Tollgrade to Offer Accanto's Service Assurance Solutions

Tollgrade Communications announced an OEM agreement with the Finland-based Accanto Systems, a leading supplier of advanced Customer Service Assurance and troubleshooting solutions to communications service providers.


Tollgrade will now offer Accanto's line of 'intelligent customer service assurance' products as well as its own next generation service assurance portfolio and its recently introduced Stratum test and diagnostics solution.


Accanto's suite of products, including advanced multi-protocol analyzers and network monitoring systems which support mobile and VOIP applications, will be marketed and supported under the Tollgrade brand name and will be available where Tollgrade has a significant presence and embedded base in centralized testing systems around the world.
http://www.tollgrade.com

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Hitachi Introduces 100Gbps Optical Transport Platform

Hitachi Communication Technologies America introduced its next generation, 100 Gbps optical transport platform. Hitachi said its AMN6400 platform is based on true Packet/Optical architecture, and includes optical layer ROADM/WSS and hybrid packet/OTN switching. The platform supports metro applications such as services aggregation and translation, and long-haul functions such as OTN switching, advanced ULH optics, and MPLS-TP features -- all from a single platform. Initial versions of the AMN6400 platform will be available for evaluation in late 2009, with commercial availability in the second quarter, 2010.
http://www.hitachi.com

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BridgeWave's Gains EU Certification for its 80 GHz

BridgeWave Communications' FlexPort 80 GHz TDM+IP multi-gigabit wireless platform has received Notified Body Expert Opinion (NBEO) validating its performance conforms with the European R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC. This Directive covers essential requirements for Safety, RF Exposure, EMC and Radio Spectrum necessary for placing the product on the European market.


BridgeWave's FlexPort millimeter wave product is the second product within its family to receive the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) certification. Last year, the company demonstrated compliance of its Gigabit Ethernet 80 GHz systems with the ETSI Draft Recommendation EN 302 217-3 V1.3.1 on its first day of publication.
http://www.bridgewave.com

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RAD Introduces Carrier Ethernet Demarc Device

RAD Data Communications introduced a Carrier Ethernet demarcation device that delivers SLA-based Layer 2 and Layer 3 business services to the customer premises over native Ethernet access. It provides delineation between the user network and the transport network for those services, as well as for mobile backhaul.


RAD's ETX-204A transports up to one gigabit of user throughput with differentiated quality of service and end-to-end monitoring to ensure SDH/SONET-like performance and 99.999 percent reliability. The device smoothly handles multi-priority traffic while ensuring latency, jitter, and packet delivery performance on a per-flow basis.


RAD also features a "SyncToP" timing over packet (ToP) that delivers clock recovery and distribution using IEEE 1588v2 (1588-2005) Precision Timing Protocol, Synchronous Ethernet (Sync-E) and a built-in input/output clock interface. It also provides unique flexibility in supporting the simultaneous use of different clock transfer methodologies, such as employing 1588v2 to receive the clock from the network and distributing it to the cell-site with Sync-E.
http://www.rad.com

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MRV Debuts LambdaDriver IP Switching Module

MRV Communications announced the first shipment of its LambdaDriver OPN 800/1600, a packet switching blade that forms the core of MRV's packet optical transport (P-OTS) network system. The new blade features eight Gigabit Ethernet, either small form-factor pluggable (SFP) or copper ports for access network connections and two 10-Gigabit Ethernet XFP-based ports for connection to the backbone network.


MRV highlights a number of enhanced operations, administration and maintenance (OAM) and end-to-end optical packet service management capabilities, including unique integration of MPLS packets and GMPLS optical transport control plane with carrier Ethernet OAM, including: IEEE 802.3ah, 802.1ag and ITU-T Y.1731. The module sub 50ms recovery time.
http://www.sourcephotonics.com
http://www.mrv.com

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PMC-Sierra and Entropic Demo 1G and 10G EPON

PMC-Sierra and Entropic Communications are collaborating to develop a solution for delivering >100 Mbps broadband connectivity to each customer in MSO fiber deployments. The partnership combines PMC-Sierra's high-speed standard-compliant EPON and 10G EPON solutions and Entropic's Access solution.


The seamless fiber to coax solution uses PMC-Sierra's PAS8011 10G EPON OLT, which serves up to 32 ONUs and terminates to Entropic's Access network controller, which supports up to 63 homes with >100 Mbps of aggregate throughput over the existing coaxial network.
http://www.pmc-sierra.com
http://www.entropic.com

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Exar Introduces SONET/SDH 40G Framer

Exar Corporation introduced high-density SONET/SDH framers that deliver 40G of bandwidth in a single device. The new Tethys II devices can be coupled with Optical Transport Network (OTN) devices to enable next-generation line cards for optical networking. The Tethys II devices are single-chip solutions that integrate functions previously requiring several components, including aggregation of up to 16 channels of traffic, serializing/deserializing, pointer processing, clock and data recovery, as well as transport overhead (TOH) and path overhead (POH) processing. The PEB2756 supports four OC-192/STM-64 channels. The PEB2757 supports four OC-192/STM-64, sixteen OC-48/STM-1, sixteen OC-12/STM-4, or sixteen OC-3/STM-1 channels, which can be mixed in any combination. Both devices support aggregate throughput up to 40 Gbps while meeting the most stringent SONET/SDH jitter requirements.
http://www.exar.com

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GSMA Sees Big Opportunity for Off-Grid Charging for Mobiles - 500M Potential Users

The GSMA estimates there are 485 million mobile users without access to the electricity grid, a factor which severely limits usage opportunities. In a newly published report entitled Charging Choices, the GSMA forecasts a US$2.3 billion opportunity for mobile operators through the provision of off-grid charging solutions such as solar phones or external solar chargers in emerging markets.


"We are extremely excited that operators are able to provide people in off-grid areas with solutions to power mobile phones, as this will not only improve quality of life and access to information but can also act as a unique and significant opportunity to fuel economic growth," said David Taverner, GPM Programme Manager, GSMA.


The research has found that there is significant interest in off grid solutions - 60% of mobile operators interviewed already have or are exploring off-grid charging initiatives - but there is currently only limited understanding about the full scope of options and the associated social and business benefits. Pioneers Digicel and Safaricom, however, have demonstrated how the consumer, the environment and the mobile operator can reap the benefits of off-grid charging solutions.
http://www.gsmworld.com

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Plaster Networks Unveils its Powerline In-Home Networking

Plaster Networks, a start-up based in Menlo Park, California, introduced its Powerline solution for delivering music, videos, and other multimedia content using existing electrical wiring within the home.


Plaster Networks combines intelligent powerline adapters based on the HomePlug AV standard with a web-based service for remotely managing and configuring the home network. The Plaster Networks solution also includes powerline isolators that can filter unwanted noise, improving network reliability and performance.


Combined with Plaster Networks Service, the company's PLN3 powerline adapters allow users to see the throughput capacity of their powerline network instantly through a standard browser. And in many cases the Service can help identify where to install Plaster Networks isolators to optimize performance.
http://www.plasternetworks.com

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ECI Builds Managed Services Portfolio with Optimization Tools

ECI Telecom is expanding its portfolio of professional services with a suite of new tools for network planning, maintenance and operation. The new software tools include:


1. Network Design Platform (NDP) -- ECI's new, vendor-agnostic planning and design tool supports multiple technologies, such as fiber, WDM, TDM, Ethernet and MPLS.


2. LightPlan -- Developed for WDM network planning, simulation and documentation, ECI's LightPlan enables efficient and streamlined network planning workflows and uniform views of all network layers, technologies and platforms in use.


3. Site Planner -- ECI's Site Planner provides configuration and documentation for all the network elements in ECI's product portfolio.


With these new tools, ECI is introducing the following new professional services:

• Network Design -- the Network Design service helps operators introduce new services and improve time-to-market while avoiding high-cost disruptive migrations. This service helps network operators assess and design an optimum network architecture that addresses operational as well as strategic growth requirements.



• Network Audit -- ECI's Network Audit service enables service providers to continuously analyze and track changes in existing network elements, without compromising future plans for design and installation of new elements. The Network Audit service delivers a view of the provider's network infrastructure and equipment to facilitate the decision-making process and greatly improve resource planning, utilization and allocation.



• Traffic Analysis and Optimization -- ECI's Traffic Analysis and Optimization service brings ease of operation to the day-to-day monitoring of critical metrics relating to network stability, capacity and utilization. It provides in-depth traffic analysis and enables the necessary fine-tuning for optimal network performance and investment protection.

In addition, ECI announced that it has been appointed by Vodafone Essar in India to perform in-depth network analysis and consultancy services. With the Network Design Platform (NDP), ECI identified key areas for optimization and laid out a plan for a smooth, efficient migration to NGN.
http://www.ecitele.com

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Infineon's Lantiq Spinoff to Acquire Aware's Assets

Lantiq, a new fabless semiconductor company being spun out from Infineon Technologies, has agreed to acquire the home networking and DSL-related assets of Aware for $6.75 million. Aware, which is based in Bedford, Mass., has a long history in DSL silicon and OFDM/DMT technology. Over the years the company has developed strong competence in home networking solutions including ITU-T G.hn. As part of the deal, Lantiq will gain access and ownership of Aware's DSL and home networking IP including certain patents. In the future, Aware and Lantiq will continue to maintain close cooperation in the area of embedded wireline diagnostics.
In addition, Lantiq will establish a technical competence center in Massachusetts, where a team of experienced engineers will drive innovation in the emerging home networking market.


"This acquisition is another milestone for Lantiq as we expand our portfolio and proactively drive the emerging home networking market", said Christian Wolff, designated CEO of Lantiq. "We envision connected homes using wireline home networking where service and utility providers can add value with multimedia and smart energy control."

Going forward, Aware will focus on DSL test and diagnostics opportunities, strategic monetization of its patent portfolio and its biometrics and imaging business.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2009 and is subject to the closing of the acquisition of Infineon's Wireline Division Communications by Golden Gate Capital/Lantiq.
http://www.infineon.com/cms/ww/lantiq/index.html

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Cisco Debuts 2nd Gen Integrated Services Routers

Cisco introduced the second generation of its Integrated Services Router (the ISR G2) and outlined a five-phase plan designed "to help deliver services and applications to anyone, anywhere, on any device, at anytime - seamlessly, reliably, and securely."


Cisco's new "Borderless Networks" architecture combines Cisco's routing, switching, wireless, and security technologies into a more tightly integrated networking infrastructure that allows businesses to embrace the growing use of video, collaborative applications, and other networked services and deliver them across their enterprises. Cisco said its Borderless Networks concept would help information technology managers more easily manage, scale, govern, and protect networks while tightening the synergy between users, devices, applications, and business processes.


The Cisco ISR G2 portfolio offers as much as five times the performance of its predecessor. More than 7 million units of the original Cisco ISR have been sold since its introduction in 2004. The new generation is aimed at addressing the major trends in enterprise networking, including:


Business video: Cisco forecasts business video adoption will climb to 77.6 percent by 2012 (Cisco VNI Research).


Service virtualization with an "on-demand" service delivery: Borderless Networks solutions decouple hardware and software so that virtual services can be remotely deployed and managed. The ISR G2 implements this with the Services-Ready Engine, which lets businesses dynamically deploy services in branches without costly onsite support. The ISR G2 Services Module comes with up to 1 terabyte of on-board storage, which is useful for video surveillance deployments, and supports up to seven times the performance of previous network modules.


Operational savings: The Borderless Networks architecture delivers Cisco EnergyWise across multiple platforms to enable organizations to better manage their power consumption and costs through increased visibility and policy-based controls. ISR G2 extends this capability to the branch office with a new family of integrated EnergyWise compliant switch modules and slot-based power control.


The borderless experience: The Borderless Networks architecture breaks down boundaries between location, device, and application. As applications and services are increasingly offered and consumed from beyond the enterprise perimeter, a new approach will be required. The ISR G2 enables sophisticated premise-based services while extending mobility, security, and performance to users, no matter where the user or application is located.


The Cisco ISR G2 portfolio of routers includes:

• Cisco 3900 Series Integrated Services Router: the flagship of the ISR G2 portfolio, these routers.



• Cisco 2900 Series Integrated Services Router: the midrange of the ISR G2 portfolio



• Cisco 1900 Series Integrated Services Router: a compact-modular router delivering a broad set of connectivity options including new 802.11n wireless local-area network capabilities



• Cisco IOS Release 15: a new software version delivering enhanced security, voice, manageability and IP services



• ASR 1002-F Router: a new platform for its Aggregation Services Router delivering small-scale highly secure WAN aggregation and private WAN and Internet Edge for Borderless Networks.

http://www.cisco.com

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One Minute video: IP Service Testing

http://www.mudynamics.com

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