Internet2 Sets New Land Speed Record -- 9 Gbps

An international team led by the University of Tokyo has set two consecutive new Internet2 Land Speed Records (I2-LSR) in the
IPv6 single and multi-stream categories. The team, which also included WIDE Project, NTT Communications, JGN2, SURFnet, CANARIE, Pacific Northwest Gigapop and other institutions, used a network path that spanned 30,000 km across 6 international networks. They trasmitted transferred data in the single and multi-stream categories at a rate of 7.67 Gbps, which is equal to 230,100 terabit-meters per second (Tb-m/s). This record setting attempt leveraged standard TCP to achieve the new mark.



In a follow-up test, the team used a modified version of TCP to achieve an even greater record. Using the same 30,000 km path, the network was able to achieve a throughput of 9.08 Gbps which is equal to 272,400 Tb-m/s for both the IPv6 multi and single stream categories.

http://data-reservoir.adm.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/lsr-200612-01/http://www.internet2.edu

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IP Unity Glenayre Names Oscar Rodriguez as CEO

IP Unity Glenayre named Oscar Rodriguez as its new CEO, succeeding Dr. Arun Sobti, who has served as Chairman and CEO at IP Unity Glenayre since 2000, and who will remain as Chairman of the Boardto his new role, Oscar Rodriguez was Chief Marketing Officer for Alcatel-Lucent's Enterprise Business Group. Oscar was also CEO and President of Riverstone Networks, a public communications company delivering carrier MPLS/VPLS/Ethernet Solutions, before its sale to Lucent Technologies. He served as Nortel Networks' President of both the Enterprise Solutions division and the Intelligent Internet division, delivering profitable high performance IP-based products to both carrier and enterprise customers.

http://www.ipunity-glenayre.com

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Ikanos Debuts Fastest Integrated VDSL2 Gateway Processor

Ikanos Communications unveiled a single chip, multi-mode VDSL2 gateway processor that provides 2.7 GHz of processing power, VoIP, multi-mode DSL and security capabilities for next generation residential gateways.



The new Fusiv Vx180 is designed to deliver wire-speed, Quality of Service (QoS)-enabled Quad-play services. It reduces space and power requirements by combining Ikanos' VDSL2 customer premises equipment (CPE) PHY and its widely deployed Fusiv network processor architecture onto a single chip. Ikanos' physical layer technology supports VDSL2, ADSL2+, ADSL2, ADSL and VDSL standards, and supports IPTV and triple-play optimized features such as Dynamic Rate Repartitioning (DRR) and Seamless Rate Adaptation (SRA), which are expected to be incorporated into future standards enhancements. The Vx180 also supports maximum interleaver and deinterleaver memory for high levels of Impulse Noise Protection, as well as on-chip Quality of Service (QoS) and wire speed performance, all of which is intended to enable optimum viewing experience.



Key capabilities of the Vx180 include:

• Supports all VDSL2 profiles - 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 12a, 12b, 17a and 30a, as well as VDSL, ADSL2+, ADSL2 and ADSL standards, and is optimized for 17.6 and 30 MHz spectrums;



• Supports all mandatory and optional features of VDSL2, as well as all band plans that are defined by Asian, European and North American standards groups;



• Provides 2.7 GHz of processing power in order to support CPU-intensive features, like 802.11n, and still have additional processing power for current and future applications;



• Achieves wire speed performance across all local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) interfaces using Ikanos' Accelerator Processor architecture;



• Offers a rich set of integrated peripherals and interfaces that easily integrate with home networking technologies, like 802.11n, MoCA and HomePNA;



• Enables IPSec and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPN implementation using on-chip cryptographic engines; and



• Delivers comprehensive support for VoIP with a deployment-proven integrated Digital Signal Processor (DSP).

Ikanos also provides a suite of Vx180 support software that includes operating system independent drivers for Ethernet, xDSL and integrated peripherals. The Linux-based software includes a networking stack, voice processing and network management functions, making it possible for system vendors to quickly develop residential gateways.



Sampling is underway.

http://www.ikanos.com

Reinventing
the IAD


The
boundary between service provider network and residential subscriber is
rapidly blurring. At the heart of this evolution is the vision of the
"digital home", which offers service providers an opportunity to
generate additional revenue through bundled services and associated
service level agreements.

Tellabs Posts Q1 Revenue of $452 Million, Down 12%

Tellabs reported Q1 revenue of $452 million, down 12% from $515 million in the first quarter of 2006. Tellabs earned $25 million or 6 cents per share in the first quarter of 2007 on a GAAP basis, down 51% from $52 million or 11 cents per share in the first quarter of 2006.

• Broadband - First-quarter revenue from the broadband segment totaled $219 million, down 16% from $260 million in the first quarter of 2006. Within the broadband segment, access revenue fell 26% to $121 million from $164 million in the first quarter of 2006. Managed access revenue fell 7% to $69 million from $74 million a year ago. Data revenue was $29 million, up 32% from $22 million a year ago.



• Transport - First-quarter revenue from the transport segment totaled $191 million, down 11% from $214 million in the first quarter of 2006.



• Services - First-quarter 2007 services revenue was $42 million, up 3% from $41 million in the first quarter of 2006.

Tellabs expects second- quarter revenue to increase about 10% to 15% from the first quarter of 2007, ranging from about $500 million to $520 million. As part of second-quarter revenue, Tellabs expects to meet the criteria that would enable it to recognize $60 million to $70 million of revenue related to the Tellabs 7100 ROADM product, at essentially a breakeven margin. Excluding revenue from the Tellabs 7100 ROADM product, Tellabs expects the balance of its second-quarter revenue to be flat to down slightly from first-quarter 2007 revenue.



"Despite industry uncertainties, we are encouraged that Tellabs' new technologies are taking root in service provider networks," said Krish A. Prabhu, Tellabs president and chief executive officer. "These technologies play a key role in evolving our customers' networks for video services."http://www.tellabs.com

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Polycom Unveils HD Continuous Presence Conferencing With Full Transcoding

Polycom will deliver high definition (HD) continuous presence conferencing with full transcoding on its recently released RMX 2000 real-time media conferencing platform. The feature, delivered with RMX 2000 Version 2.0 software, enables customers to combine video conferencing endpoints with different resolutions (HD, standard definition (SD) and common intermediate format resolution (CIF)) within the same call, showing multiple sites simultaneously (continuous presence) and providing optimal resolution and call quality for each participant based on the capabilities of their video system.
http://www.polycom.com

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TI Licenses Super Wideband Codec from Fraunhofer for HD Voice

Texas Instruments is licensing the Low Delay AAC super wideband codec from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS to enable high-definition (HD) VoIP.



Powered by TI's high-performance digital signal processors (DSPs), the MPEG-4 AAC-LD super-wideband codec offers substantial benefits compared to earlier wideband audio technology, and has the performance capabilities to make ubiquitous HD voice a reality in global IP networks.



The super-wideband codec technology is able to transmit voice at a sample rate of up to 48 KHz, providing near-CD quality audio at data-rates of 48 - 64 kbps for better clarity with applications like IP-based voice and video, as well as transmission of music over the telephone.



TI predicts that just as HD television is revolutionizing the way we watch TV and HD radio enhances the daily commutes for millions of people each day, HD voice will deliver a uniquely crisp and clear communications experience. It will also be a critical enabling technology for a host of exciting applications in the future, such as improved speech recognition, real-time language translation, and appliance voice control.



With this new super-wideband technology, TI's VoIP solutions can deliver CD-quality sound on both ends of a VoIP-enabled phone call, while supporting a full range of voice and music capabilities, including fidelity comparable to MP3 audio. http://www.ti.com/visionforvoice

HD Voice: Can VoIP Do Better Than "Carrier Grade"?

Constrained by the limitations of analog transducers and network bandwidth in its early days, the public switched telephone network (PSTN) transports only a small slice of what people can hear. Even though the range of the ear extends from 20 Hz to 20 KHz, a typical analog phone call only transmits sound in the 200 Hz to 3.3 KHz range. As IP phones become more and more prevalent in homes, SMBs and global enterprises, wideband HD voice communication will become more common. A digital channel from end-to-end is needed for a wideband call, but this does not preclude a wired-to-wireless HD call.

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Ambit Supplies pre-DOCSIS 3.0 Channel Bonding Modems to Hanaro

Ambit is supplying pre-DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems to Korea's Hanaro that can bond three downstream channels to enable a maximum 144Mbps downstream and up to 30Mbps upstream throughput. The modem also supports proprietary features such as Gigabit Ethernet and USB 2.0 interfaces, bonding channel recovery and QoS features enabling IPTV service. Also, the pre DOCSIS 3.0 modems promise future interoperability with full DOCSIS 3.0 CMTS and cable modems when they become available.



Ambit and Netwave, a Korean network integrator, said they plan to deliver 150,000 channel bonding cable modems to Hanaro during the second quarter.

http://www.ambitbroadband.com/http://www.net-wave.co.kr

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BT Restructuring Aimed at Transformation into Networked IT Services

BT announced a corporate restructuring designed to accelerate its transformation into a networked IT services company, delivering software driven products over broadband.



Under the new structure, Andy Green will change his title from being Chief Executive of BT Global Services to become CEO of Group Strategy and Operations. He will lead two new business units that will design and operate services across the world to meet the needs of BT Retail, BT Global Services, BT Wholesale, Openreach and the wider communications industry. "BT Design" will be responsible for the design and development of new services. "BT Operate" will be responsible for their deployment and operation. Approximately 20,000 BT employees will move into these new units from other parts of the business.





Francois Barrault becomes Chief Executive of BT Global Services and joins the BT Board. Francois moves from his current role of President of BT International.



Ben Verwaayen, BT chief executive, said "This is the second phase of BT's transformation. The first phase saw BT shift its focus from narrowband to broadband. This next stage is equally important. It will see BT advance from a 20th century hardware-based company to a 21st century software-based services company. In a software driven world, services will be available in real time and around the globe, harnessing the potential of BT's 21st Century Network. The changes we are announcing today will drive new standards of excellence and shift power and choice decisively to customers."http://www.btplc.com

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Alcatel-Lucent's Preliminary Results Indicate Soft Q1

Alcatel-Lucent issued preliminary results for Q1 2007, saying revenues for the quarter are estimated to be approximately EUR 3.9 billion, a year over year decline of around (8)% at a constant Euro/USD exchange rate or (12)% at current rate. Compared to a strong first quarter 2006, the lower volume is primarily attributable to wireless radio and core networks impacting the Wireless and Convergence businesses globally. The wireless decline is largely driven by lower volumes especially in 2G in some emerging markets.

Patricia Russo, CEO of Alcatel-Lucent said: "It has been four months since we completed the merger, and we are making good progress in terms of our integration. The technology choices have been finalized and the combined company's portfolio communicated to our customers. Concerning our cost saving plans, the net headcount reductions, before recently announced managed services contract wins, are approximately 1,900 during the quarter, 15% of the 3-year target of 12,500. Associated cost savings will be incorporated in our operating results going forward.



As previously stated, we anticipated that some of the factors which affected our business in the fourth quarter 2006 would continue in the early months of the year leading to some revenue decline. In particular, while parts of our businesses performed well, our first quarter results were impacted by lower volumes in traditional wireless and core networks at a time when considerable investments were made in the next generation of these technologies.



We continued to gain sales momentum during the quarter and increasingly recognized the benefits of our integration. At the end of the quarter, our book to bill stands at 1.3x, which leads us to remain confident in our ability to resume growth as the year progresses."http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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China Telecom selects Alcatel-Lucent's IP/MPLS in Shanghai

Shanghai Telecom, a subsidiary of China Telecom, has selected Alcatel-Lucent's IP/MPLS solution for its metro area network expansion and network optimization. Once deployed in mid-2007, Shanghai Telecom will be able to offer IP-based services with the Quality of Service required to meet service level agreements for Layer 2 Virtual Private LAN Service as well as Layer 3 IP VPN services, and next-generation network services in the future. The contract was won through Alcatel Shanghai Bell.

http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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Rebtel Changes its Mobile-VoIP Call Pricing

Rebtel, a start-up based in Stockholm, announced a new pricing program for its mobile-to-VoIP international calling service. By using VoIP to connect pre-assigned local numbers, Rebtel allows its customers to make international calls using their mobiles. There is no fee to sign up to use the service.



Available in more than 36 countries, Rebtel members are entitled to ten free international calls every month free of charge. Any additional calls will be charged at a low per minute free ranging on average from 2 - 20 cents a minute depending on the country being dialed.



For example, while a local carrier will charge between 9 cents and 26 cents per minute, a Rebtel call from the United States to Mexico would cost 2 cents per minute without the call back option; calls to the United Kingdom from the U.S. would cost 2 cents per minute to land lines and 23 cents per minute to mobiles.

http://www.rebtel.com

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Tektronix Enhances Spectra2 for IMS Testing

Tektronix released a new version of its Spectra2 test solution with enhancements for VoIP, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and converged networks. Spectra2 v5.2 is designed to provide a Single Box IMS Test and Generation solution. Enhancements include a SIP dynamic parameter management feature and the ability to monitor and generate ISDN and perform Multi-protocol Call Tracing and Failed Call Analysis. Release 5.2 also extends the Spectra2 voice testing features to video.
http://www.tektronix.com

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CastTV Targets Better Video Search

CastTV, a start-up based in San Francisco, secured $3.1 million in Series A financing for its work developing video search technology.



The company said its video search technology has been developed over the last few years to address the challenges particular to online video search, which are twofold:

• Online videos are increasingly hidden in the "media Web" -- behind Flash, JavaScript and media player plug-ins -- and therefore hidden from traditional search engines. CastTV has built unmatched proprietary technology that crawls, indexes and extracts metadata from these videos.



• Metadata associated with videos is often short, incomplete and disorganized. CastTV has developed novel search algorithms that overcome these limitations by incorporating behavioral and extended data.

CastTV also revealed today that it has signed a two-year deal with a major media corporation to provide online video crawling and indexing technology for the company's online video search offering. The funding and customer agreement validate CastTV's technology solution and will accelerate the company's growth and product development.



The funding was led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson. CastTV has named Warren Packard, managing director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, to its Board of Directors. Packard joins Internet pioneer Marc Andreessen, legendary angel investor Ron Conway and Stanford professor of computer science and director of graduate studies Rajeev Motwani, as Silicon Valley veterans behind CastTV. Andreessen was the co-founder of Netscape and co-author of Mosaic, the first widely-used web browser. Both Conway and Motwani played important roles in the development of Web search -- Conway as an early investor in Google and Motwani as Google's strategic advisor.

http://www.casttv.com

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Vonage Wins Permanent Stay in Verizon Patent Litigation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington D.C. issued a permanent stay of a previous court's injunction that would have barred Vonage from signing up new customers. Vonage sought the stay following an April 6th decision by the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va. enjoining the company from using certain VoIP technology to add new customers.



Vonage said it will continue to serve existing customers by paying into escrow a quarterly royalty of 5.5 percent throughout the appeals process and by posting a $66 million bond as required by the court. The company said it remains confident in the strength of its appeal.
http://www.vonage.com

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AT&T Adds 691,000 DSL Subscribers in Q1

AT&T reported Q1 net income was $2.8 billion, up from $1.4 billion in the first quarter of 2006, and reported earnings per diluted share were $0.45, versus $0.37 in the year-earlier quarter. Q1 consolidated revenues totaled $29.0 billion, versus a reported $15.8 billion in the year-earlier first quarter.



It was the first full quarter of operations following AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth, with 100% ownership and consolidation of Cingular.



Selected highlights:

• Broadband: In broadband, there were 691,000 net DSL adds, 90% of them consumer, giving AT&T an installed based of 12.9 million in service.



• 42% of DSL customers receive speeds of 3 Mbps or more.



• 33.7% of AT&T's consumer primary lines also have broadband service, compared to 26% a year ago. In California and Nevada, broadband penetration of primary consumer lines is now 42%.



• Primary consumer lines declined by 285,000 in the quarter, compared to 331,000 in the preceding quarter and 251,000 in the year-ago quarter.



• Added 187,000 video subscribers in Q1, giving a total of 1.7 million video subs for satellite TV and U-verse.



• U-Verse: At the end of the first quarter, AT&T had 13,000 U-verse video subscribers. The current number has grown to 20,000 up from 3,000 at the beginning of the year. U-verse installs per week ramped quickly in the first quarter, increasing from about 400 in January to about 2,000 currently. AT&T expects We expect that to ramp throughout the year, reaching 10,000 installs per week by the end of the year. Best of all, more than 80% of our U-verse subscribers are taking higher-end video packages and 65% are taking our highest-speed broadband service, both of which will drive revenues per customer.



• Wireless: AT&T's total wireless revenues grew 11.2 percent in the first quarter to $10.0 billion. Service revenues, which exclude revenues from sales of handsets and accessories, grew to $9.1 billion, up 13.5 percent versus the year-earlier quarter, reflecting solid subscriber gains and robust growth in data revenues.



• AT&T's wireless subscribers increased by 1.2 million in the first quarter to reach 62.2 million, up 6.4 million, or 11.5 percent, over the past year. More than 70 percent of first-quarter net adds were retail, and more than 80 percent of those were postpaid. AT&T's gross wireless subscriber additions totaled 4.3 million in the first quarter versus 4.7 million in the year-earlier period.



• Enterprise: Total revenues from enterprise customers declined 4.4 percent versus the year-earlier first quarter. Excluding CPE revenues and results from acquired and divested assets, recurring service enterprise revenues declined 3.4 percent in the first quarter, compared with declines of 3.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2006 and 5.0 percent in the first quarter of 2006.

http://www.att.com

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