Infinera Achieves 2000 km Reach for 40G

Infinera introduced a new 40 Gbps Tributary Adapter Module (TAM) provides plug-and-go capability over any Infinera DTN network without complex optical planning. This enables carriers to deploy 40G services over most long-haul and metro fiber plants currently deployed in the field, according to the company.



Unlike other 40 Gbps solutions that employ complex modulation schemes or require expensive per-wavelength compensation to overcome optical impairments, Infinera's 40G TAM module maps a 40 Gbps service to four 10 Gbps wavelengths enabled by an Infinera 100 Gbps line card.



Infinera also highlighted a recent lab demonstration in which it successfully sent 40 Gbps services across 2,000 kilometers of fiber, exceeding the reach of most 40 Gbps systems currently available.

http://www.infinera.com

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ILS to Launch 5th-Generation Satellite for Arabsat

Arabsat selected International Launch Services (ILS) to launch a fifth-generation satellite -- either Arabsat-5A or BADR-5 -- in the 2009-2010 timeframe on a Proton Breeze M vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. ILS partner Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center builds the Proton in Russia.



A consortium of EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space is building the satellites and is responsible for delivering the satellites in orbit. EADS Astrium will supply the Eurostar E3000 platforms and integrate the satellites. Thales Alenia Space will design and build the communications payloads.

http://www.arabsat.com

http://www.ilslaunch.com

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ECI Telecom Confirms Reports of Financial Discussions

ECI Telecom confirmed media reports that it is currently in discussions with a group of investors led by Swarth Investments, an investment vehicle controlled by Shaul Shani, regarding a potential acquisition of all the shares of the company by the group for a consideration of $10.00 per share in cash. The company said that there can be no assurance the deal will be consummated.

http://www.ecitele.com

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FCC Maintains Feb 2008 Sunset of Cellular Analog Service

The FCC denied a petition filed by the Alarm Industry Communications Committee and ADT Security Services seeking a two-year extension of the requirement that cellular licensees provide analog service to subscribers and roamers whose equipment conforms to the Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) standard.



The ruling upholds the analog cellular sunset date of February 18, 2008, after which cellular licenses may, but will no longer be required to, provide AMPS service. The sunset date was originally set in 2002.

http://www.fcc.gov

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FTTH Council Sees No Need for "Network Neutrality" Regulation

Weighing in on the "network neutrality" debate, the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council filed papers urging the FCC not to adopt a principle of non-discrimination in the transmission of content over the Internet. To do so, said the FTTH Council, would be to respond to a problem that doesn't presently exist with regulation that would inhibit investment in and harm further development of the Internet.



From its own study of the issue, the FTTH Council concludes that "there is no evidence that network platform providers are engaging in anticompetitive behavior, harming end-users or content and applications providers. Rather, there is a complex set of forces in the market for the delivery of information from content and applications providers to consumers that are balanced."



In its 76-page filing, the Council also said "that because congestion on the Internet is becoming a problem due to the proliferation of video and other high-bandwidth applications, some differentiation of content is necessary - and, in fact, healthy - to assure reasonable bandwidth management, network security, quality of service and the proper functioning of certain applications such as VoIP." At the same time, it noted that networks with increased bandwidth "are far less prone to congestion and thus have little need to prioritize transmissions. In essence, greater capacity makes the non-discrimination debate recede."http://www.ftthcouncil.org

• In March 2007, The Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Council is calling on the U.S. government to adopt a "100 Megabit Nation" policy aimed at ensuring that next-generation broadband connections are universally available by 2015. Specifically, the FTTH Council proposed that Congress and the President act by the end of 2007 to adopt a strategy and timetable for clearing the way for all Americans to gain access to communication services at transmission speeds in excess of 100 Mbps. The recommendation included the goal of extending, through both private and public sector initiatives, affordable next-generation broadband to a majority of Americans by 2010, with universal availability by 2015.

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InPhase Demos Holographic Storage for Video -- 300GB on 5" Disk

InPhase Technologies will demonstrate its Tapestry holographic recording system at an event this week in Studio City, California. Its holographic storage product, the InPhase Tapestry 300r, holds 300 GB in a write-once read-only (WORM) configuration. The drive stores the data on a single 5 ¼-inch disc, at a transfer rate of 20 megabytes per second (MB/s), or 160 megabits per second (Mb/s). InPhase is quoting a 50-year media archive life.
http://www.inphase-tech.com

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AT&T Trims DSL Price in Southeast

AT&T announced a new broadband offer for new residential broadband customers in the company's Southeast region -- a monthly price of $19.95 for FastAccess DSL Lite. This is a $5 difference from the previous $24.95 monthly charge. New customers will also receive faster downstream speed -- moving from up to 256 Kilobits per second (Kbps) to now up to 768 Kbps. AT&T will also offer $75 cash back to new broadband customers. The promotion runs through the end of the month.
http://www.att.com

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RadiSys Extends COM Express Leadership With New Module

RadiSys introduced a COM Express module designed for embedded telecom applications that require a standard processor module and Error Correcting Code (ECC) memory.



When incorporated with the RadiSys Promentum ATCA-2210, system designers gain a switch and control module suited for Radio Network Controller, Media Gateway, IMS and IPTV applications. The CE3100 utilizes a Core 2 Duo L7400 processor and offers flexible storage options with Serial ATA (SATA) and Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) configurations. The module also provides dual gigabit Ethernet capabilities to maximize IO bandwidth.



Procelerant CE products are based on COM Express, a standard that provides a bridge from legacy interfaces such as PCI and IDE to new serial differential signaling technologies such as PCI Express, Serial ATA, USB 2.0, LVDS, and Serial DVO.



Because they are modular and standards-based, RadiSys COM Express products help equipment manufacturers shorten their time to market and reduce development costs. By removing the processor, chipset and memory from the rest of the design, manufacturers can focus engineering resources on developing differentiating features and avoid the design churn that comes with implementing new processor generations.

http://www.radisys.com

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AT&T Selects Vendors for Greenfield GPON Deployments

AT&T has selected Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson to provide equipment for the planned deployment of GPON in "new build," or greenfield areas, as part of its overall U-verse network strategy. Financial terms of the awards were not disclosed.



AT&T is deploying fiber-to-the-home technology, including PON, in new-build residential areas throughout the local communications service territories and will deploy a fiber-to-the-node network infrastructure in existing neighborhoods.



The Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson GPON solutions consist of several passive optical network-based elements, including equipment for the central office and home terminals. Both suppliers will soon begin lab testing and certification by AT&T Labs before field testing, which will include configurations for general deployment in single-family residences, apartment and condominium complexes.
http://www.att.com/http://www.att.com

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Orange Signs Content Partnership with French National Olympics

The French National Olympics and Sports Committee has chosen Orange for a "New Media Partnership". The project will initially consist of programmes lasting around one to two hours a day, renewed daily. Orange will deliver multimedia of live or near-live events, magazines, short programmes, programmes on the preparation of French teams for the Peking Olympics, VoD (Video-on-Demand) content, interactive services and text and photo format information.

http://www.francetelecom.com

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VeriSign Enables First Text Message Based Police Tip Line in the U.S.

The Boston Police Department is launching what is believed to be the first text message based tip line in the U.s. VeriSign powers the Boston Crime Stoppers text messaging platform, provisioned the C-R-I-M-E short code, and manages the system's user interface. Citizens can text crime tips to the police at C-R-I-M-E (27463).

http://www.verisign.com

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Common IMS to be Centered in the 3GPP

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)announced an agreement on how to proceed with Common IMS meeting the needs of the fixed, mobile, cable and broadband wireless communities.



At the 3GPP Plenary meeting in Busan, Korea (29th May to 7th June) it was agreed to include Common IMS developments as part of 3GPP Release 8, which is expected to be functionally frozen by end 2007.



"ETSI TISPAN has taken the first steps in migrating fixed IMS requirements to 3GPP in a co-operation that will prevent fragmentation of IMS standards. A Common IMS, developed in one place, is a big step forward and will bring enormous economies of scale and reductions in capital and operational costs," commented Dr. Walter Weigel, ETSI Director-General.

http://www.etsi.org/http://www.3gpp.org/

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