Alcatel-Lucent Adds 48-port VDSL2 Line Card to ISAM

Alcatel-Lucent introduced a 48-port VDSL2 line card as part of Release 3.3 of its ISAM product family, a density especially important in space-constrained cabinets. This is a universal DSL card, which is backwards compatible with ADSL.



Alcatel-Lucent's ISAM Release 3.3 products include the 7302 ISAM for central offices and its smaller form factor 7330 ISAM Fiber to the Node (FTTN) optimized for street cabinets. Through the same 48-port VDSL2 line card, services providers can support IPTV subscribers with VDSL2 plus existing ADSL users.



The Alcatel-Lucent ISAM Release 3.3 also contains a high-stability clock, allowing remote clock synchronization that is 10 times more stable than standard. This ensures stable long-term voice connections, fax over IP and provides cost-effective and accurate clock-synchronization solutions for mobile backhaul and business-leased lines.



Another innovation for multi-service support is the optimized design for FTTN deployments of the ISAM voice package, Alcatel-Lucent's IMS ready voice gateway. This design maximizes voice performance and quality by distributing the POTS/ISDN termination boards in remote access nodes and at the same time optimizes the operational cost by using a central VoIP Signaling & Control gateway in the central office. This enables cost-effective FTTx deployment of triple play services by combining voice, data and video services.

http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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Motorola Invests in GoTV Networks

Motorola Ventures has made an equity investment in GoTV Networks, a made-for-mobile television provider. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.



GoTV Networks is the first made-for-mobile television network and studio group, which applies an on-demand model to allow consumers to select and watch up-to-the-minute news, sports, entertainment and other compelling content.



GoTV programming is accessible on a broad range of wireless devices via monthly subscription through Cingular, the new AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, Helio and Boost Mobile.

http://www.motorola.com/http://www.4gotv.com

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QUALCOMM Plans Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) -- 40 Mbps Down, 10 Mbps Up

QUALCOMM outlined its roadmap to "Ultra Mobile Broadband" delivered using its next-generation Cell Site Modem (CSM) CSM8900 and Mobile Data Modem chips. QUALCOMM will support the latest 3GPP2 UMB standard, expected to be finalized within the first half of this year. QUALCOMM is positioning the technology as an evolutionary upgrade within the family of CDMA2000 standards that can be deployed in existing or new spectrum allocations using scalable bandwidths up to 20 MHz.



QUALCOMM said UMB technology incorporates the benefits of OFDMA, CDMA and other air interface techniques with MIMO and advanced antenna technologies to offer features such as support for broadband speeds, greater capacity and coverage, and an enhanced user experience for future mobile services.



The MDM8900 modem solution, which will provide support for up to 40 Mbps on the downlink and 10 Mbps on the uplink, will interface with the Mobile Station Modem (MSM) MSM7850 to offer a complete mobile device solution that takes advantage of new services enabled by UMB.



The CSM8900 cell site solution features a new single-sector architecture and leverages QUALCOMM's Snapdragon technology. It also supports 4x4 MIMO and serial input/output. Sampling of the MDM8900 is scheduled for the first quarter of 2008, and sampling of the CSM8900 is scheduled for the second quarter of 2008.

http://www.qualcomm.com

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Sonus Acquires Zynetix for GSM Softswitch

Sonus Networks will acquire privately-held Zynetix Ltd, which developed and IP-based voice switch for GSM networks. Under the deal, Sonus will pay approximately $13 million in cash and stock for Zynetix. The acquisition is expected to close by the second week of April 2007.



Zynetix's newly developed IP-based GSM solutions are based on 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) architecture. The software- based solutions leverage the ubiquity of GSM handsets to provide enhanced services to end users. Unlike traditional Soft-Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs), which use IP only in the core of the network, the Zynetix technology leverages existing pico- and femtocell base station technology to extend IP into the broadband access networks.



Sonus said it plans to integrate the Zynetix technology with its products to create leading solutions that address the end-to-end IP wireless access needs of GSM and 3G network operators worldwide.



Zynetix was founded in 2003 and began its first product shipments at the end of that year. Zynetix solutions are currently deployed in more than 30 customers worldwide, including mobile operators, government agencies and private enterprises. http://www.sonusnet.com

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Verizon Business Boosts Backbone to 40 Gbps on Key Route

Verizon Business is boosting the capacity of its ultra long haul (ULH) all-optical network from 10 Gbps line rate to 40 Gbps in the high-traffic corridor between New York and Washington, D.C. The fourfold increase in ULH capacity will start in Q2, with similar increases planned for additional key routes throughout the year.



"Transmission of 40 Gbps at 80 wavelengths provides quick response to customer demands for bandwidth. As a result, customers will see new standards of service delivery, performance and reliability," said Fred Briggs, executive vice president, network operations and technology for Verizon Business.



As the company begins its 40 Gbps commercial deployment, it already has 100 Gbps technology in its sights.



"While 40 Gbps is a key step in our network strategy, we plan to quickly progress to 100 Gbps trials in about 18 months," said Briggs. "We've been the driver in the industry for 40 Gbps, and now we'll be the driver for 100 Gbps."



Given the growing bandwidth demands Verizon Business continues to see from its customers, the business organization is aggressively pushing equipment vendors to move toward that next evolution in network architecture. "We need our vendors to help us implement 100 Gbps much sooner than we originally anticipated," Briggs said. "Once we implement 40 Gbps, 100 Gbps will be on our doorstep."http://www.verizonbusiness.com

• In early 2004, Verizon Business demonstrated the first 40 Gbps IP transmission in a trial.

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Verizon to Begin GPON Rollout

Verizon will begin deploying GPON access equipment from Alcatel-Lucent in its FTTP network, making it the first major telecommunications company in the US to deploy the technology. Verizon plans to roll out GPON first to a group of customers in Lewisville, Texas, early in the second quarter, and then to a group of customers in Kirklyn, Pa., over the summer. At the successful conclusion of the initial deployments, plans for wider expansion of the new technology will be announced.



In the meantime, Verizon will continue deploying the broadband passive optical network (BPON), which it has been using since it began construction of its all-fiber network in 2004.



BPON delivers downlink transmission speeds of 622 Mbps and 155 Mbps upstream. When the fiber reaches a neighborhood it is split up to feed multiple fibers, serving as many as 32 customers. With G-PON electronics, that same fiber from the switching office will have a downstream transmission speed of 2.4 Gbps and an upstream speed of 1.2 Gbps.



Verizon and Alcatel-Lucent also announced that they have reached a definitive agreement under which Alcatel-Lucent will supply the GPON equipment to Verizon. Verizon announced the selection of Alcatel-Lucent last summer, and both parties had been working on a definitive contract since then.



The new equipment includes new optical network terminals (ONTs) where Verizon's fiber terminates at customers' homes and optical loop terminals (OLTs) in Verizon's central switching offices. Specifically, Verizon will deploy the Alcatel-Lucent 7342 ISAM fiber-to-the-user (FTTU) platform.

http://www.verizon.com

http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

• In July 2006, Verizon selected Alcatel, Motorola and Tellabs as GPON suppliers for its FTTP network, subject to negotiating final agreements. Both Motorola and Tellabs are currently supplying BPON equipment for Verizon's rollout in 16 states.

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Tekelec and HP Partner on IMS-based Multimedia Services

Tekelec announced an agreement with HP to accelerate the deployment of multimedia services based on the IP multimedia subsystem (IMS).



The solution includes IMS core network infrastructure, service enablers, operational and business support system linkages and application service offerings that enable the delivery of subscriber-centric services spanning wireless, wireline and broadband networks.



IMS core network elements in the solution include the following:

• Call state control function (CSCF) and home subscriber server (HSS)


• Service enablers such as the media resource function (MRF), presence server, electronic numbering (ENUM), group list management and voice call continuity (VCC) platforms


• Multimedia applications such as enhanced voice services, instant messaging (IM) and multimedia content sharing (e.g., "see what I see")


• Integration with back-office and legacy systems.

The companies have completed interoperability testing between the Tekelec TekCore Session Manager -- a CSCF platform -- and the HP OpenCall home subscriber server (HSS). TekCore provides CSCF capabilities The HP OpenCall HSS is derived from the HP OpenCall Home Location Register, which provides mobility management for 35 service providers and more than 200 million subscribers. As a core building block in IMS networks, the HP OpenCall HSS acts as the master database for both 3G and IMS subscribers, providing service data, feature lists and subscriber information.



The companies said they have deployed the joint solution, including third-party IMS applications such as multi-instance gaming, in the HP Intel Solution Center in Richardson, Texas. In addition, Tekelec and HP are working with service providers to extend their IMS trials with the new elements of the joint IMS-based solution.

http://www.hp.com

http://www.tekelec.com

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Teknovus and Cavium Collaborate on EPON Home Gateway

Teknovus, which supplies Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (G-EPON) chipsets, and Cavium Networks, which offers dedicated processors intelligent networking and security applications, are collaborating on an integrated EPON home gateway.



The joint EPON home gateway reference design provides carrier-class media and management features and performance by combining Cavium Networks' OCTEON MIPS64 processor with Teknovus' EPON ONU chip. The OCTEON processor with integrated intelligent hardware acceleration is designed to meet the parameters of the broadband home, demonstrating 1Gbps performance for NAT and Firewall with no active fan. Cavium Networks' OCTEON processors are being deployed in home gateways with leading service providers using EPON in Asia. Teknovus' EPON ONUs support IPTV and other advanced video services with guaranteed QoS (Quality of Service).

A cost optimized, ready-to-build joint reference design with one EPON WAN connection, four 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, two analog telephone ports and one Mini-PCI slot for an 802.11n radio will be available in Q2 2007.
http://www.caviumnetworks.com

http://www.teknovus.com

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TeliaSonera Deploys Motorola UMA-Enabled Voice Gateway

Motorola announced the commercial launch of its Residential Seamless Mobility Gateway -- the Motorola RSGu3502 -- supporting Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology. TeliaSonera will deploy the UMA-enabled gateway for fixed-mobile voice convergence services.



UMA-based service will enable lower-cost calls with better coverage and higher capacity in the home where WLAN access is present. FMC also promises a seamless mobile experience when moving in and out of the home using a single device, single number, contacts book, voicemail, and bill.



The UMA deployment builds upon TeliaSonera and Motorola's joint announcement announcing deployment of Motorola's standards-compliant network infrastructure, system integration, and deployment services.



The Motorola RSGu3502 is equipped with two RJ-11 analog phone ports, which enable mobile operators to deliver dial tone to the fixed line in the subscriber's home over the broadband access network. The RSG Series also comes equipped with a full-featured, 4-port router and integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. It offers advanced packet routing and prioritization for VoIP. It also uses 802.11i for security including support for WPA2 and it uses 802.11e for Quality of Service and advanced power saving technology for improved battery utilization.

http://www.motorola.com

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NTT Unveils Dual-Mode Optical Fiber

NTT Photonics Laboratories introduced a Dual-Mode Fiber (DMF) that functions as both multi-mode and single-mode optical fiber. Up until now, businesses have had to choose between single-mode or multi-mode optical fiber for their data transmission and data center needs. NTT said its Dual-Mode Fiber eliminates the need for expensive system upgrades by functioning as both multi-mode fiber and single-mode fiber. At the outset, when businesses transmission demands are low, Dual-Mode Fiber can be installed and used as multi-mode fiber at a lower cost than a single-mode fiber system. When demand increases, Dual-Mode Fiber seamlessly transitions to functioning as single-mode fiber, without a complicated and time-consuming fiber-reinstallation upgrade.




The Dual-Mode solution can also be used where multi-mode fiber has already been installed. The coexistence of both multi-mode and single-mode optical fiber leads to increasing fiber management and ownership costs as the system grows. Each fiber must be utilized for specific functions and as the system grows and becomes more complicated, additional resources are required to manage the connections properly and avoid misuse. Dual-Mode Fiber is compatible with and easily interconnected with both multi-mode and single-mode fiber, with low optical connection loss to either type, reducing management and ownership costs and eliminating misuse.



NTT's Dual-Mode Fiber features a low splicing and return loss connection with conventional single-mode fiber (Typical connection loss: 0.01 dB @ 1.31 mm and 0.05 dB @ 1.55 mm, return loss: >50dB) and multi-mode fiber (Typical connection loss: 0.02 dB @ 850 nm, return loss: >28dB). The product also features a low bending loss of 5 mm radium (one turn) for single- and multi-mode transmission simultaneously. Dual-Mode Fiber has a cylindrically symmetric structure which provides relatively flat transparent characteristics for wavelength region between 1250 nm and 1650 nm (10 turns of 10 mm radium).

http://www.ntt.co.jp

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Cisco Adds 3G Wireless to Its Integrated Services Routers

Cisco has added a 3G wireless connectivity option to its integrated services router, enabling service providers to offer 3G wireless connectivity to enterprise branch office customers demanding the highest-availability for their WANs. Four leading mobile network operators -- AT&T, Sprint, Telefónica Móviles España and Verizon Wireless -- have trialed Cisco's new 3G Wireless WAN High-Speed Interface Card (HWIC) solution for their enterprise customers. Separate cards are available for GSM and CDMA.



Cisco also announced new capabilities that enable the delivery of business applications over wired or wireless infrastructures, or when transitioning between the two. The new Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Module (WLCM) scales the number of access points supported on the router and can centrally manage eight or 12 access points. It enables secure WLAN coverage, service consistency and mobility over a larger office space, as well as enhanced security, voice, guest access, and location services. Supporting a larger number of access points also increases operational efficiency and simplifies IT management in remote sites. Voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) is enabled by the integrated WLCM, which enables voice security and continuity across the entire business space. Latency issues that are typical to VoWLAN deployments are reduced by the supported survivable local authentication access protocol (LEAP) on the WLCM.



The Cisco 3G Wireless WAN HWIC solution is scheduled to be available starting in summer 2007 and has a U.S. list price of $850. The new Cisco Wireless LAN Controller that scales to eight or 12 access points is scheduled to be available starting May 2007 and has U.S. list prices of $4,750 for eight access points and $6,500 for 12 access points. The Nokia Intellisync VoWLAN client for the Nokia E-series phones is scheduled to be available from Cisco beginning in May 2007 and will have a list price of $200.

http://www.cisco.com

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Corrigent Releases New Packet Transport Switch

Corrigent Systems introduced its CM-4000 Packet Transport Switch (PTS) series designed for scalable end-to-end delivery of packet and TDM services over a single, converged transport infrastructure. The new platform is a universal transport solution for delivering any traffic mix, from 100% circuit-based TDM to 100% Ethernet services with high cost efficiency.



Corrigent is offering two versions of switch (the CM-4314 and CM-4206) with full, non-blocking switching capacity of 320Gbps and 160Gbps respectively, scalable to 640Gbps and 320Gbps. The switch is designed for in-service scalability using advanced bonding technologies, which allow network operators to scale network links to up to 100 Gbps per link.



Corrigent said its CM-4000 PTS facilitates the migration towards all-IP by providing network operators with a viable path to convergence through the introduction of SONET/SDH-to-Ethernet interworking, and high-port-density Ethernet interfaces.



While still providing full support for circuit-based TDM services and applications, the CM-4000 enables standards-compliant E-Line, E-LAN and E-TREE Ethernet services. This facilitates the delivery of IP services such as residential Triple Play, business Ethernet and the backhaul of 3G and 3.5G wireless and WiMax services over a single, converged packet transport infrastructure.



The CM-4000 PTS also offers a unique application and service-aware traffic management scheme, which guarantees end-to-end performance during congestion, and enables dynamic bandwidth reclamation and optimal bandwidth utilization at all times.



Key features of the CM-4000 include:

• In-service scalability of network-side links of up to 100Gbps through advanced link bonding technologies



• Universal packet transport of any combination of TDM and packet traffic, from 100% TDM to 100% Ethernet



• Fully non-blocking switching capacity of 320Gbps scalable to 640Gbps



• Support for the complete range of PDH, SONET/SDH, Fibre Channel and Ethernet interfaces



• Advanced TDM-to-Ethernet interworking functions on high-density, multi-service SONET/SDH and PDH interfaces



• Application and service-aware traffic management to overcome net neutrality, allowing carriers to benefit from higher margins on preferred services



• Multi-rate and Multi-protocol configurable interfaces for quick and flexible service activation



• Colored optics and OTN interfaces, for cost-effective integration with the photonic network



• Transport-class availability with guaranteed sub-50ms service recovery over any topology



• Hierarchical, fully-correlated, multi-layer OAM, providing transport-class performance monitoring, diagnostics and troubleshooting
  
  functionality

http://www.corrigent.com

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FCC Amends Pricing Obligations in AT&T/BellSouth Merger

The FCC decided to revise one of the conditions imposed on the merger between AT&T and BellSouth. Specifically, the FCC will require AT&T post-merger to comply with the pricing obligations of certain Special Access Conditions regardless of the pricing decisions of other incumbent local exchange carriers (LECs). Second, the FCC will reduce the duration of this Special Access Condition from 48 months to 39 months.

http://www.fcc.gov

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