Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Portugal Telecom Posts Flat Revenues for 2009

In 2009, Portugal Telecom's consolidated operating revenues amounted to Euro 6,785 million, up by 0.9% y.o.y, while EBITDA reached Euro 2,502 million, up also by 0.9% y.o.y. EBITDA margin stood at 36.9% in 2009. Adjusting for the effects of the consolidation of Telemig, lower mobile termination rates (MTRs) and using constant exchange
rate, consolidated operating revenues and EBITDA would have grown by 2.3% and 2.0% y.o.y respectively.


The company reported a net gain of Euro 267 million on the sale of its interests in Meditel, the Moroccan operator.


Some highlights from the annual report:

  • Growth in "Meo" triple-play services offset continued fixed line deactivations. Portugal Telecom's wireline operating revenues increased by 0.8% y.o.y, from Euro 1,931 million to Euro 1,948 million. Retail revenues posted a 1.8% y.o.y increase, from Euro 953 million to Euro 971 million.


  • Retail net additions reached 325 thousand in 2009, driven by the success of PT's Meo triple-play offer,
    decelerating fixed line disconnections and gain in broadband market share.


  • ADSL retail customers increased by 21.5% y.o.y in 2009, reaching 862 thousand customers. Broadband retail net additions reached 152 thousand in 2009 compared to 73 thousand in 2008


  • Pay-TV net additions reached 269 thousand in 2009 and total pay-TV customers stood at 581 thousand, equivalent to 67.4% penetration of the ADSL retail customer base.


  • Retail RGU per access increased by 12.2% y.o.y in 2009 from 1.36 to 1.53.


  • In 2009, TMN's operating revenues decreased by 4.8% y.o.y to Euro 1,518 million, mainly due to the negative
    impact of lower MTRs (Euro 62 million) and lower equipment sales (Euro 15 million), which more than offset
    growth in customer revenues (+0.5% y.o.y in 2009) underpinned by growth in post paid customers and data
    revenues.


  • In Brazil, Vivo's mobile customer base in Q4 2009 increased by 15.1% y.o.y to 51,744 thousand, surpassing the 50 million customer mark during December. GSM and 3G accounted for 43,504 thousand customers at the end of
    December 2009, equivalent to 84.1% of total customers (+14.9pp y.o.y).
http://www.telecom.pthttp://

NTT Com Expands Global IP-VPN in Russia with TTC

NTT Communications and Company TTK, which operates Russia's largest fiber-optic network, have interconnected their IP-VPN services.


The strategic partnership between NTT Com and TTK began with a memorandum of understanding signed in 2006 to develop data networks, which resulted in the construction and launch of the Hokkaido-Sakhalin Cable System, a 570 km, 640 gigabit/second undersea fiber-optic cable linking Ishikari, Hokkaido, and Nevelsk, Sakhalin, the shortest route between Japan and Russia.


"NTT Communications has been working aggressively to support the global expansion of multinational enterprises by providing them with a growing range of high-quality services," said NTT Com's Yosuke Seki, Vice President of Service Development in the Global Business Division. "Russia is a key emerging market for our customers, a main reason why we established NTT Communications Russia in January 2009. TTK, of course, has been a strategic partner of ours since 2006, when we began collaborating on the Hokkaido-Sakhalin Cable System. The interconnection of our IP-VPN services now enables us to provide fully managed ICT services throughout Russia in support of our customers' ICT optimization initiatives."http://www.ntt.com

Verizon Spends $1.16 Billion in 2009 in CA for Network Projects

Verizon invested $1.167 billion in wired network and wireless network expansion and enhancement programs throughout California in 2009. Verizon invested $682 million in its wired network and $485 million in its wireless network.


Verizon built new FiOS network facilities reaching nearly 166,000 more households, expanding availability of its FiOS TV and FiOS Internet services to more than 1.15 million premises in more than 85 cities and communities across Southern California. FiOS services are now available to more than 1 million single-family homes, nearly 90,000 apartments and condominiums, and more than 46,000 businesses.
http://www.verizon.comhttp://

ITOCHU to Resell Extreme Networks in Japan

ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) of Japan has become an Extreme Networks' Solution Partner in Japan.


Extreme Networks' said this strategic reseller agreement with CTC, Japan's premier technology integration company with $3B in annual sales, is part of its evolution of its partner strategy in Japan.
http://www.extremenetworks.comhttp://

AT&T Sets Eco-Friendly Standards for Handsets

AT&T will require mobile handset suppliers to follow a new set of eco-friendly standards.


The first step is to reduce plastic and paper in the mobile phone packaging. For example, the packaging for batteries and data cables will change from plastic "clam shell"-style packaging to small, recyclable paper boxes. The packaging for protective phone cases and car chargers will change to slimmer packaging.


This change will eliminate more than 60 percent of the paper and more than 30 percent of the plastic previously used for accessory products. In addition to containing less paper and plastic, the improved accessory packaging will be printed using non-petroleum-based inks. AT&T estimates that the packaging improvements for device chargers, cases, batteries and data cables will help to avoid more than 200 tons of wasted plastic and paper in 2010.


In addition, AT&T reiterated several significant environmental requirements for handsets that were first announced last year. These requirements begin to take effect for new wireless phones this year. These include:

  • Suppliers will be required to reduce packaging, use non-petroleum based inks and use recycled materials for in-box documentation of new devices.


  • Seventy-five percent of new devices will be at least 65 percent recyclable. By weight, most of the new phones AT&T sells will be made of materials that can be recycled when the phones are retired.


  • A majority of new devices will comply with the GSMA Universal Charging Solution. This will allow consumers to use a single, more energy-efficient charger with most new devices.


  • All new devices will be compliant with the European Unions' Restriction of Hazardous Substances mandate. This directive restricts the use of lead, mercury, and other hazardous materials used in electronic equipment.


  • Suppliers will be required to assert that all devices delivered to AT&T have avoided virgin materials mined in conflict zones within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
http://www.att.com

Marvell Posts Q4 Revenue of $843 Million, up 5% Sequentially

Marvell Technology posted net revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 of $843 million, a 64 percent increase from $513 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, ended January 31, 2009, and a 5 percent sequential increase from $803 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2010, ended October 31, 2009.


Net revenue for the fiscal year ended January 30, 2010 was $2.81 billion, a decrease of 5 percent over reported net revenue of $2.95 billion for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2009.


GAAP net income was $205 million, or $0.31 per share (diluted), for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, compared with a GAAP net loss of $65 million, or $0.11 per share (diluted), for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009. GAAP net income in the third quarter of fiscal 2010 was $202 million, or $0.31 per share (diluted).


"The results for our fourth quarter and fiscal year bring to a close one of the most challenging but successful years for Marvell," said Dr. Sehat Sutardja, Marvell's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. http://www.marvell.com

Alcatel-Lucent Appoints Jules Meunier as head of W-CDMA/HSPA

Alcatel-Lucent has appointed Jules Meunier to lead its W-CDMA/HSPA product unit. Jules will report to Wim Sweldens, president of the company's Wireless Networks Product Division. Meunier previously served with Nortel Networks for two decades, helping shape the company's direction as its chief technical officer and as head of its wireless business. He also held senior positions in Nortel's wired, wireless and optical communications divisions. After leaving Nortel in 2001 he became president and CEO of Boston-based ProQuent Systems. Meunier has also served on a number of company boards, including Spectrum Signal Processing, Inc. and Zarlink Semiconductors, Inc. and has served on the board of DigiBC, the 250-member Wireless Innovation Network society of British Columbia.
http://www.alcatel-lucent.comhttp://

Alcatel-Lucent Notes DSL Milestone -- 200 Million Lines Shipped

Alcatel-Lucent noted a significant milestone -- the company has now shipped over 200 million DSL lines to date.


Alcatel-Lucent's 200 millionth DSL line shipped is a VDSL2 line that will be part of Telefónica's global network transformation project. Alcatel-Lucent's VDSL2 technology enables Telefónica to offer to its customers a wide array of advanced services.
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

Ciena Reports Revenue of $176 Million, Delays

Ciena reported revenue for its fiscal first quarter 2010 (ended 31-Jan-2010) of $175.9 million, which compares to $167.4 million for the fiscal first quarter 2009.


Ciena's net loss (GAAP) for the fiscal first quarter 2010 was $(53.3) million, or $(0.58) per common share, which compares to a GAAP net loss of $(24.8) million, or $(0.27) per diluted common share for the fiscal first quarter of 2009.


"Revenue recognition delays associated with initial deployments of new platforms with certain customers adversely impacted fiscal first quarter revenue," said Gary Smith, Ciena's CEO and president."However, with strong order flow in the quarter we remain encouraged by continued signs of an improving market environment."


"Based on our current view of the business, we anticipate that our fiscal second quarter revenue will be in the range of $185 million to $195 million," stated Smith. "We also expect that as-adjusted gross margin will be within our target range of mid to high 40s, and as-adjusted operating expense exclusive of integration costs will be roughly flat with that of our first fiscal quarter."


Ciena also confirmed that its acquisition of Nortel's MEN division is now expected to close by end of March.
http://www.ciena.com

Level 3 Wins Contract with U.S. Dept. of State

The U.S. Department of State awarded a multiyear contract to Level3 Communications to provide metro network services. Level 3 will deliver services under the Washington Interagency Telecommunications Services (WITS 3) contract that negotiates telecommunications services on behalf of all federal agencies operating within the National Capital Region (NCR). Specifically, Level 3 will provide Internet connectivity to 17 locations within the NCR, including the State Department headquarters in Washington, D.C. http://www.level3.comhttp://

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Offers Cybersecurity Challenge

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary is launching a National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign Challenge to solicit ideas from industry and individuals on how to most effectively educate the American public on cybersecurity. The best and most creative ideas will be gathered and publicly shared. Proposals should be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security by April 30, 2010. Winners of the Challenge will be invited to an event in Washington, D.C., in late spring. They will also partner with the Department to lead in the planning and launch of the campaign during Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October.
http://www.dhs.gov/cyberchallengehttp://

The OIF Showcases 100G Components

A the OFC/NFOEC conference in San Diego later this month, the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) will host a showcase of components, modules, and/or other hardware supporting the OIF Physical and Link Layer 100G projects. This will focus on Integrated Photonics Transmitters and Receivers, Forward Error Correction, and Transponders.


OIF member companies that will be participating include Fujitsu Optical Components, NEC, NeoPhotonics, Opnext, Picometrix, Sumitomo Osaka Cement, TriQuint Semiconductor, u2t, and Vitesse Semiconductor.


The OIF noted that its 100G projects cover a number of building blocks for long haul DWDM networks. The Integrated Photonics Transmitter and Receiver projects will define partitioning of photonics sub-components and prepare for a future MSA. The Transponder-Electromechanical project is an MSA for defining a successor to the industry standard 300-pin transponder. The Forward Error Correction project will provide a common basis for a FEC encoder and recommend an upper limit for coding overhead for the 100G optical long haul DWDM communication space.
http://www.oiforum.comhttp://