) for final routing to the public telephone network. As a result, callers can make calls to locations inside and outside the United States, leveraging the Verizon Business' robust domestic and international network reach.



Carrier IP Termination Transport joins the Verizon Business Wholesale VoIP product suite, which includes Carrier IP Termination SIP and SIP Gateway Services.



SIP Gateway Services are available in three service configurations:

• Inbound Complete - Verizon Business can provide a new number or can port an existing telephone number, which enables the end-user to receive calls from anyone who dials that number.



• Two-Way Local - Provides the same functionality as Inbound Complete plus enables outbound local calling including emergency calling support and access to local directory assistance and operator services.



• Two-Way Complete - Takes advantage of Verizon Business' robust local and global network, allowing wholesale customers to offer competitive local and long-distance calling plans to their customers.

http://www.verizonbusiness.com

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