Vietnam Telecom National to Deploy Fujitsu's FLASHWAVE 7500

Hanoi-based Vietnam Telecom National will deploy Fujitsu's FLASHWAVE 7500 high-speed optical wavelength division multiplexer as the transmission backbone of its next-generation network. For the new optical trunk-line network in the country's southern region, Vietnam Telecom National, which operates under Vietnam Posts and Telecommunication Group, will deploy Fujitsu's FLASHWAVE 7500 wavelength division multiplexer. This trunk-line network will traverse approximately 3,000 km in Vietnam's southern region, tying together the region's 21 provincial capitals, and is scheduled to be completed in early 2009. Financial terms were not disclosed.

http://www.fujitsu.com

• In February 2008, Fujitsu Network Communications announced several enhancements to its FLASHWAVE 7500 ROADM, including a new two-degree (2D) ROADM configuration for locations that only need two degrees of network connectivity (i.e. a single ring). The new release also includes other economical and operational enhancements, including new 19- and 23-inch shelves, an in-service upgradeable In-Line Amplifier (ILA), and a 10 Gbps Flexponder SONET ADM-on-a-card unit.
  
  
  The FLASHWAVE 7500, which is widely deployed by some of the largest MSOs and telecom companies in North America, offers 400 Gbps of total capacity, provides up to 40 wavelengths, features transmission paths exceeding 1000 km, and supports up to 24 intermediate add/drop nodes. It supports both optical mesh and network hub architectures.
  
  
  Fujitsu said that with this release, several enhancements have been made to the existing 19-inch FLASHWAVE 7500 small configuration to allow it to support 40-channel access via Wavelength Selective Switching (WSS) technology. This new configuration is designed for data center locations where 19-inch shelves are desired. Now, these customers have several alternatives to optimize cost and performance, including a 32-channel Fixed Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (FOADM), 32-channel ROADM, 40‑channel FOADM, or 40-channel WSS-based ROADM.



• In June 2007, Fujitsu Network Communications announced 40 Gbps transmission capabilities into its FLASHWAVE 7500 Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (ROADM), enabling 10-Gbps metro DWDM networks based on the platform to grow from 400 Gbps to 1.6 Tbps of total capacity. Fujitsu has developed an advanced modulation scheme and per-wavelength variable dispersion compensation (VDC) to support the 40 Gbps rate. Optical performance requirements such as optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR), chromatic dispersion, polarization mode dispersion (PMD), and spectral width become much more stringent as bit rates increase.

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Malaysia's REDtone Deploys WiMAX with Motorola

REDtone, Malaysia's leading alternative communications ervice provider, has launched East Malaysia's first WiMAX broadband services, powered by Motorola technology. The first phase of the WiMAX network covers Kota Kinabalu business district, enabling high speed Internet access as well as data applications for enterprises. Motorola is working with REDtone to supply and deploy WiMAX 2.3GHz equipment at base sites and install customer premises equipment (CPE) to provide broadband services in major business districts in the first phase of the plan. Financial terms were not disclosed.


Motorola confirmed that it now has 21 contracts for commercial WiMAX networks in 17 countries.http://www.motorola.com

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Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom Names New Chairman, President

Chunghwa Telecom, the incumbent operator in Taiwan, named Dr. Shyue-Ching Lu as Chairman and Mr. Shaio Tung Chang as President of the company. Prior to his appointment as Chairman, Dr. Shyue-Ching Lu was President of Chunghwa Telecom, a role which he undertook in 1996.


Mr. Shaio Tung Chang was previously Senior Vice President of the Company and supervised the marketing, information technology and customer service departments. Prior to that, he served as head of CHT's Mobile Business Group and International Business Group.http://www.cht.com.tw

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FCC Releases Order to Comcast to End Discriminatory Network Management Practices

The FCC released its order requiring Comcast to end discriminatory network management practices. Specifically, the FCC is requiring Comcast within 30 days to disclose the details of their unreasonable network management practices, submit a compliance plan describing how it intends to stop these unreasonable management practices by the end of the year, and disclose to both the Commission and the public the details of the
network management practices that it intends to deploy following termination of its current practices. The order is posted online.


On August 1st, the FCC ruled that Comcast's management of its broadband Internet networks contravenes federal policies that protect the vibrant and open nature of the Internet. Specifically, the FCC concluded that by monitoring the content of its customers' traffic and selectively blocking certain peer-to-peer connections, Comcast unduly interfered with Internet users' right to access the lawful Internet content and to use the applications of their choice.


The issue was first brought to light by Comcast subscribers who noticed that they had problems using peer-to- peer applications, such as BitTorrent, over their Comcast broadband connections. The FCC noted that when challenged on the issue Comcast recast its public position several times. Furthermore, evidence suggests that Comcast's practice of blocking traffic has been widespread and that it interferes with peer-to-peer traffic regardless of the level of overall network congestion at the time and regardless of the time of day.http://www.fcc.gov

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Ericsson to Join ST-NXP Wireless Silicon Venture

Ericsson will merge its Mobile Platforms business with ST-NXP Wireless in a new 50/50 joint venture. The combined company will be a leading supplier of semiconductors and platforms for mobile applications. It will be an important supplier to Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG and Sharp. The fabless joint venture will employ almost 8,000 people with pro-forma 2007 sales of US$3.6 billion. ST is expected to exercise its option to buy NXP's 20 percent of ST-NXP Wireless before the closing of this transaction.


In the joint venture, ST contributes its multimedia and connectivity solutions as well as a 2G/EDGE platform and a 3G offering, including customer relationships with Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson.


Ericsson contributes its 3G and LTE platform technology as well as customer relationships with Sony Ericsson, LG and Sharp.


The joint venture, staffed by proven professionals across all functional areas, is designed for long-term stability in its original structure, and is set to become an industry leader in product research, as well as design, development, and the creation of cutting-edge mobile platforms and wireless semiconductors.


The companies said the scale of their businesses would provide a strategic differentiator.


"By combining the complementary strengths and product offerings of Ericsson and ST in platforms and semiconductors the joint venture is well positioned to become a world leader," said Carl-Henric Svanberg, President and CEO of Ericsson. "The industry continues to develop at a swift pace and customers see benefits from our broad offering. This partnership is a perfect fit and secures a complete offering, as well as the necessary scale for technology leadership."


The joint venture will be headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and governance will be balanced. Each parent will appoint four directors to the board and Ericsson will designate Carl-Henric Svanberg as the Chairman of the Board while ST will appoint Carlo Bozotti as the Vice Chairman. In addition, ST will designate the Chief Executive Officer and Ericsson will appoint the Executive Vice President to the company. An integration management team, led by Alain Dutheil, has already been selected.


SEB Enskilda is acting as Ericsson's sole financial advisor in the transaction while Morgan Stanley and UBS are acting as financial advisors, respectively, to ST and its Supervisory Board.http://www.ericsson.comhttp://www.st.com

• ST-NXP Wireless began operations on August 2 and the new entity is a global provider of platform solutions and ICs for wireless communications, offering capabilities in 2G, 2.5G (GPRS), 2.75G (EDGE) 3G, LTE, multimedia, and connectivity. The joint venture launches as a solid top-three industry player with a complete wireless product and technology portfolio and as a leading supplier to major handset manufacturers who together ship more than 80% of all handsets.



• In June 2008, NXP Semiconductors introduced what was believed to be the world's fastest high-bandwidth cellular soft modem -- Nexperia Cellular System Solution PNX6910 -- which is capable of achieving data transfer rates of 150 Mbps downlink and 50 Mbps uplink, and supports multi-mode LTE/HSPA/UMTS/EDGE/GPRS/GSM capability. The device, which is powered by NXP's Embedded Vector Processor (EVP) DSP core, could be used in mobile devices capable of downloading an entire HD movie in less than 7 minutes -- over twenty times faster than today's HSPA Cat 8 devices at 7.2 Mbps.



• On September 1, 2001, Ericsson formed Ericsson Mobile Platforms to offer 2.5G and 3G platforms to manufacturers of mobile phones and other wireless devices, based on Ericsson's global standardization leadership and intellectual property rights portfolio for 2.5G and 3G mobile phone systems. The rationale for the new company was the transformation of the handset industry where few companies would be able to deliver chip-sets, but many to deliver handsets. Ericsson Mobile Platforms is the supplier of 3G and HSPA platforms to Sony Ericsson, LG and Sharp. The unit is headquartered in Lund, Sweden and is a part of Business Unit Multimedia within the Ericsson Group.

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Iceland's S�minn Selects Ericsson for WCDMA/HSPA Expansion

Iceland's S�minn has selected Ericsson to expand its WCDMA/HSPA network into the 900MHz band. This will enable S�minn to deliver enhanced mobile data services to remote areas across Iceland. Under the two-year agreement, Ericsson will be the sole supplier of WCDMA/HSPA radio access equipment and the GSM/WCDMA common core network. Ericsson will also expand S�minn's GSM network, upgrade its software and deliver a range of professional services, including deployment and systems integration. Financial terms were not disclosed.http://www.ericsson.comhttp://www.siminn.is/

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Intel Media Processor Targets Consumer Electronics

Intel introduced the first in a new family of purpose-built System on Chips (SoCs) for Consumer Electronics devices based on the company's Intel architecture (IA) blueprint.


The new Intel Media Processor CE 3100 (previously codenamed "Canmore") , which targets connected CE devices, advanced cable set top boxes and digital TVs, combines features for high-definition video support, home-theater quality audio and advanced 3-D graphics.

The solution pairs an IA processor core with multi-stream video decoding and processing hardware. It also adds a 3-channel 800 MHz DDR2 memory controller, dedicated multi-channel dual audio DSPs, a 3-D graphics engine enabling advanced UIs and EPGs, and support for multiple peripherals, including USB 2.0 and PCI Express.


The Intel Media Processor CE 3100 also features Intel Media Play Technology that combines hardware-based decoding for broadcast TV and optical media playback with software-based decode for Internet content.


When a consumer watches broadcast TV or content on optical media players, the video is encoded in standard formats, such as MPEG-2, H.264 or VC-1. Intel Media Play Technology software routes the video to the on-chip hardware decoders. When viewing Internet content, the software automatically routes the video, and audio as applicable, to a software codec running on the IA processor core.


Intel said that as the Internet becomes more omnipresent, the ability to decode multiple video and audio formats will provide the industry with greater flexibility to evolving standards and technologies, and consumers with more viewing experiences.


Intel expects to begin shipments of this product next month.http://www.intel.com

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Intel and Yahoo Develop TV Application Framework

Intel and Yahoo! previewed plans for the Widget Channel, a television (TV) application framework optimized for TV and related consumer electronics (CE) devices that use the Intel Architecture.


The Widget Channel, which will be powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine, will enable TV watchers to interact with small Internet applications designed to complement and enhance the traditional TV watching experience.


The Widget Channel will also allow developers to use JAVASCRIPT, XML, HTML and Adobe Flash technology to write TV applications for the platform, extending the power and compatibility of PC application developer programs to TV and related CE devices. In addition to supporting the Yahoo! Widget Engine, Yahoo! will also provide consumers Yahoo!-branded TV Widgets.


Intel and Yahoo! cited a number of companies that are planning on developing and deploying TV Widgets, including Blockbuster, CBS Interactive, CinemaNow, Cinequest, Comcast, Disney-ABC Television Group, eBay, GE, Group M, Joost, MTV, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Schematic, Showtime, Toshiba and Twitter.


Intel is extending the performance, headroom and connectivity of its IA into a new family of "purpose built" system-on-chip (SoC) media processors for Internet-connected CE devices, including optical media players, U.S. cable set-top-boxes, digital TVs and other connected audio visual products.


Intel's first CE IA-based SoC, the Intel Media Processor CE 3100 (formerly "Canmore"), is a highly integrated chip which includes a high-performance IA core and other functional I/O blocks to enable high definition video decode and viewing, home-theater-quality audio, 3-D graphics, and the fusion of the Internet and TV experiences.


The Widget Channel software framework is designed to work with a new generation of Internet-connected CE devices based on Intel's purpose built SoC. The hardware and software compatibility of IA also provides support for broadcast and Internet content.


Intel also plans to release the Intel Media Processor CE 3100-based hardware development system called the "Innovation Platform" which will provide the initial development and validation environment for developers of TV Widgets on the Widget Channel.http://www.intel.comhttp://www.yahoo.com

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