Philippines's PLDT Selects ECI's Hi-FOCuS 5 Platform

PLDT, the Philippine's largest telecommunications company, has selected ECI's Hi-FOCuS 5 Multi-Service Access Node (MSAN) central office and outside plant solution to support its nationwide expansion of DSL. ECI's Hi-FOCuS MSAN supports xDSL, next-generation voice and fiber technologies. Financial terms were not disclosed.http://www.ecitele.com

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Opnext Milestone: 750,000 10G Transceivers Shipped

Opnext announced a company milestone -- so far, it has shipped more than 750,000 10G transceivers to its global customer base. The company's modules support SONET OC-192, SDH STM-64 and 10GbE protocols, enabling long-reach terrestrial transmission, metropolitan area network, optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM), access, enterprise switching, high-speed data and storage communications. Opnext previously announced the industry's prior shipping milestone of a half million transceivers in December 2007.http://www.opnext.com

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Motorola WiMAX USB Adaptor for Laptops

Motorola unveiled its first WiMAX USB adaptor -- the USBw 100, a thumb-drive-sized device available in three versions to connect to WiMAX networks in each of the three bands approved for use around the world -- 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz and 3.5 GHz.


The Motorola USBw 100 plugs directly into laptop computers to provide mobile and nomadic wireless broadband connectivity, both indoors and out. It is expected to be available in Q4 2008.


The design employs multiple antenna technology to improve reception in the various and unpredictable environments where users expect service, especially indoor home, business and coffee shop environments, as well as on-the-go in a mobile world.http://www.motorola.com/wimax

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European Commission Acts to Cut Roaming Costs

The European Commission has proposed to reduce the price of roaming text messages by 60% as of 1 July 2009. This would put the cost per SMS at no more than €0.11, compared to the current EU average of €0.29. The Commission also wants to cheaper data services at home should be better protection against roaming "bill shocks" that can run to thousands of euro. The proposals will now be submitted to the European Parliament and Council, who must agree before they become law. The EU already reduced charges for making and receiving calls abroad (voice roaming) by 60% in summer 2007.


In 2007, over 2.5 billion SMS were sent, representing a market of EUR 800 million.


From summer 2010, consumers should be able to specify in advance how high their data roaming bill can go before the service is cut off -- a measure designed to put an end to "bill shocks". These have led to customers receiving huge bills, in one case €40,000 for downloading a TV show over a roaming mobile line. In addition, a EUR 1 per megabyte safeguard limit for wholesale fees should create a level playing field and stimulate competition.


Finally, the Commission wants price caps for roaming phone calls, introduced in 2007 (now at EUR 0.46 for calls made abroad and EUR 0.22 for calls received abroad), reduced to EUR 0.34 for calls made abroad and to EUR 0.10 for calls received abroad by 1 July 2012 (excluding VAT). Consumers would also benefit from per-second billing after 30 seconds for roaming calls made and per-second billing throughout calls received. Today, they pay 24% more than the minutes they use to make calls, and 19% more for received calls.http://www.europa.eu

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Hanaro Changes Name to SK Broadband

South Korea's hanarotelecom has officially changed its corporate name and consumer brand to "SK Broadband." The change is effective 22-September-2008.http://www.hanaro.com

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Qualcomm Supplies Dual-Core Chipset for T-Mobile's G1

Qualcomm is supplying the chipset used in the new T-Mobile G1 Andorid phone, which is manufactured by HTC.


As part of its work with theOpen Handset Alliance OHA, Qualcomm has optimized the Android software by integrating it with Qualcomm's MSM7201A -- a single chip, dual- core solution that combines high-speed processing, hardware-accelerated multimedia capabilities, 3D graphics and built-in, multi-mode 3G mobile broadband connectivity. GPS location-based services enhance Google's StreetView and Google Maps for mobile, while high-quality video playback and streaming functions support services such as YouTube. A 3 mega-pixel camera enables barcode scanning for applications that compare sale prices, search for reviews and store shopping lists.


Qualcomm worked with HTC on the design and development of this first Android-based device. http://www.qualcomm.com

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O3b Networks Books Sea Launch for Late 2010

O3b Networks has selected Sea Launch for up to two launches in support of their Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) telecommunications satellite constellation, with the first launch set for late 2010. Financial terms were not disclosed.


Built by Thales Alenia Space, the O3b Networks satellites will be deployed by Sea Launch's Zenit-3SL system in groups of eight per launch, to an equatorial injection orbit of 7,825 kilometers above the Earth. The satellites, each weighing approximately 700 kg (1,540 lb.), are designed to provide high-speed, ultra-low-latency IP connectivity between emerging and developed markets worldwide.
http://www.sea-launch.com/

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T-Mobile Prices 3G/WiFi Google Phone at $179

T-Mobile and Google unveiled the first smartphone powered by the Android environment. The T-Mobile G1 combines touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience that includes Google Maps Street View, Gmail, Google Calendar, YouTube and other Google applications. Some key points of the global launch:

• Manufactured by Taiwan's HTC



• Quad-band 3G and Wi-Fi connections



• 3-megapixel camera



• In the U.S., the T-Mobile G1 has a price of $179 with a two-year voice and data agreement. The T-Mobile G1 will also be available in the United Kingdom beginning in November, and across Europe in the first quarter of 2009. Countries include Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and the Netherlands.



• A full HTML Web browser



• Google Maps enables users to instantly view maps and satellite imagery, as well as find local business and get driving directions, all from the phone's easy-to-use touch interface. The T-Mobile G1 also includes Google Maps Street View, allowing customers to explore cities at street-level.



• HTML e-mail client, which offer push sync e-mail, calendar and contacts from Gmail as well as most other POP3 or IMAP e-mail services. The app combines Instant Messaging support for Google Talk, as well as AOL, Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger in the U.S.



• 1GB of internal memory, plus expansion slot



• Pre-loaded with a music application and access to Amazon.com's digital music download store, which features more than 6 million DRM-free MP3 tracks.



• Access to Android Market, which hosts unique applications and mash ups of existing and new services from developers around the world.



• ShopSavvy: an application designed to help people do comparative shopping. Users scan the UPC code of a product with their phone's camera while they are shopping, and can instantly compare prices from online merchants and nearby local stores.



• Ecorio: a new application developed to help people keep track of their daily travels and view what their carbon footprint looks like. With access to tips and tricks, Ecorio allows users to record the steps they take throughout their day to help offset their impact on the environment.



• BreadCrumbz: a new application that enables people to create a step-by-step visual map using photos. Customers can create their own routes, share them with friends or with the world.

http://www.t-mobileg1.com/http://www.google.com

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Sprint Selects Ciena's Carrier Ethernet for XOHM Backhaul

Sprint has selected Ciena's Carrier Ethernet platforms as one of the backhaul solutions for its new "XOHM" WiMAX network. The deployment includes Ciena's LE-311v Service Delivery Switches, CN 5305 Service Aggregation Switches and Ethernet Services Manager, with initial installations in the XOHM networks in Baltimore/Washington and Chicago. Financial terms were not disclosed.


Ciena said its FlexSelect Architecture is well-suited to the demands of mobile backhaul, supporting 2G, 2.5G, 3G and 4G networks with a portfolio of service delivery switches, service concentration switches, service aggregation switches, mobile core transport and integrated network management.


"Our deployment in Sprint's XOHM network underscores our expertise in enabling service-driven networks with scalable capacity and cost-efficiencies using high-performance Carrier Ethernet platforms with a service-aware operating system and intelligent management -- this time applied to 4G backhaul," said Mike Aquino, senior vice president of global field operations at Ciena.


"Backhaul is a key focus area for us as we build out the XOHM network," said Doug Smith, senior vice president and chief technical operations officer of Sprint's XOHM business unit. "A next-generation, Ethernet-based architecture can optimize efficiency and give us backhaul cost advantages."http://www.ciena.comhttp://www.Sprint.com

• In July, DragonWave announced that Sprint had selected its IP backhaul solutions for the XOHM-branded WiMAX mobile-broadband services in North America. Specifically, DragonWave's Horizon Compact and Horizon Duo products will be deployed initially in the Baltimore/Washington and Chicago markets. Financial terms were not disclosed. DragonWave's native Ethernet radios will provide Sprint's XHOM network with carrier-grade reliability, capacity, throughput and Quality of Service (QoS) for backhauling 4G traffic. The Horizon products provide software controlled scalability, ultra-low latency, wire-speed connectivity up to 1.6 Gbps full duplex, 99.999% service availability and a full suite of network management options.



• Also in July, Mformation Technologies announced that Sprint had selected its mobile device management (MDM) solution to provide seamless device management capabilities for new WiMAX-capable mobile devices as part of the XOHM WiMAX mobile broadband initiative. Device management ensures that WiMAX devices can be remotely activated and provisioned irrespective of their source, ensuring they work seamlessly and deliver a true mobile Internet experience. Financial terms were not disclosed. Specifically, Sprint will use Mformation's advanced MDM technology to remotely activate, configure, diagnose, update, secure and manage a diverse fleet of WiMAX-capable devices throughout all phases of their lifecycle. This will ensure that services and applications are delivered smoothly across Sprint's WiMAX network, helping the company make the most of their WiMAX investments.

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Teranetics Integrates 10GBASE-T Chip with National's PowerWise Technology

Teranetics announced that its TN2022 dual port PHY for 10GBASE-T now includes support of National Semiconductor 's "PowerWise" adaptive voltage scaling (AVS) technology to reduce per-port power. Teranetics' TN2022 already offered a power efficient design requiring only 6 Watts per port using conventional techniques. The companies said that integrating National's PowerWise technology makes 10GBASE-T system implementations more compelling and more broadly applicable across a range of networking and computing equipment.


Ratified by the IEEE in June 2006, 10GBASE-T (IEEE 802.3an) defines the transmission of 10Gbps Ethernet over unshielded twisted pair (UTP) copper cabling. As with previous speed generations of Ethernet technology, the creation of the copper standard lowers the cost of 10 Gbps network links below that of optical technologies and further accelerates the adoption of 10 Gigabit Ethernet into network infrastructures.http://www.teranetics.com

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Verizon Tests Dynamic Optical Control Plane Technology

Verizon has completed a multi-vendor trial of dynamic optical control plane technology, demonstrating near real-time circuit provisioning across the Verizon Business commercial network.


The trial of control plane technology carried test traffic through optical circuits on Verizon Business' core network from Chicago to Atlanta, traversing the optical network using the Ciena CoreDirector, the Fujitsu FLASHWAVE 4500 MSPP and Tellabs 7100 Optical Transport System. The tests demonstrated integration of the optical control plane with Verizon Business' circuit-provisioning operations support system for dynamic flow-through of provisioning orders, resulting in shortened time from circuit order to circuit activation.


"Control plane technology is a critical next step in the evolution of optical technology because it supports the immediacy of service delivery our customers require as they respond to changing business demands," said Mark Wegleitner, senior vice president of technology for Verizon. "Multisupplier interoperability for this emerging capability is critical to Verizon's strategy of building a network as flexible and diverse as possible."


Verizon noted that its Network and Technology Group has participated in lab demonstrations of optical control plane technology as standardized by the ITU and the Optical Interoperability Forum (OIF), and that this field trial marks the first multisupplier implementation across a commercial network. For this trial, multiple suppliers collaborated with Verizon engineers to define interoperability based on industry standards. Where gaps were found in the existing standards, the teams jointly contributed to filling those gaps.http://www.verizon.com

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NSN Debuts 24 Gbps Carrier Ethernet Edge Switch

Nokia Siemens Networks introduced a Carrier Ethernet switch designed to bring to the enterprise wide area network (WAN) the benefits of greater bandwidth Ethernet already provides to the LAN.


The new A-series 2200, which offers 24 Gbps of total switching capacity, serves as a bridge between an existing TDM network and an Ethernet transport network. It can serve as an edge solution located at the customer premises or as an aggregation unit that gathers traffic from different customer networks. Due to its modular structure, the A-series 2200 could also be deployed for mobile backhaul applications.


The switch accepts either TDM or Ethernet service cards, or could use a Combo Card to enable both capabilities simultaneously. Nokia Siemens has also included a number of carrier-class capabilities. It comes with redundant power supplies and fans and offers resilience & survivability mechanisms to ensure smooth service provisioning. It offers carrier-grade Service Level Agreement (SLA) with 50 milliseconds protection with Committed Information Rate (CIR) and it is a scalable solution to more than 5,000 network elements.


The Pan-European carrier COLT has recently decided to base its Ethernet services on the A-series solution from Nokia Siemens Networks. Specifically, COLT's MSP will deliver secure Ethernet Services by using Layer 2 MPLS technology to logically separate Ethernet services from IP traffic and provide the customer with dedicated bandwidth for Ethernet services. The Carrier Ethernet transport solution and services are centrally managed and monitored, allowing COLT to simplify the delivery and management of end-to-end Ethernet services to its customers.http://www.nsn.com

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Alcatel-Lucent and Deutsche Telekom Test "Smart Metering" for Utilities

Alcatel-Lucent and Deutsche Telekom have launched a web-based Smart Metering field trial in the city of Friedrichshafen, a town on the northern side of Lake Constance (Bodensee) in southern Germany.


The local utility provider, Technische Werke Friedrichshafen, is piloting a Smart Metering "CleverZähler" service that gives consumers and utilities a near-real-time view of energy consumption for each connected household. About 1,000 smart meters for electricity as well as gas are planned to be supplied to 700 households until mid 2009. The T-City partners, Deutsche Telekom and Alcatel-Lucent, provide the end-to-end metering service -- based on the IP-based Open Service Platform of Alcatel-Lucent. Besides providing and operating the metering platform in a managed service center, Alcatel-Lucent designed the web user interfaces.


Within the E-Metering trial, Deutsche Telekom provides field service for the installation, is operating the smart meters' communications network, and is handling the data processing, provisioning and visualization. The metering platform relies on a distributed network of meter boxes, interconnecting the various meters to the central data management.


The local utility provider is responsible for the installation of the meters and takes care of customer relationship activities, including selling and marketing the smart metering service, and providing end-user service. Software integrator Bittner & Krull provides the business logic for the meter data from Friedrichshafen and processes these towards the utility´s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.http://www.alcatel-lucent.comhttp://www.twf-fn.de/

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Ovum: Optical Components Revenues Grew 5% sequentially in 2Q08

Optical components revenues grew 5% sequentially in 2Q08, up 23% compared with 2Q07, according to Ovum's quarterly report.
This marks the fourth consecutive quarter of single-digit growth.


"Impressively, the market posted a 23% gain over the same period last year, in part because 2Q07 was hard-hit by inventory corrections," says Daryl Inniss, Ovum Practice Leader and author of the study.


Some highlight of the report:

• Among the top ten suppliers, Opnext gained the most share on a quarterly basis, followed by Source Photonics and JDSU. Opnext's growth was driven by demand for 10Gbps transponders and transceivers. Its 40Gbps transponder revenues were approximately flat quarter over quarter, but it is running at near capacity.



• Source Photonics posted one of the best performances of the top ten OC suppliers. Ovum estimate growth is coming from PON to support new deployments, in China for example.



• Finisar continues to report growth driven by demand for datacom transceivers. It also saw strong demand for VCSEL products.



• JDSU grew 7% sequentially, driven by sales of its agile optical network products.



• Avanex posted 5% sequential growth driven by demand for transmission products (transceivers, transponders, and modulators).



• Sumitomo, Bookham and Fujitsu are the only vendors in the top ten that posted sequential declines. Fujitsu jumped into the top ten, displacing Oplink, a consequence, in part, of Oplink's 9% quarterly revenue decline. Oplink's acquisition of OCP led to the discontinuation of some products, which contributed to the revenue drop.

http://www.ovum.com

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