MLB Network Launch Powered by Motorola Encoders

MLB Network, which is the new 24-hour cable network devoted to Major League Baseball and other baseball programming , has selected the Motorola modular uplink system and Motorola integrated receiver/decoders (IRDs) to distribute its lineup of new sports programming. MLB launched in approximately 50 million cable and satellite homes on January 1, 2009.


Motorola is supplying its top of line HD and SD MPEG-2 encoders as part of a complete end-end system for MLB Network which will compress, multiplex, encrypt, modulate and receive satellite-delivered programming. Specifically, MLB Network will deploy a modular uplink system including SE-3000HD encoders and SE-2000 SD encoders to distribute its programming via satellite.
http://www.motorola.com

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XO Communications Launches Carrier-Grade MPLS IP-VPN

XO Communications officially launched its XO Carrier MPLS IP-VPN, a wide area networking service engineered to deliver secure, multi-point IP transport of VoIP, video, data applications and "in the cloud" computing services over one network, In addition to offering the standard IP-VPN services such as Class of Service (CoS) traffic routing, the carrier-specific product provides customers with:

• Multiple VPN support across the same interface (up to 10Gbps);


• The ability to create global private networks through an inbound Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) with U.S. termination


• Access to XO's Web Portal for service level monitoring and review of usage reports 24/7, and


• A management VPN feature that enables Carrier customers to provide their end-users with value-added services.

XO said its Carrier MPLS IP-VPN can help international service providers expand their footprint; systems integrators better manage networks for end-users; and content providers securely route content between multiple locations. Moreover, the product offers carriers multiple access options, including Ethernet over copper, and is supported by dedicated carrier provisioning and care groups.
http://www.xo.com

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ICO Global Communications Completes Satellite Space Testing

ICO Global Communication's ICO G1 satellite has completed In Orbit Testing (IOT) and testing of its Ground Based Beam Forming (GBBF) system. ICO Satellite Services has accepted the Space Segment from Space Systems/Loral.


Launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida on April 14, 2008, ICO G1 is the world's first satellite to utilize a two-way GBBF system. The satellite has 250 fully configurable transmit and receive beams. With GBBF, spot beams can be added, removed or reconfigured to enable a satellite to operate from different orbital locations and to adapt to changes in traffic patterns or to provide new applications. With beam forming performed on the ground, the cost and time to deliver a highly flexible satellite are significantly reduced. The satellite employs a large 12 meter mesh antenna reflector, which is essential for delivering services to small mobile and portable devices.


"We have begun using ICO G1 in conjunction with our terrestrial network and mobile devices in Las Vegas and Raleigh-Durham to test and refine our innovative MSS/ATC services, including ICO mim," said David Zufall, senior vice president of network systems for ICO.
http://www.ico.com

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TerreStar Demonstrates First Satellite IMS VoIP Call

TerreStar Networks and Comneon, which develops protocol stack software for mobile communications, announced that the integrated satellite-terrestrial multi-mode handset designed by EB (Elektrobit Corporation) for TerreStar has successfully demonstrated VOIP connectivity using satellite simulation in a Comneon test lab.

TerreStar expects to be North America's first integrated satellite-terrestrial communications network to utilize an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) to deliver ubiquitous access and personalized applications and services over wireless devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). The TerreStar handset uses the Comneon IMS Device Framework as a client solution for its next generation integrated mobile satellite and terrestrial communications network.


TerreStar is planning to launch its communications satellite in June 2009.


Comneon's portable IMS terminal framework, executable across a wide variety of operating systems and processor architectures, will allow TerreStar to provide users increased flexibility and ease of access to mobile applications -- across a large number of terminal types and diverse customer segments. Comneon is a subsidiary of Infineon.
http://www.comneon.com
http://www.terrestar.com

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Yahoo! Advances its Widget Engine for Broadband-enabled TVs

Yahoo! unveiled its vision for Internet-connected televisions and announced related technology distribution partnerships with Samsung, Sony, LG Electronics and VIZIO. Specifically, Yahoo! is aiming for wide distribution of its Widget Engine in next gen televisions. TV Widgets enable popular Internet services and online media to reach viewers with applications specifically tailored to the needs of the television watcher.


In August, Yahoo! and Intel announced the Widget Channel, their joint initiative to foster innovation in the connected TV space. Reinforcing Yahoo!'s open strategy, the company in partnership with Intel, released the Widget Development Kit (WDK). This will enable developers to create TV Widgets and effectively reach millions of consumers and help foster the creation of a connected TV ecosystem.


The Yahoo! Widget Engine is based on the "Konfabulator" widget platform for PC, which has been re-engineered specifically for consumer electronics devices. In August 2008, Yahoo! and Intel announced a partnership providing the Internet's developers and publishers with the tools needed to create exciting and engaging interactive TV Widgets.
http://connectedtv.yahoo.com

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Global Wireless Develops Femtocell-based Gateway with Ikanos

Ikanos Communications and Global Wireless Technologies announced a femtocell-based VDSL2 residential gateway platform. The GlobalWireless femtocell base station, combined with Ikanos' Fusiv Vx180 integrated gateway processor, has been designed to extend mobile coverage indoors, while providing flexible service options and reductions in cost and power consumption to the consumer and mobile operators. Ikanos' Fusiv Vx180 gateway processor supports all current VDSL2 profiles. In addition, the Vx180 reduces space and power requirements by combining Ikanos' VDSL2 customer premises equipment (CPE) PHY and its widely deployed Fusiv network processor architecture onto a single chip.
http://www.globalwirelesstech.com
http://www.ikanos.com

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Cisco Announces The Consumer Channel Network

Cisco launched a new channel initiative

in the United States and Canada to provide resellers with resources, tools and training for selling the Linksys by Cisco product line of Connected Home Products. These resources include training, tech support, sales tools and other programs and promotions.
http://www.cisco.com

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Starz Upgrades its Content Delivery with TANDBERG TV

Starz Entertainment has selected TANDBERG Television's next generation MediaPath Secure Content Delivery System to deliver the content for its on demand services. The upgrade provides Starz with DVB-S2 satellite delivery and other enhanced features, enabling Starz to deliver more content to its affiliates at faster rates. Starz On Demand, Encore On Demand, and MoviePlex On Demand provide hundreds of movies each month to subscribers viewing on cable, satellite, and broadband platforms. Financial terms were not disclosed.

TANDBERG Television's next generation MediaPath system enables delivery of media assets to receiver locations serving set-top boxes, PCs, and mobile media players.
http://www.tandbergtv.com

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India's BSNL Expands Broadband Rollout with Redback

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) of India will use Redback's SmartEdge family of multi-service edge routers as a part of its expansion plan to deliver broadband services to more than 5 million business and residential users.

Currently, BSNL uses Redback's SmartEdge 800 multi-service edge routers to support 2.5 million broadband subscribers. Under the expansion, BSNL plans to deploy additional Redback SmartEdge 800 multi-service edge routers to support up to 2.5 million more subscribers across India. Financial terms were not disclosed


BSNL is the seventh largest telecommunications company in world with more than 70 million wire-line and wireless subscribers.
http://www.redback.com

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Linksys Debuts Cisco Media Hub

Cisco's Linksys division introduced a Media Hub that gathers, organizes, and presents all the digital video, photos and music that users have spread amongst various devices in the home. The Media Hub features iTunes server capabilities.


It automatically searches the network for other media devices to present all available digital media to the user in a single location. Music albums are consolidated and presented together with the appropriate Album Art, regardless of where the tracks reside within the network, eliminating the need to know which device music is stored on. Photos and videos are presented using thumbnail images that are easily organized by date or name. All available media, regardless of type, can be located by using the available search function. Automated backup software is included with the Media Hub to help ensure that digital libraries are protected. The device offers two drive bays and external USB ports for future expandability.
http://www.cisco.com

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Broadcom Demonstrates 6-Band VDSL2 Chipset

Broadcom is demonstrating working silicon supporting all G.993.2 VDSL2 bands at this week's 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show. The featured chipset includes the existing Broadcom BCM6368 VDSL2/ADSL2+ gateway SoC (announced in September 2008) and the new BCM6306 analog front-end (AFE) companion chip that delivers up to 30 MHz bandwidth to support telecommunications applications ranging from ADSL to 6-band VDSL2.


Broadcom said its BCM6306 is a single-line VDSL2/ADSL2+ multimode AFE chip that is optimized to work in conjunction with the BCM6368 transceiver. The combined BCM6368/6306 VDSL2/ADSL2+ chipset solution delivers more than 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) of symmetric downstream and upstream bandwidth. Additionally, by leveraging the additional analog input on the BCM6368, the BCM6306 supports VDSL2 and ADSL2+ channel bonding, thereby increasing the upstream and downstream bandwidth of DSL connections.


The BCM6306 chipset provides telecommunications operators with a low cost VDSL2 solution that supports either VDSL2 or ADSL2+, multi-port Ethernet switching, enhanced quality of service (QoS) for video over DSL services, multi-line VoIP capabilities, non-blocking 802.11n wireless and 6-band high-speed VDSL2 for multi-dwelling unit (MDU) and fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) deployments.
http://www.broadcom.com

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Cisco Backs Home Network Administration Protocol for Consumer Electronics

Cisco is backing the Home Network Administration Protocol (HNAP) as the means to provide a simple, secure and open approach for devices to be set up and configured with other devices on a home network.


Cisco will provide open licensing of its HNAP technology. The Cisco Device Connections Program provides manufacturers of networkable devices, such as PCs, cameras, routers/gateways, storage, media players, printers and others access to Cisco's Home Network Administration Protocol (HNAP) to license into their products.


Cisco said its Device Connections Program is intended to establish an ecosystem of vendors of interoperable networkable products that can work together so that customers can experience the full potential of the Media Enabled Home, including easy set up, device discovery, management, wireless security, remote access, etc.

http://www.cisco.com
http://www.linksys.com

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Broadcom Announces DOCSIS/Euro-DOCSIS 3.0 Silicon

Broadcom announced its second generation DOCSIS/Euro-DOCSIS 3.0 silicon. The new design supports up to eight downstream DOCSIS channels. Broadcom said its new BCM3380 family is the first set of DOCSIS 3.0 silicon solutions that are truly single-chip, requiring only memory to provide complete DOCSIS functionality. The new SoC family integrates a flexible QAM receiver with split wide-band tuners that do not have the channel lineup limitations of single frequency window solutions. An integrated multi-channel upstream power amplifier eliminates the need for any external power amplifiers, and integrated Gigabit Ethernet and USB transceivers reduce the cost of external components. The BCM3380 provides compatibility with prior DOCSIS 2.0, 1.1 and 1.0 specifications and go well beyond the DOCSIS 3.0 specification to provide advanced features such as bonding support for up to eight simultaneous DOCSIS channels. Sampling is now underway to early access customers and includes solutions for data cable modems, voice cable modems and gateway modems. Complete reference designs are available.

http://www.broadcom.com

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NETGEAR Unveils Internet-Connected Set-Top Boxes

NETGEAR introduced an Internet-connected set-top box for playing online content on HDTV screens. NETGEAR's Internet TV Player (ITV2000) is a compact "plug in and go" Internet set-top device with a remote control that enables viewers to catch up on the world of Internet videos including YouTube, live Internet TV, popular Internet video websites, premium video-on-demand and online video searches.


It supports streaming of live TV broadcasts from Internet sites around the world, and premium, paid movies on demand such as CinemaNow.com, in addition to downloaded videos from sites such as BitTorrent. It also features "VTap" video search capabilities enable the intelligent search of Internet videos, including targeting video sites by country, topic of interest, person or popular website. Consumers are also able to play video, music, and photos from a local USB flash drive as well as from the NETGEAR ReadyNAS family of storage solutions. The device is priced at US.$199 MSRP.


"Internet video consumption is at an all-time high," said Vivek Pathela, NETGEAR's vice president and general manager of home/consumer products. "Just in the month of October 2008 alone, comScore estimated that almost half of the total U.S. population viewed more than 13.5 billion online videos. That's a large number of Internet videos that are viewed mostly on PCs, even though many people would rather watch them on their TVs."http://www.netgear.com

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Fujitsu Signs AT&T for Telepresence Deployment

Fujitsu has signed a two-year contract with AT&T for a fully managed IP VPN supporting a High Definition Telepresence system that will link facilities in Sunnyvale, California, and Kawasaki, Japan. The two Telepresence sites supported by the AT&T IP VPN will reduce the amount of travel required by Fujitsu employees, while allowing more frequent interaction and maintaining the same level of collaboration needed between the two sites. http://www.att.com

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Verizon Cuts IP Backbone Prices for Content-Delivery Networks

Verizon announced significant price cuts for connecting content owners like online movie services, as well as content delivery network providers (CDNs) to its Internet backbone network.


The new pricing initiative - the Verizon Partner Port Program - gives content owners and CDNs the benefit of a direct connection from their content storage devices to the Verizon Internet backbone network. This allows content owners and CDNs to bypass the traditional backbone peering process, which involves multicarrier delivery systems, when delivering content to the broadband end users on Verizon's network.


The specific rates and charges for each customer will be determined based on various factors including the number and location of the customer's connections, customer's total bandwidth commitment (as well as the bandwidth commitment at each location) and the traffic ratio profile. Connections can be made directly onto the Verizon Internet backbone network at regional carrier "hotels" without the need for connections that use longer, less direct and often costly middlemen architectures that involve multiple connections, or "hops," among multiple carriers. This should ensure lower latency for the broadband end customers on Verizon's networks.


"We have built one of the most robust networks in the marketplace and are providing a pricing structure that moves content providers and CDNs beyond traditional delivery systems to a model that taps that capacity in the best interest of broadband customers," said Quintin Lew, senior vice president of Verizon Partner Solutions, the company's wholesale services division.


Verizon also noted its ongoing work to improve the efficiency of content delivered over the Internet through a new turnkey content-delivery network managed by Velocix, which improves consumer video delivery. Verizon is also supporting peer-to-peer file transfers using the P4P Working Group's network efficiency model, which improves the efficiency of content transmission by reducing the number of "hops" content must travel before delivery to the end user. The new P4P Working Group solution, now awaiting formal standards adoption, uses information about the design of networks to deliver content more efficiently from local sources rather than from distant storage sites, lowering long-haul network traffic and helping to control associated costs.
http://www.verizon.com

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France's Axione selects Alcatel-Lucent for IP/MPLS, Carrier Ethernet, FTTH

Axione, a company of Bouygues Construction specializing in the management of local public broadband services for telecom

http://www.alcatel-lucent.com
http://www.axione.fr/

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Deutsche Telekom: DSL Coverage Reaches 96%

Deutsche Telekom can now supply 96 per cent of households with DSL lines. Compared to the previous year, this is an increase of two percentage points. The Group invested EUR 300 million in the broadband expansion in 2008, of which around 100 million was specifically poured into closing up the broadband "white spots" in the countryside.


"Unlike other providers, we are investing not only in lucrative metropolitan areas but are also promoting broadband rollout in rural areas," stated Timotheus Höttges, Board Member for T-Home, Sales & Service at Deutsche Telekom.


Deutsche Telekom noted the costs of rural DSL. One kilometer of cabling work with underground engineering costs up to EUR 50,000. The investments mean losses for Deutsche Telekom if too few customers are acquired through an expansion.
http://www.telekom.com

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Telefónica Wins EUR 350 Million Contract with Deutsche Post

Telefónica has won what is believed to be the biggest pan-European combined fixed and mobile contract to date -- worth nearly EUR 350 million -- to provide all mobile, fixed voice and data services to Deutsche Post World Net over the next five years.



Under the contract, Telefónica will provide secure telecommunications services for 125,000 employees and 2,400
sites in Europe, and will transform Deutsche Post World Net's IP network services. The service will be delivered by Telefónica in Spain, its O2 businesses in UK, Ireland, Czech Republic and Slovakia as well as new operations and partnerships in 23 other Western European countries.
The European service will be managed by a dedicated 24x7 Service Management Centre in Prague and is expected to go live in early summer of 2009, subject to the usual approval by the cartel authorities and the completion of the transaction.


Telefónica said it will reinforce and extend its global IP backbone in Europe to provide services in 28 countries, including wide area network connectivity, centralized Internet access, local-area network (LAN) services such as wireless LAN, fixed voice, mobile voice and data as well as IT services such as managed security, web conferencing, unified messaging and fixed mobile
convergence. The contract comprises more than 100,000 LAN Ports, more than 60,000 fixed voice devices and 80,000 mobile connections including 24,000 mobile and smartphone devices.


"Deutsche Post World Net has grown through acquisitions and in some countries we operate multiple networks with multiple standards," said John Allan, Deutsche Post World Net's Chief Financial Officer and Head of Global Business Services. "We are delighted that Telefónica will manage and transform our network services across Europe over the next five years and help us
pave the way for more cost efficiency throughout our operations."http://www.telefonica.com

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