Big River Telephone Deploys MetaSwitch for Wholesale Cable VoIP

Big River Telephone, a competitive carrier serving the Southeast Missouri region, is offering a wholesale VoIP service for cable operators based on MetaSwitch's softswitch platform. Using Big River's MetaSwitch-powered wholesale VoIP service, regional cable systems operators can offer feature-rich services to business subscribers, while adding new revenue streams from their residential subscribers.



Seven cable providers have already adopted the combined Big River/MetaSwitch VoIP solution, including Eagle Communications, NewWave Communications and Vista III Media. Big River anticipates signing up additional cable partners throughout the U.S. based on the success of these initial deployments.

http://www.metaswitch.com

http://www.bigrivertelephone.com

Read More

TeliaSonera selects Nokia Siemens Networks' IMS platform

Nokia Siemens Networks was selected by TeliaSonera to deploy its IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) solution as the basis for new IP-based services, such as VoIP, video calling and instant messaging. TeliaSonera carried out thorough testing of platforms from several major IMS vendors before making its decision, as well as conducted interoperability trials on IMS and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) with GSM Association and other leading operators and equipment makers. Financial terms were not disclosed.

http://www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com/

Read More

Swisscom to Activate 16 Mbps VDSL2 Connections

Starting in July, Swisscom Fixnet Wholesale will offer transmission speeds of up to 16 Mbps downstream using its VDSL network. By the end of 2007, Swisscom anticipates the service will be available to 50% of Swiss households access to ultra-high-speed data connections.



Swisscom is introducing this service as a supplement to its nationwide ADSL network.



Swisscom said it is moving quickly to deploy optical fiber to the neighborhood, where a distribution cabinet forwards data to households over copper cables. In addition to the optical fiber expansion, Swisscom is also installing some 5,800 distribution cabinets. Up to the end of 2008 Swisscom is aiming to invest CHF 600 - 700 million in expanding the VDSL network.



At the end of 2006, the number of broadband (DSL and cable) Internet connections in Switzerland was 2.14 million, equivalent to almost 70% of all Swiss households.
http://www.swisscom.com

Read More

Motorola Enables DOCSIS 3.0 Channel Bonding for 145 Mbps Downlinks

Motorola is integrating support for DOCSIS 3.0 channel bonding into its Motorola Broadband Services Router (BSR) 64000 cable modem termination system (CMTS) as part of its 4.4 software release. The software upgrade enables cable operators to deliver more than 145 Mbps to a single DOCSIS cable modem and more than 200 Mbps to a single EuroDOCSIS cable modem without the need for additional hardware.



Motorola said the new 4.4 software offers all existing BSR 64000 customers with 2:8 CMTS Modules the ability to leverage standards-based, downstream channel bonding with a software install. The BSR 64000 configured with existing 2:8 CMTS Modules is designed to allow cable operators to bond up to four physical channels into a single logical channel for delivering targeted bandwidth. Through Dynamic Load Balancing, the Motorola software solution also helps enable legacy cable modems to share the same bandwidth as bonded, DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems.



"Our goal has always been to give our customers a viable route toward the delivery of Ultra-Broadband services, and our intensive development work on the DOCSIS 3.0 standard was conducted specifically with that goal in mind," said Kevin Keefe, vice president marketing, Motorola Connected Home Solutions.

http://www.motorola.com

Read More

Italy's Fastweb Deploys Amdocs Cramer OSS Suite

Fastweb, Italy's second-largest fixed telecommunications services provider, has expanded its deployment with Amdocs. The new installation of products within Amdocs' Cramer OSS Suite includes the Discovery Engine and Sync Engine to manage data within its network. Amdocs' Cramer Discovery Engine enables Fastweb to recognize all elements in its network and to ensure the information and configuration of elements is accurately collected and encapsulated within its OSS. Amdocs' Cramer Sync Engine dynamically tracks resource utilization and realigns the OSS with the as-built network. Italian systems integrator One Ans/Italtel Group implemented the solution.

http://www.amdocs.com

Read More

Xelerated Raises US$23 Million for its Network Processors

Xelerated, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California and Stockholm, Sweden, raised $23 million in series C funding for its high-end network processors. Xelerated's network processors, based on a patented data-flow architecture, are aimed at enterprise backbone and metro Ethernet applications.



The new funding was led by the Sixth Swedish National Pension Fund (the Sixth AP Fund). Xelerated's existing investors Atlas Venture, Alta Partners, Accel Partners and Amadeus Capital Partners also participated in the financing round.
http://www.xelerated.com

Read More

Sun Positions JavaFX for Ubiquitous Media and Application Delivery

Sun Microsystems introduced its "JavaFX", a new family of products based on Java write-once-run-anywhere technology and designed to enable consistent user experiences from desktop to mobile device to set-top box to Blu-ray Disc. JavaFX consists of 2 elements:

• JavaFX Script -- a scripting language for content developers to create rich media and interactive content. Sun believes the JavaFX Script could radically simplify the process of creating and distributing interactive content that spans all Java technology enabled platforms, from handsets to set tops, laptops to automobile dashboards.
  
  
  
  Sun is currently releasing an alpha version of JavaFX Script and plans to make the technology available under an open source license.



• JavaFX Mobile -- Sun's software system for mobile devices. It is available via OEM license to carriers, handset manufacturers and others seeking a branded relationship with consumers.

"Consumer demand for content on any and every device is putting content convergence on a fast track. The expanding universe of Java-based devices creates a unique opportunity to make the three-screen vision of unified content across computer, TV and mobile device a reality," said Bob Brewin, CTO, Software, Sun Microsystems.



http://www.sun.com

Read More

Crossbeam Secures $21 Million for its UTM Platform

Crossbeam Systems, a start-up based in Boxborough, Massachusetts, secured $21 million in new funding for its network security solutions.



Crossbeam's UTM platform consolidates a variety of security applications such as firewall, spam filter, anti-virus, web security and intrusion prevention, used to recognize and repel attacks on the telecommunications network in a single device.



The funding round was led by Boston-based Tudor Investment Corporation and joined by Crossbeam's existing investors, including Charles River Ventures, Commonwealth Capital Venture Partners, Focus Ventures, Intel Capital, Matrix Partners, North Bridge Venture Partners and Tudor Ventures.
http://www.crossbeamsystems.com

• In January 2007, Siemens Networks agreed to sell Crossbeam Systems' Unified Threat Management (UTM) platforms under an OEM agreement for deployment in mobile and fixed carriers' networks.

Read More

Sun and Ericsson to Develop New Communications Application Server

Sun Microsystems and Ericsson will jointly develop an open source, Java technology-based communications application server as part of the GlassFish community and the SailFin open source project.



As part of the effort, Ericsson will contribute its standards-based Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Servlet 1.0 compatible application server, to the GlassFish community under the OSI-approved Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL) and dual licensed under the GNU General Public License version two (GPLv2).



Ericsson will take module ownership for the JSR 289 compatible SIP servlet container under Project SailFin a subproject of the GlassFish open source project.



Upon finalization of the JSR 289 specification by the Java Community Process (JCP) later this year, Sun intends to bring a Sun supported product to market. Ericsson will license the forthcoming Sun product, along with the standard Sun Java System Application Server, to embed in solutions built by Ericsson. Ericsson also plans to standardize development of applications and services on the Sun Java System Communications Application Server.



"The collaborative efforts of Sun and Ericsson represent a significant step in the convergence of enterprise IT and telecommunications development and the promise of Next Generation Networks (NGNs) based on IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS)," said Karen Tegan Padir, vice president, Enterprise Java Platforms at Sun. "Using the communications application server, developers and ISVs will be able to build VOIP, instant messaging and multimedia into their Java Platform Enterprise Edition applications that can then be delivered to any connected consumer device including mobile phones, PCs and set-top boxes."http://www.sun.com

http://www.ericsson.com

Read More

Comcast's PowerBoost Increase Upstream Capacity

Comcast is deploying the second phase of its "PowerBoost" technology, which will increase customers' upstream capacity to up to 2 Mbps when uploading content such as photos and videos, or e-mailing larger files. The feature is being introduced on a market-by-market basis with completion expected before year's end.



Comcast first introduced the PowerBoost technology in June 2006 for downstream speed boosts. PowerBoost enables customers to download with speeds of up to 12 Mbps or 16 Mbps, depending on their service plan, for no additional charge. PowerBoost technology for downstream speed is now fully deployed across Comcast's national footprint.

http://www.comcast.com

Read More

Ikanos Names Michael A. Ricci as President and CEO

Ikanos Communications named Michael A. Ricci as its new president and CEO, succeeding Daniel K. Atler, who has served as interim chief executive officer since October 2006 and was previously Ikanos' chief financial officer. Atler will continue as an officer of Ikanos and will be responsible for driving corporate development strategy.



Ricci previously served at JDS Uniphase as a senior vice president and general manager of the Optical Communications Group. Previously, Ricci served as a vice president and general manager at Intel's Communications Group. http://www.ikanos.com

Read More

Cisco Posts Revenue of $8.9 Billion, up 21% Y/Y

Cisco reported third quarter net sales of $8.9 billion, net income on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis of $1.9 billion or $0.30 per share, and non-GAAP net income of $2.1 billion or $0.34 per share. Net revenue was up 21.1%, net income up 33.9%, and earnings per share up 36.4% compared to a year earlier.



Some highlights for the quarter:

• Scientific-Atlanta contributed net sales of $752 million, up 30% compared with $407 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2006.



• Cash flows from operations were $2.4 billion , compared with $2.3 billion for the third quarter of fiscal 2006.



• Cash and cash equivalents and investments were $22.3 billion at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2007, compared with $17.8 billion at the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006, and compared with $20.7 billion at the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2007.



• Routing revenue was up 16% y/y.



• Switching revenue was up 15% y/y.



• Advanced technology revenue was up 24%.



• U.S. order volume was up in the mid-teens y/y.



• European orders were up in the low teens y/y.



• Asia-Pac orders were up 20%.



• Emerging market orders were up 40% y/y.



• Service Provider order were up 17% y/y.



• Total gross margin was 64.5%.



• Headcount was 56,790 at the end of the quarter, compared to 48,296.

"We are pleased with Cisco's continued year-over-year growth based on strong execution across the company," said John Chambers, chairman and CEO, Cisco. "Our success is based on the ability to foresee market transitions, which has enabled us to deliver the right products for today's market opportunities and prepares us to take advantage of new opportunities in the future.



"In our view, we are in the midst of a unique market transition, where all of the action is going to the network and our vision for the network as a platform for all forms of communications and IT has become a reality," Chambers continued. "While we are very pleased with our continued growth, our communications and collaboration technologies are enabling the second phase of the Internet, or Web 2.0, which is redefining how people, companies and countries collaborate in ways never before realized."http://www.cisco.com

Read More

Ditech Issues Preliminary Results, CEO to Step Down

Ditech Networks expects revenue for its fourth quarter fiscal 2007, ended April 30, 2007, to be approximately $19.2 million, and GAAP income per share is expected to be approximately $0.02.



"The revenue shortfall, from our projections at the beginning of the quarter, was due to extended negotiations with certain key prospects and customers, particularly in our international business," said Tim Montgomery, President and CEO of Ditech Networks. "We did however achieve a significant milestone this quarter with the shipment of orders to an additional major U.S. wireless carrier. This, along with a strong quarter from our largest customer, Verizon Wireless, produced a solidly profitable quarter."



Ditech Networks expects revenues in the first quarter of fiscal 2008 to be $21 - $23 million.



Separately, Tim Montgomery, Ditech's CEO, President and Chairman, announced his plans to retire after 10 years with the company. A search is underway for a replacement. Montgomery joined the company in 1997 as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, a role in which he spearheaded the expansion of Ditech's North American echo cancellation business. He was promoted to CEO and President in 1998, and is credited with leading one of the most successful IPO's in Silicon Valley in 1999 when Ditech Communications went public.

http://www.ditechnetworks.com

Read More

Video Interview: Yipes -- Keao Caindec on Why Managed Ethernet Services are Hot

Video Interview: Yipes -- Keao Caindec on Why Managed Ethernet Services are Hot



Key Questions Covered:



Why is Metro Ethernet hot?


What is the primary driver for Metro Ethernet?



The Menu of Ethernet Services



What types of Ethernet services are currently available?



The Yipes Network



The physical topology and key elements of the Yipes Network



Dark Fiber Trends


Is the availability of dark fiber a key factor for the business?



Key Technology Suppliers


Who are your key technology suppliers and what technical advantage do they provide?



Competition


How do you compete against ILECs?



Multicast Applications


How is multicasting used in an Ethernet service deployment?



MPLS vs. Ethernet


Why choose an Ethernet service over an MPLS-based VPN?



Network Architecture Issues


Is Yipes considering the use of PBT or T-MPLS as a network architecture?



A Need for 100G?


Does Yipes see a need to upgrade to 100 Gig Ethernet?



Coming Service Innovations


How will Ethernet continue to evolve at Yipes?



Yipes' Growth and Strategic Vision


How big is Yipes? Is an IPO coming soon? What is the company's long term vision?

Read More