comScore Sees Slower Growth for Mobile Broadband PC Data Cards

The growth rate for mobile data subscriptions in the U.S. began to decelerate noticeably in Q4 2008, according to a newly released study from comScore. The study examined the usage and characteristics of mobile PC data card users through data collected from computers where Internet access via mobile broadband Internet service providers (ISPs) occurred. PC data card adoption grew 163 percent overall in 2008, slightly ahead of the 157 percent growth...

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Clearfield Introduces 1152-Port Outside Plant PON Cabinet

Clearfield introduced the industry's highest density outside plant PON cabinet, a FieldSmart Fiber Scalability Center (FSC) 1152-Port. The cabinet provides up to 1,152 fibers in a 33"×16"×64" design. Optimal access is ensured to all ports and superior fiber protection is integrated within the company's Clearview Cassette technology. Core to this design is the fact that fiber is protected in sub-units of 12 fibers. In addition to its use as a PON Cabinet, the FieldSmart FSC can also be deployed in a cross-connect configuration, serving up to 1,728...

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Cisco to Acquire Tidal Software for $105 Million

Cisco agreed to acquire privately held Tidal Software for approximately $105 million in cash and retention-based incentives.Tidal Software's mission is to automate many of the complex and routine tasks associated with day-to-day application management: job scheduling and performance monitoring. From a single console, Tidal can create an optimized view of application operations across an enterprise. The company is based in Palo Alto, California and...

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Digicel Antilles Deploys Alcatel-Lucent's Packet Microwave Radio

Digicel Antilles, one of the fastest-growing mobile telecommunications operator in the Caribbean, has deployed Alcatel-Lucent's packet microwave radios.to support both traditional and new, advanced high-speed services in the Antilles. By optimizing traffic transport and aggregation from the base stations to the core network, the Alcatel-Lucent microwave packet radio solution provides Digicel with optimized mobile backhaul capabilities for increased...

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Vietnam's Vinaphone Selects Alcatel-Lucent for Mobile Upgrade

Vinaphone, the second largest mobile operator in Vietnam, has selected Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade its GSM network in 16 northern provinces with advanced EDGE broadband data functionality. The contract was signed through Alcatel-Lucent's flagship company in China, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell. The deployment is currently underway and the expanded network will begin providing commercial services in April 2009. Financial terms were not disclosed.Under the terms of the contract, Alcatel-Lucent will design, deploy and maintain its industry-leading multi-standard...

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I.T.U. Publishes Optical Technology Standards Guide

The ITU-T has just published a Guide on the use of the ITU-T Recommendations related to optical technology. The guide starts with a short but interesting history of optical technology noting that the capacity of optical systems has jumped by a factor of more than 10,000 over a period of 20 years. In the same time it also notes that the applications of optical technology have progressively moved from short distance links (a few tens of km) to very...

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FCC Seeks to Expand First Responders' Use of Broadband

The FCC adopted new new rules to expand and enhance first responders' deployment of broadband communication technologies across the nation in the 4.9 GHz band. The action is aimed at stimulating the economy while also better enable first responders to more easily share time-sensitive data and streaming video footage in emergencies or life-threatening incidents.Under the Order, the FCC granted primary status to:(1) 4.9 GHz stand-alone, permanent...

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AT&T Offers $250K Reward in Fiber Sabbotage Case in Silicon Valley

AT&T is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the vandals responsible for damaging fiber optic cables near San Jose and San Carlos, California on April 9. The vandalism disrupted service to many Silicon Valley customers and businesses. AT&T crews restored service to most customers later that same day."We have zero tolerance for any criminal who would attack our network and the many customers --...

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