TI Boosts Q3 Business Outlook

Texas Instruments raised and narrowed its expected ranges for revenue and earnings per share (EPS) for Q3 2009. The company currently expects its financial results to fall within the following ranges: The company now expects:

• Revenue: $2.73 - $2.87 billion, compared with the prior range of $2.50 - $2.80 billion.



• EPS: $0.37 - $0.41, compared with the prior range of $0.29 - $0.39.

http://www.ti.com

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Comcast Launches its First 100 Mbps Internet Service

For the first time, Comcast launched a 100 Mbps high-speed Internet service to businesses. The service, which is available in the Twin Cities region, offers upload speed of 15 Mbps and is based on DOCSIS 3.0 technology.


The 100 Mbps service is a comprehensive business solution that includes Microsoft Communication Services productivity suite (Windows SharePoint and Microsoft Outlook email powered by Microsoft Exchange Server ) for no additional fee. In addition, the service includes McAfee's Security Suite software that protects up to 25 PCs from viruses and spyware. There are a range of other Web site hosting, design features and options available as well.
http://www.comcast.com

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Wavesat's LTE Chipset Boasts 100 Mbps Downlink Capability

Wavesat is preparing to launch its new Odyssey 9000 family of LTE chipsets boasting 100 Mbps downlink and 50 Mbps uplink performance for mobile devices such as USB dongles, data cards, mobile handsets and MIDs.

The Odyssey 9000 family of chipsets incorporates a unique hybrid architecture with a combination of highly efficient DSPs and hardware acceleration blocks. Wavesat said it will be able to scale to support CAT-4 (150 Mbps downlink) devices. The first LTE baseband processor in the Odyssey 9000 family, the OD9010, will sample in October 2009, and will come complete with an LTE protocol stack including MAC, RLC, PDCP, RRC and NAS layers, as well as a ready to manufacture reference design. A follow-on dual-mode chip, the OD9050, is scheduled to sample by mid-2010 and will offer both 3G and LTE on the same chipset.
http://www.wavesat.com

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Source Photonics Announces 10GE-PON Solution

Source Photonics announced the industry's first version 10G EPON ONU module in the SFP+ form factor. The module meets the 10/1G Base PRX30 optical interface requirements and SFF-8431 MSA. The transmitter side real time signal strength indication and digital diagnostic interface provide advanced features for module applications. The 10G EPON ONU in the SFP+ form factor is ideal to address the low power consumption requirement of Fiber to the Business/Node/Curb (FTTB/N/C) business applications.


To complete the end-to-end PON solution, Source Photonics also announced the industry's first 10G EPON Optical Line Terminal (OLT) module in the XFP form factor. The transceiver meets MSA standard XFP form factor and 10/1G Base PRX30 optical interface requirements. The module is based on the first 10G EPON XMD BOSA structure in the industry and can support 10G commercial application requirements.
http://www.sourcephotonics.com

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Dell'Oro: Set-top Box Revenues Contract Slightly in Q2 2009

Strength in the satellite and IP set-top box (STB) markets could not offset a contraction in the cable market that caused the overall STB market to decline 2 percent during the second quarter, according to a newly published report from Dell'Oro Group.

The cable market, dominated by North America, is in the midst of a correction after two years of increases fueled primarily by: (1) United States Federal Communications Commission's separable security mandate and (2) increased distribution of lower-end products by cable MSOs wanting to convert analog and terrestrial broadcast consumers to low-end digital cable services.

"Although the cable market took the brunt during the quarter, both cable and satellite operators in North America are experiencing increased competition from telecom/IP operators, as well as suffering from a poor economic environment, in which consumers have been trimming purchases of premium channel and video-on-demand services," said Greg Collins, Vice President at Dell'Oro Group.
http://www.delloro.com

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Dell'Oro: Business VoIP Boosts Carrier IP Telephony in Q2

The carrier IP telephony market rose 7 percent sequentially in the second quarter of 2009, to $737 million, as service providers replenished equipment and license inventories and purchased infrastructure to serve near-term customer needs, according to a recent report from Dell'Oro Group.

According to the report, several smaller market players with limited exposure to large network upgrade projects, such as AudioCodes, MetaSwitch, and Veraz, gained share in the second quarter. Nortel regained the top market position during the quarter; however, some of its larger competitors, such as Huawei and Nokia Siemens, that have a relatively high degree of exposure to large network modernization projects, lost share.

"Although the weak economy and lack of confidence in business conditions have severely reduced spending on network modernization projects, subscriber facing equipment has seen only a modest negative impact, and business voice-over-broadband licenses on both softswitches and voice application servers remain a bright spot," said Greg Collins, Vice President at Dell'Oro Group. "During the quarter, softswitch IP business trunk, including SIP trunk, license shipments increased 33 percent during the second quarter and business voice or IP Centrex license shipments on voice application servers grew 85 percent," he added.


http://www.delloro.com

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Cisco Debuts One Screen, One-Camera TelePresence System

Cisco unveiled a one-screen, one-camera Cisco TelePresence system for multipurpose conference rooms. The system targets branch offices or other areas where deployment over a T-1/E-1 or broadband Internet connection is suitable.
img border="0" src="https://dl.dropbox.com/u/11402824/CND/cisco-telepresence1100.jpg" align="right">

The new Cisco TelePresence System 1100 uses the standard 65-inch plasma screen and fits in small, general-use meeting rooms. When not being used for virtual meetings, it also functions as a high-quality audio conferencing device, as an auxiliary display for presentations, or as a digital sign, utilizing integrated Cisco Digital Media Player functionality.


The Cisco TelePresence System 1100 uses the same industrial design as the Cisco TelePresence System 1300 Series. It interoperates with standards-based video conferencing at SD and HD resolutions, and Web-based conferencing applications such as Cisco WebEx.


Cisco noted that AT&T, BT, Orange, NTT, Tata Communications, Telefonica, Telstra, and most recently Telmex, have all announced commercial intercompany Cisco TelePresence services, enabling the more than 350 organizations that have already selected Cisco TelePresence.
http://www.cisco.com

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Force10 Gains JITC Approval for DoD Networks

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has listed Force10 Networks' Adit 600 Converged Services Access Gateway on the Unified Capabilities Approved Products List (UCAPL). This listing results from extensive security and interoperability certification testing performed by the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) at their Ft. Huachuca, AZ, facility. http://www.force10networks.com

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Opulan and Xelerated Partner on EPON for China

Xelerated and Opulan announced a partnership to deliver EPON solutions for the Chinese market. The alliance combines Xelerated's AX family of programmable Ethernet switches with Opulan's 10G EPON technologies. Designed to meet China Telecom EPON technical specifications, Opulan's EPON OLT device provides advanced broadband access architecture fully in compliance with TR-156 and CTC standards. The Xelerated AX family of Ethernet switches complements this high-speed access with its wirespeed data flow architecture in addition to its programmable packet processing and advanced traffic management support -- presenting an ideal combination for emerging high-volume FTTx deployments in China.
http://www.xelereated.com
http://www.opulan.com

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Infonetics: Mobile Service Revenue to Hit $877 Billion in 2010

Revenue service providers collect from cellular services hit $624 billion in 2008 (up 13% from 2007), and is expected to top $877 billion by 2010, according to a new report from Infonetics. Growth is being fueled largely by mobile broadband, which is expected to more than double in revenue between 2009 and 2013.


Some other highlights of the report:

• While service provider revenue from mobile broadband and SMS/MMS (text messaging / multimedia messaging) services is growing rapidly, voice service continues to make up the large majority of service provider revenue


• Voice service revenue will grow slowly through 2013, driven by continuing mobile subscriber growth in developing countries and the gradual move from fixed to mobile voice in developed countries


• LTE service revenue is forecast to grow fast, reaching $41.7 billion in 2013, with the majority coming from North America by 2012, due to Verizon's then AT&T's LTE deployments


• Asia Pacific leads the mobile broadband race, led by early 3G adopters in Australia, Japan, and South Korea


• By 2013, W-CDMA/HSPA service revenue will be almost 5 times that of CDMA 1xEV-DO, as the majority of worldwide mobile subscribers are on GSM networks


• The number of mobile broadband subscribers is forecast by Infonetics to hit 1 billion by 2013

"There is no question that mobile broadband services represent the next big wave of revenue for mobile operators. But make no mistake: voice service is not going away and will keep its lion's share of operator revenue for the foreseeable future, even as mobile operators diversify revenue streams," observes Stéphane Téral, principal analyst for carrier and data center networks at Infonetics Research.
http://www.infonetics.com

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Verizon Operations Center Earns Energy Star Rating

Verizon's operations center in Basking Ridge, N.J., has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star rating, the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection.


To qualify, the 1.4 million-square-foot facility, which houses about 3,000 employees, had to place among the top 25 percent of the most energy-efficient facilities in the U.S. Commercial buildings that earn the Energy Star rating use an average of 40 percent less energy than typical buildings and release 35 percent less CO2. Verizon's Basking Ridge facility uses temperature sensors and energy-management systems to monitor heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Other automated lighting systems are in place.


Verizon noted that it now operates 46 Energy Star-rated facilities, including many retail stores across the country.
http://newscenter.verizon.com

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ShoreTel Offers Skype-for-SIP Interoperability

Skype and ShoreTel, announced interoperability between ShoreTel's UC system and the beta version of Skype for SIP. ShoreTel is the world's first UC vendor to achieve interoperability with Skype for SIP. The nearly 11,000 ShoreTel enterprise customers can now register to try Skype for SIP in beta, giving them the opportunity to save money, save time and stay ahead by integrating Skype into their communications portfolios.


Skype for SIP allows ShoreTel's business customers and their employees to receive inbound calls through their ShoreTel SIP-enabled UC system from more than 400 million registered Skype users around the world at no cost to the Skype user. In addition, organizations using ShoreTel can reduce their costs further by directing outbound calls from devices connected to the ShoreTel UC system via Skype for SIP to landlines and mobile devices worldwide at low Skype rates. Organizations that use ShoreTel with Skype for SIP may also purchase and associate online Skype numbers, currently available in more than 25 countries, with their ShoreTel UC system to receive inbound calls from landline and mobile phones. http://www.skypeforsip.com
http://www.shoretel.com

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AT&T Confirms HSPA 7.2 Rollout in Six Cities in '09

AT&T confirmed its rollout plans for High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology, saying it will begin deployment of HSPA 7.2 in six major U.S. cities, including Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami, with initial service availability expected in these markets by the end of the year. All told, the company plans to deploy HSPA 7.2 in 25 of the nation's 30 largest markets by the end of 2010, and to reach about 90 percent of its existing 3G network footprint with HSPA 7.2 by the end of 2011. The upgraded network platform allows for theoretical peak speeds of 7.2Mbps. Typical real-world downlink and uplink speeds will be lower.


AT&T expects to have six HSPA 7.2-compatible smartphones in its device portfolio by the end of the year, as well as two new LaptopConnect cards.


To support its HSPA 7.2 initiative, AT&T is deploying additional backhaul capacity to cell sites. This backhaul capacity, including thousands of new connections this year, is being designed to support not only HSPA 7.2, but also 4G LTE, which AT&T plans to begin trialing in 2010 and deploying in 2011.


"Our deployment of HSPA 7.2 and supporting backhaul connectivity will enable our customers to continue to ride the leading edge of emerging devices and thousands of mobile applications," said John Stankey, president and CEO, AT&T Operations. "Our network is based on the predominant technology platform used by operators worldwide and has been tested by today's most popular devices. That experience gives us an important advantage in developing and deploying new technologies to meet customers' future needs."


The HSPA network upgrades are part of the company's stated plans to invest between $17 billion and $18 billion this year, more than two-thirds of which is going toward broadband and wireless. Other key projects include:

• An initiative to substantially expand the wireless spectrum serving 3G customers in hundreds of markets across the country, using high-quality 850 MHz spectrum.


• Addition of about 2,000 new cell sites in 2009


• Enabling widespread access to the AT&T Wi-Fi network -- the largest in the country with more than 20,000 hotspots in all 50 states


• Preparation for field trials of 4G LTE wireless networks next year

http://www.att.com/networknews

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Motorola Unveils its Evolved Packet Core for LTE

Motorola introduced its LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC) solution - the Wireless Broadband Core (WBC) 700 portfolio -- designed to give network operators the flexibility, performance and capacity they'll need to effectively operate their future LTE networks.


The Motorola WBC 700 solution is comprised of Motorola's mobility management entity (MME), packet and serving gateways (P-GW and S-GW), and a policy and charging rules function server (PCRF).


Motorola's WBC 700 solution leverages a dedicated control and bearer core architecture. The company said it is engineered to scale independently for data traffic or mobility in line with the EPC standard functional architecture. The MME leverages Motorola's hardware, software and expertise gained from its CDMA IP-BSC DO and mobile IP controller.


Motorola's WBC 700 solution also features best-in-breed elements from third-party companies, including a purpose-built intelligent multi-technology gateway platform which serves as both the P-GW and S-GW, and a PCRF that uses a smart approach to policy enforcement to deliver a compelling end-to-end EPC solution.


"LTE will be about personal media, with the ability to access all of your content, share it and take it with you wherever you go," said Fred Gabbard, vice president, product management, Wireless Networks, Home & Networks Mobility. "Building upon Motorola's mobile broadband experience in OFDM network deployments, Motorola's WBC 700 portfolio completes our end-to-end LTE solution, enabling us to provide a seamless and flexible path to LTE with a high degree of future proofing for the service provider at a reduced cost of ownership."


Motorola expects its EPC solution to be available in late 2009.
http://www.motorola.com

• Earlier this summer, Motorola announced that it has been selected by KDDI as a key development vendor to help develop and implement KDDI's nationwide LTE network.



• Motorola's LTE solution is comprised of its OFDM broadband platform and a selection of radio options that include MIMO and smart antennas. It also features Motorola's advanced self-organizing network (SON) solution. Motorola's WBR 500 series LTE eNodeB offers flexible deployment options with frame based-mounted radios, remote radio heads and tower top radios to support a wide variety of LTE deployment scenarios across numerous spectrum bands to meet the needs of the global market. Motorola's LTE portfolio also includes the EPC, backhaul, network management solutions, video solutions that monetize LTE investment, and a portfolio of professional services.

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