Cavium Networks and Wind River Expand Networking Partnership

Cavium Networks and Wind River Systems are expanding their technology partnership. Wind River's VxWorks 6.6 SMP product will include out-of-the-box, optimized support for Cavium Networks' OCTEON processors in its initial worldwide release. The joint solution is targeted at SOHO, SME and enterprise networking, wireless infrastructure and service provider OEM equipment.

http://www.caviumnetworks.com

http://www.windriver.com

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ECI Announces Reorganization

ECI Telecom announced a reorganization focused on three key areas -- the creation of a Network Solutions Division, a Global Services Division, and expansion of the Global Sales and Marketing organization.



ECI said the changes will enable it to rapidly meet the needs of the market by accelerating growth in its transport and access businesses, expanding its service offering, while improving operational efficiencies.



The new Network Solutions Division (NSD) is the result of consolidating ECI's two business units -- the Broadband Access and the Transport Networking Divisions -- into one single unit. Eyal Shaked, currently Executive Vice President & General Manager of the Transport Networking Division, will lead the new division.



In addition, ECI is announcing the creation of the Global Services Division (GDS), which will centralize and expand the company's service portfolio, from delivery and installation to value-added advanced service offerings, such as managed services, turn-key projects and consulting services. This Division will continue to partner with carriers as they introduce new services and migrate to next-generation environments.



As part of this reorganization plan, ECI will reduce its total workforce by approximately six percent.

http://www.ecitele.com

• In September 2007, ECI Telecom was acquired by affiliates of the Swarth Group and certain funds that have appointed Ashmore Investment Management Limited as their investment manager, for a total value of approximately $1.24 billion.

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BigBand Posts Revenue of $38 Million, Restructuring Eliminates CMTS

BigBand Networks posted Q3 revenue of $38.5 million, a decrease of 10% from the third quarter of 2006. GAAP net loss for the third quarter of 2007 was $12.2 million, or $(0.21) per diluted share compared to GAAP net income of $1.6 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2006. GAAP gross margins for the third quarter of 2007 were 36% compared to 52% in the third quarter of 2006.



In addition, BigBand announced a restructuring plan designed to realign resources and significantly increase its efforts on video networking. As part of this plan, BigBand will reduce its workforce by 15% and retire its Cuda CMTS platform.



"Since our revised guidance announcement, we have re-evaluated our business, reviewed our market opportunities and conferred with our customers," commented Amir Bassan-Eskenazi, president and CEO of BigBand Networks. "We have decided to focus on our unique core competency -- video -- and no longer commit resources to the Cuda CMTS platform. In addition, we will reduce our workforce across the company to more closely align spending with near-term revenue opportunities. While our current operating challenges will take some time to work through, we expect to emerge from the next few quarters as a stronger, more focused company."http://www.bigbandnet.com

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SipStorm Chooses Level 3 to Enable FMC

SipStorm has selected Level 3's voice services to enable nationwide wholesale mobile phone service and fixed mobile convergence (FMC) services. SipStorm's converged communication service supports wireless and voice service providers who are implementing FMC services to both residential and business customers.



SipStorm includes the ability to send and receive local, long distance and international calls. By utilizing a single Level 3 VoIP phone number, a subscriber can send or receive phone calls to and from any mobile device, VoIP terminal adapters, or soft phones. The service can be used as a standalone pre- or post-paid mobile phone service -- or in conjunction with residential voice, data, and video -- enabling service providers to deliver triple or quadruple play services to their residential and small- to medium-sized business customers.



Level 3's local voice footprint allows SipStorm to offer its customers a broad and deep nationwide footprint by making local phone numbers available in areas where they previously could not offer service. In addition, Level 3's Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) hand-off capabilities enable their customers with flexible call control -- allowing SipStorm's customers to self-manage enhanced services such as voicemail and interactive voice response (IVR) services.

http://www.level3.com

http://www.sipstorm.com/

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Ditech Debuts Dynamic Transcoding

Ditech Networks announced a Dynamic Transcoding capability for its Packet Voice Processor (PVP) that supports a wide range of compressed and uncompressed codecs. The transcoding enables Service Providers to directly connect diverse codecs without compromising scalability, network performance or call quality. It can also reduce the required equipment session capacity for supporting VoIP service by up to 50 percent.



Specifically, Ditech's Dynamic Transcoding provides the ability to connect directly between 10 different industry standard codecs, resulting in thousands of potential combinations for interconnecting calls that traverse IP networks. In addition to voice codecs, the PVP also supports Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) and fax conversion for highly reliable IP transport.







Ditech said its Dynamic Transcoding can be combined with its Experience Intelligence (EXi) and Voice Quality Assurance (VQA) solutions. EXi non-intrusively monitors and measures voice quality during each call, and delivers an industry-standard voice quality score that reflects the subscriber call experience. VQA mitigates network- induced voice quality impairments and impairments from the caller's environment in real-time, on both ends of the call. The PVP platform simultaneously supports Dynamic Transcoding, VQA and EXi applications with a capacity of 16,128 concurrent calls per platform.

http://www.ditechnetworks.com

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Packeteer Resolves IRS Tax Dispute, Not Subject to $122 million

Packeteer resolved its previously reported dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Under the deal, the company's pre-existing federal net operating loss carryforwards ("NOLs") will offset essentially all increases in income with the following net impact: the company will not be subject to the $122 million and $49 million of regular tax liabilities and penalties, or related interest, previously asserted by the IRS with respect to 2003 and 2004; and the company expects that the total federal and state regular and alternative minimum income tax and interest payments required to be made by the company as a consequence of the agreement (including adjustments impacting 2005, which were not included in the original assessment), to be less than $500,000.

http://www.packeteer.com/

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AT&T Expands its Wholesale VoIP Connect Service

AT&T is expanding its wholesale Voice Over IP Connect Service (AVOICS), which provides U.S. service providers with IP-based connectivity to AT&T's global IP network for long distance call termination.



AVOICS provides unbranded and unbundled transport over the AT&T network, as well as termination of international and U.S. domestic traffic. Customers connect to the service via AT&T's Managed Internet Service (MIS)/Multiprotocol Label Switching-Private Network Transport (MPLS-PNT) service, which provides class-of-service voice quality, key security elements and advanced network reliability. AVOICS accepts U.S.-originated domestic outbound (1+) calls and international outbound (011+) calls by using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling.



AT&T said it has now expanded the scale and scope of its wholesale VoIP services, and is now offering AVOICS to customers that want the service with T1, T3 and OCX connectivity as well as meeting a market demand for a customer managed model.



The expansion of AVOICS specifically includes:

• Increased capacity in the VoIP network infrastructure to meet customer traffic demand



• Increased connectivity from T1 to T3 ... all the way to OC48



• Moving from an AT&T Managed Router Model to a Customer Managed Router Model to monitor the circuit



• Native and non-native IP traffic on the same circuit with unique IP signaling addresses

AT&T said it will continue to provide its Global Hubbing IP Access (GHIA) for operators that carry substantial volumes of international traffic. With GHIA, customers send their VoIP traffic to the AT&T network for VoIP termination. If no VoIP termination is available, a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) conversion is made to cost-effectively deliver calls over AT&T's network. AT&T also offers AT&T IP Toll-Free service to wholesale customers for use in their own large call centers, supporting their evolution to the contact center of the future.

http://www.att.com

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Verizon FiOS TV Enhances its Program Guide

Verizon introduced its new FiOS TV interactive media guide, which pulls together content from a variety of sources -- broadcast TV, Verizon's more than 12,000- title video-on-demand library and the subscriber's own DVR recordings -- into one media management system. Customers who have FiOS TV's Media Manager can also search, organize and enjoy their digital photos and music with the remote control. Verizon said that over the next year, subscribers will be able to manage additional content like games, podcasts and Internet video through the same guide. The company will also enable FiOS customers to use cell phones and the Internet to manage their home entertainment -- including scheduling recordings on their Home Media DVR.




http://www.verizon.com

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High Definition TV Reaches 14% Penetration in U.S. Households

Almost 14% of TV households in the U.S. are equipped with an HD television and HD tuner capable of receiving signals in HD (HD Capable), while 11.3% are equipped with an HD television and HD tuner and receive at least one HD network or station (HD Receivable), according to new research released by The Nielsen Company.



Los Angeles has the highest penetration of HD Capable homes (20.4%) and New York has the highest penetration of HD Receivable homes (17.5%). http://www.nielsenmedia.com/

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CounterPath Licenses Unified Communications Solution to Verizon Business

CounterPath, which develops softphone and SIP applications, has licensed its software to Verizon Business to enable voice, messaging and presence management in its Integrated Communications Package. Financial terms were not disclosed.



Verizon Business' Integrated Communications Package - currently available to U.S.-based Hosted IP Centrex customers - is a unified communications service which enables employees to control incoming and outgoing calls, access voicemail, manage their online presence, send text messages, and synchronize contacts and calendars.



Specifically, Verizon Business will use the CounterPath C++ SDK (Software Development Kit) to help power the soft phone components of the Integrated Communications Package. The CounterPath SDK runs beneath the surface of the Integrated Communications Package desktop client allowing Verizon Business customers to direct their incoming calls to a traditional phone, computer, mobile phone, PDA or voicemail. http://www.counterpath.com

http://www.verizon.com

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Alcatel-Lucent and IBM Expand Unified Communications Solution

Alcatel-Lucent introduced an integrated audio conferencing solution for IBM Lotus Sametime customers. The "OmniTouch My Teamwork for IBM Lotus Sametime" provides click-to-conference capability from Lotus Sametime and IBM Lotus Notes and audio conference scheduling and management from Lotus Sametime Web conferencing. Additional features include PSTN quality dial-in "meet-me" conferencing, audio conference scheduling, conference call control, active talker indication, and call recording. All features are embedded within the Lotus Sametime unified communications and collaboration client.
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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U.S. Internet Tax Ban Extended Through 2014

The U.S. Congress has approved legislation that would bar states and local municipalities from imposing Internet specific taxes through 2014. The bill now heads to the President for signature. The current ban was set to expire on November 1st.

http://www.house.gov

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