Ciena Posts Revenue of $227 Million, up 38% YoY

For its fiscal first quarter ended January 31, 2008, Ciena reported revenue of $227.4 million, representing an increase of 38% over the same period a year ago when the company reported sales of $165.1 million. Ciena's net income (GAAP) for the fiscal first quarter 2008 was $28.8 million, or $0.28 per diluted share. This compares to a reported GAAP net income of $11.1 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, for the same period a year ago.


"While we are mindful of the macro economic environment, indications from our customers to date suggest no change in the fundamental drivers of Ciena's business: the demand for increasing network capacity and the transition to Ethernet/IP-based network infrastructures. Accordingly, we remain optimistic about our outlook for the year," said Gary Smith, Ciena's president and CEO. "Inclusive of revenue expected from our recently closed acquisition of World Wide Packets, we anticipate current demand trends will enable us to deliver annual revenue growth in a range, up to 27 percent in fiscal 2008."http://www.ciena.com

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Nortel Debuts Video Services Platform

Nortel introduced its Video Services Platform (VSP) 9500 -- a new platform which facilitates the rapid introduction of new services on a video or IPTV network using an open application model based on SOA and web service APIs. The new VSP leverages an open framework and the IBM WebSphere architecture to enable applications in a variety of middleware environments. The technology creates an abstraction layer between the applications and the network, enabling device independent delivery of numerous web services.


Initially, Nortel will provide a Communications Module that delivers onscreen calling notifications (incoming CallerID, SMS alerts, voicemail alerts, etc) for IPTV users. Nortel is also developing future modules for the platform to enable applications such as interactive advertising, on-line yellow pages with click-to-call functionality or social networking tie-ins to popular TV shows. Because of the open interfaces these types of new applications could be created by third party developers or by service providers themselves. The platform integrates with IMS and pre-IMS infrastructure.


Nortel said the VSP solution is already being embraced by a number of tier-one operators with trials being conducted around the globe. In the US, Grafton Technologies, a triple-play provider in Jersey County, Illinois, is deploying the new video solution over their existing voice and data network.http://www.nortel.com

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FCC 700 MHz Auction Tops $19.5 Billion

After 31 rounds, bids for various licenses in the 700 MHz band have reached $19,587,982,300. Bids for the package of licenses covering all 50 states stand at $4.838 billion. Updated bidding results are posted online.


http://www.fcc.gov

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WiNetworks Raises $19 Million for Mobile WiMAX Base Stations

WiNetworks, a start-up based in Herzliya, Israel, raised $19M in financing for its development and integration of WiMAX technologies. The company's product line includes an all-outdoor compact base station and a scalable, single piece mini base station. WiNetworks has already received orders for over $17M and has begun shipments of its compact base stations which will be used in the commercial deployment of mobile, fixed and nomadic WiMAX networks. All Win-Max products are based on the mobile WiMAX 802.16e Wave 2 (MIMO) profile.http://www.winetworks.com

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Mobile DTV Alliance Broadens Mandate

The Mobile DTV Alliance, whose sponsor members include Disney, Microsoft and Nokia, has extended its work on implementation guidelines to encompass the emerging Advanced Television System Committee standard for mobile broadcast -- ATSC-M/H -- and broadened the Mobile DTV Alliance charter to include industry collaboration activities with North American broadcasters.


In support of the new charter, the MDTVA today released a key deliverable, the North American Mobile TV Implementation Guidelines. Thus, the MDTVA establishes itself as a primary collaboration forum between companies of various industries interested in mobile TV deployments, implementations and global testing.


The newly released implementation guidelines are based on the global Mobile Broadcast Services Enabler (OMA BCAST 1.0) specification, specially developed to address convergent TV opportunities across a wide variety of access systems. Three key aspects of the guidelines include:

• an interoperable technical foundation that builds on the efforts of the Open Mobile Alliance;


• support for multiple broadcast systems under a consistent service layer;


• expanded content protection options with Microsoft PlayReady technology, which supports the application of a wide range of business models to many types of entertainment content.

http://www.mdtvalliance.org

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Comcast Opens Customer Support / Operations Campus in SF Bay Area

Comcast announced the creation of a new customer support and operations campus in Livermore, California. Comcast will initially add 200 jobs in Livermore, with the potential for additional positions, and will consolidate its regional office staff from four locations into one. The campus site is an existing lot of 26 acres that will house about 1,000 employees. Comcast will be the sole tenant in the three building campus (two single-story and one two-story building) that comprise 220,000 square feet. http://www.comcast.com

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President of Motorola's Mobile Devices Steps Down

Motorola announced the resignation of Stu Reed, president of its Mobile Devices business, effective immediately.http://www.motorola.com

• On January 31, Motorola confirmed that it is exploring strategic alternatives for its Mobile Devices business. Motorola said at that time that its alternatives may include the separation of Mobile Devices from its other businesses in order to permit each business to grow and better serve its customers.



• In January, Motorola reported Q4 2007 sales of $9.65 billion and net earnings of $0.04 per share, which include $0.05 per share from continuing operations and a net loss of $0.01 per share from discontinued operations. The company said its Mobile Devices business remains challenged, with sales declining 38 percent versus prior-year quarter, while its Home & Networks Mobility and Enterprise Mobility Solutions business continued to deliver strong results.

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TeliaSonera Deploys Edgeware's Flash-based Video Server

TeliaSonera has deployed Edgeware's Orbit 2x server system to deliver on-demand TV and video services to its IPTV subscriber base in Sweden. The architecture is based on Edgeware's Orbit 2x, which is a high density, high performance and ultra low power consumption video server appliance. Each Orbit 2x hosts up to 3 TB of flash memory content storage and is capable of reliably streaming 20 Gbps to more than 16,000 concurrent users from anywhere in the network.


Edgeware said the TeliaSonera installation consists of both central and edge servers, hierarchically distributed throughout the country, and managed by the "Origin" remote management system. Content is automatically distributed by Edgeware's "Convoy" asset propagation system. The installation automatically ingests video content from multiple providers and performs time shift of live TV channels at virtually zero latency. http://www.edgeware.tv

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Quebec Superior Court Approves Bell Canada Privatization

The Quebec Superior Court has approved BCE's plan of arrangement for the company's privatization transaction and dismissed all claims asserted by or on behalf of certain holders of Bell Canada debentures. The remaining conditions to the closing of the privatization transaction include the required approvals of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and Industry Canada.


BCE hopes to close the transaction during Q2 2008.


"We are very pleased with the Superior Court's decisions. On every point of contention, the Court ruled in favour of BCE," said Martine Turcotte, Chief Legal Officer of BCE and Bell Canada. "The Court's decisions affirm our long-standing position that the claims of these debenture holders are without merit and that BCE acted in accordance with its rights and obligations with respect to the debenture holders. We now look forward to closing the privatization transaction with the investor group led by Teachers' Private Capital, the private investment arm of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Providence Equity Partners, Madison Dearborn Partners, and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity," added Martine Turcotte.http://www.bce.ca

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