SmarTone-Vodafone Selects Ericsson for HSPA/MBMS in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's SmarTone-Vodafone has named Ericsson as the sole supplier for HSPA network enhancements. Under the three-year agreement, Ericsson will be the sole supplier of a HSPA-enabled radio access network, including Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS), a functionality that enables mobile-TV services to be broadcast. The deal also includes a fully IP-based core network, including IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), Ericsson's Mobile Softswitch Solution, and Redback's SmartEdge routers. The network enhancements will allow SmarTone-Vodafone to cost-efficiently introduce more new services and to further increase broadband speeds to support more advanced video and mobile applications over time.


Ericsson will also be responsible for a range of professional services, such as, network design, systems integration, spare parts management service, support services, as well as network deployment and integration. Financial terms were not disclosed.


Ericsson is also the sole supplier of SmarTone-Vodafone's core and radio networks, including GPRS and WCDMA/HSPA.
http://www.ericsson.com

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Craig Wireless selects Alcatel-Lucent for WiMAX in Palm Springs

Craig Wireless has chosen Alcatel-Lucent to build a new 802.16e-2005 (Rev-e) WiMAX network in Palm Springs, California. Alcatel-Lucent will provide its end-to-end WiMAX Rev-e solution, including base stations, wireless access controllers and an operation and maintenance center (OMC). Alcatel-Lucent also will provide network design, planning, installation and optimization for end-to-end integration of the network, which will operate in the 2.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band.


Alcatel-Lucent said this is the first commercial deployment of its WiMAX technology in North America.http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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Comcast Launches 50/5 Mbps Internet Service Using DOCSIS 3.0

Comcast launched "wideband" Internet service at up to 50 Mbps downstream and 5 Mbps upstream in its first market -- the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. The service leverages DOCSIS 3.0 technology. Comcast said it expects to deliver even faster speeds of up to 100 Mbps to its customers over the next two years with the capability of delivering higher speeds of 160 Mbps or more in the future.


The new 50 Mbps / 5 Mbps speed tier will be offered at $149.95 per month.


The company is boosting its other speed tiers as well. Comcast will nearly triple the upload speed of its 6 Mbps / 384 Kbps Performance tier to 6 Mbps / 1 Mbps and more than double the upload speed of its 8 Mbps / 768 Kbps Performance Plus tier to 8 Mbps / 2 Mbps. In addition, with Comcast's "PowerBoost" technology, customers are able to enjoy even faster speeds of up to 12 Mbps downloads and 2 Mbps uploads on the Performance tier and 16 Mbps downloads on the Performance Plus tier for files like videos, games, music and digital photographs.


"This announcement marks the beginning of the evolution from broadband to wideband," said Mitch Bowling, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Comcast High-Speed Internet, Comcast Cable. "Wideband is the future and it's coming fast. We believe wideband will usher-in a new era of speed and Internet innovation for today's digital consumers."


http://www.comcast.com

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CWA and German Union to Represent T-Mobile Workers in US and Europe

The Communications Workers of America and ver.di, Germany's largest union, have established a union to unite and represent workers in the U.S. and Europe.


The new T-Union, which is a joint affiliate of both organizations, will support T-Mobile workers who want a union voice and collective bargaining rights in the United States and other countries, and German union members who work for T-Mobile in the U.S.


CWA President Larry Cohen said the new union is a "new step in global solidarity" and will be a major part of the struggle for workers' organizing and bargaining rights around the world. "This new union sends a message to T-Mobile management in the U.S. that workers at Deutsche Telekom and at other T-Mobile operations who have bargaining rights will fight hard to protect them and to support their U.S. counterparts who also want the right to collective bargaining."


Ver.di, representing more than 2.4 million workers, represents workers at Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile's parent company, and holds seats on DT's supervisory board. Ver.di already represents T-Mobile workers in Germany, and T-Mobile workers in the United Kingdom and nine other European countries already have collective bargaining rights.


CWA is the largest telecommunications union in the U.S., representing workers in information technology and communications, media and broadcasting, and other sectors.http://www.t-mobileunion.org/http://www.cwa-union.org/

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AT&T Offers GigE VoIP Interface for Wholesale Customers

AT&T announced the availability of a Gigabit Ethernet interface for its AT&T Voice Over IP Connect Service (AVOICS) and the AT&T BusinessDirect portal for AT&T Global Hubbing IP Access (GHIA) customers. The AVOICS Gigabit Ethernet connectivity interface enables customers to interconnect with the AT&T network more efficiently and at higher capacity.

AVOICS is the flagship wholesale VoIP offered to U.S. service providers that require IP-based connectivity to AT&T's global IP network for long distance call termination. Customers connect to AVOICS via AT&T's MPLS-Private Network Transport (MPLS-PNT) service. AT&T's advanced worldwide voice-networking infrastructure provides the foundation for a variety of unbranded and unbundled domestic long distance and international service offerings to wholesale customers for both resale and internal use.


The GHIA platform is designed to provide flexible solutions for both U.S. and global customers with high international call volumes. GHIA is a centrally managed service that allows service providers to easily establish and operate IP telephony services over AT&T's award-winning global network.


"By adding these options to our portfolio, we are demonstrating our agility and continued commitment to provide innovative voice and IP solutions to our wholesale customers," said Rise Frankel, executive director of Wholesale Marketing for AT&T Operations Inc. "Ethernet is quickly becoming the de facto access method that wholesale customers are looking for in terms of capability and flexibility because it can be used as the foundation for VoIP, IP access, intranet connectivity and MPLS core services. An Ethernet interface typically allows for seamless growth as customer bandwidth requirements increase."http://www.att.com/wholesale

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AT&T Wins Global Managed Service Deal with Shell

Royal Dutch Shell has selected AT&T to be its global provider of advanced communications services. The five year agreement, estimated to be worth $1.6 billion, calls for AT&T to provide, manage and maintain Shell's worldwide communications infrastructure while also managing the company's global mobility needs. Under the contract, AT&T will provide managed network services to Shell and its subsidiary companies in more than 100 countries. AT&T will deliver wide area and local area networks, voice services (including IP telephony), managed security solutions and mobility services.


AT&T said this is one of the largest commercial contracts ever signed by AT&T and the largest agreement signed with a company that is headquartered in Europe. The agreement is one of three outsourcing contracts signed by Shell with key suppliers for networking and IT services.

http://www.att.com

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T-Systems Wins Outsourcing Contract with Royal Dutch Shell

T-Systems, Deutsche Telekom's enterprise customer unit, was awarded a multi-sourcing contract by Royal Dutch Shell valued at approximately EUR 1 billion. Under the initial five-year agreement, T-Systems will take over the infrastructure and IT professionals of Shell's global data centers, including three centers in the Netherlands and one each in the U.S. and Malaysia.


T-Systems said the deal confirms its position as a leading network-centric information and communications technology (ICT) provider for Corporate Europe.

http://www.t-systems.com

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Qualcomm's New 700 MHz Licenses to Double its FLO TV Spectrum

In the FCC's recent 700 MHz spectrum auction, Qualcomm won eight licenses at a total cost of $558.1 million.

Specifically, Qualcomm purchased licenses in the E block covering the Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco Economic Area regions. These licenses double Qualcomm's 700 MHz spectrum holdings throughout a footprint of more than 68 million people in 28 individual markets for MediaFLO USA's "FLO TV" service (21 of its top 100 markets) at a cost of $554.6 million. In addition, Qualcomm purchased three licenses on the B block at a cost of $3.5 million.


Qualcomm's E block licenses cover five of the nation's top seven Economic Area regions. These regions consist of large contiguous areas on the East and West Coasts, stretching from New Hampshire to Maryland and from Orange County to Northern California, respectively.


Qualcomm said the new E block spectrum will give MediaFLO USA greater flexibility to deliver additional content and services in these top markets, building on the Channel 55 spectrum for which Qualcomm already owns licenses in these markets and throughout the rest of the country and the FLO TV service now available to more to more than 130 million people.


In addition, Qualcomm won the B block in the California-Imperial, New Jersey-Hunterdon and Yuba City, Calif. Cellular Market Areas. These licenses will provide Qualcomm with 12 MHz of paired 700 MHz spectrum near key Qualcomm offices to enable the company's R&D teams to test new mobile broadband technologies.http://www.qualcomm.comhttp://www.flotv.com/

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AT&T Comments on Recent Spectrum Purchase in FCC Auction

AT&T said its successful bids for prime B Block spectrum in the recent FCC auction, combined with its acquisition of Aloha Partners, gives its a leading spectrum position in the United States to further enhance the quality and reliability of existing wireless broadband and voice services while setting the foundation for future 4G services.



With the final award of the auctioned B Block spectrum, AT&T's 700 MHz spectrum will cover 100 percent of the top 200 markets and 87 percent of the U.S. population. The C-Block spectrum AT&T acquired from Aloha Partners is not subject to the same strict regulations imposed on the C Block spectrum that the FCC recently auctioned.


"Results of the auction bidding demonstrate the B Block was the most attractive, most valuable spectrum available, and it was the best investment for AT&T and our customers... With fewer costly and complex regulations, we have the certainty and flexibility needed to move faster in rolling out new mobile technology and more customer choices in devices and applications," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T's wireless unit.


AT&T currently plans to deliver 3G services to nearly 350 U.S. markets by the end of 2008, including all of the top 100 cities. The 3G initiative will include the rollout of more than 1,500 additional cell sites nationwide. The company also will complete the nation's first HSUPA-enabled network by the middle of the year. This advanced network delivers typical downlink speeds ranging between 600 and 1,400 Kbps, as well as faster uplink speeds ranging from 500 and 800 Kbps.


AT&T also stated that it does not expect this spectrum purchase to have a material impact on its operating results.http://www.att.com

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Sprint Licenses Visual Voicemail Patents from Klausner

Sprint Nextel has licensed patents from Klausner Technologies for its new Sprint Visual Voicemail service. The patent license also covers the new Samsung Instinct cell phone, which includes the Visual Voicemail feature, that Sprint will offer.

Sprint Nextel is the seventh company to date to license the Klausner visual voicemail patents. Other licensees include ISP's such as Time Warner's AOL , VoIP providers such as Vonage, and ASP's such as Simulscribe and Simulsays for Blackberry.

Sprint was not a defendant in the pending patent infringement lawsuit brought by Klausner against Apple for its iPhone Visual Voicemail. Other remaining defendants in the pending litigation include ATT, eBay and Comcast.http://www.sprint.com

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