AT&T's suffered a widespread outage of its U-Verse residential voice service beginning on Tuesday morning. Most of the service was restored on Tuesday afternoon. AT&T has approximately 1.15 million U-verse voice customers. http://www.att.com
Aricent introduced its Broad Daylight product development program created specifically for small and mid-sized telecommunications equipment manufacturers to hasten their entry into new telecom equipment markets such as LTE, Home Networking, Data Center Ethernet and Cloud Computing.
Aricent's Broad DayLight offers technology consulting, product design, pre-packaged software frameworks and product development services for equipment manufacturers. The company noted that design activity has picked up across the industry this year as the economic situation has improved and network traffic demands have continued to accelerate. New product categories are emerging across the telecom equipment market and manufacturers are in a race to exploit these opportunities. Aricent believes its Broad DayLight program provides a strategic advantage in time-to-market and technical expertise.
Some of the key product categories that Aricent has helped develop include femtocells, WiMAX and LTE base stations, next generation metro network development, IP Backhaul, solutions, green networks and micro telecom.
"Thousands of companies today are pursuing the global surge in telecom equipment spending being driven by multimedia services, new classes of connected devices and mobile broadband," said Keith Higgins, senior vice president of marketing at Aricent. "Extreme cost pressures, rigid time to market objectives and significant technology complexities have created a clear need for an experienced partner who can assist these companies from product concept to commercialization success. Aricent is the first company to address this underserved market in a fundamentally unique way."http://www.aricent.com/broaddaylight
AT&T has launched a Wi-Fi hotzone in New York City's Times Square to provide an additional mobile broadband option in an area with consistently high 3G traffic and mobile data use. The company said it is considering deploying Wi-Fi in similar high-traffic sites across the country.
The AT&T hotspot is installed in the north central part of Times Square, near 7th Avenue between 45th and 47th Street, and can be accessed by AT&T smartphone, 3G LaptopConnect and broadband customers using any Wi-Fi enabled device at no additional charge.
"With this pilot AT&T Wi-Fi hotzone, we're examining new ways to combine our Wi-Fi and 3G networks to help ensure that AT&T customers in Times Square always have a fast mobile broadband connection to do what matters most to them," said John Donovan, AT&T chief technology officer.
Netflix has selected Microsoft PlayReady technology and the Protected Interoperable File Format (PIFF) for use in new Netflix ready devices and applications. Netflix already uses the Microsoft technology for streaming on Windows-based PCs and Macs. The company expects the first Netflix ready devices beyond computers to incorporate Microsoft PlayReady as early as this summer.
Microsoft PlayReady DRM can be applied to various forms of digital content, including videos, games and images, and a wide range of audio and video formats, including MPEG Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), AAC+, Enhanced AAC+, H.264, Windows Media Audio (WMA) and Windows Media Video (WMV). Microsoft PlayReady also provides features, such as service domains and embedded licenses for offline viewing. http://www.netflix.com http://www.microsoft.com
KDDI has deployed Motorola's HD IPTV set-top (model VIP2060 ) for its "au Hikari" service, which supports 1 Gbps fiber broadband connections. The Motorola VIP2060 is am IPTV set-top with a built-in 500 GB HDD to support DVR functionality. Its standard quad tuner enables users to watch and record IPTV programs provided by KDDI as well as terrestrial and satellite (BS/110CS) broadcast services via a connected external antenna, with support for both Japanese broadcasting standards -- ISDB-T and ISDB-S. Advanced media capabilities include simultaneous recording, time-shifted viewing, delayed playback, trick play DVR capabilities and transcoding of MPEG-2 & MPEG-4 AVC video. http://www.motorola.comhttp://
Verizon Global Wholesale's VoIP minutes of use grew more than 200 percent in 2009, compared with the previous year.
"Since we launched our VoIP portfolio 10 years ago, we've seen steady growth reflecting customer desire for reliable, cost-effective IP voice services," said Mike Millegan, president of Verizon Global Wholesale. "And, as this market grows, we continue to add new VoIP services while enhancing our existing portfolio."
Verizon confirmed plans to deploy more robust VoIP network interfaces in Europe this year. Other VoIP features planned in 2010 are support of Caller-Provided CLI (Caller Line Identity) and greater integration into customer portals.
Caller-Provided CLI is a caller ID feature that allows a main phone number to appear as the called ID even when a call is made from an extension, branch office, or home-based agent. This feature allows businesses that have staff at more than one office to present a more uniform presence when communicating with their customers. http://www.verizonbusiness.com
Sprint has expanded its U.S. Ethernet footprint to Central and Northern New Jersey, Stockton, Calif., and Baltimore, Md., and has deepened its coverage in 10 U.S. markets. The carrier now offers Ethernet access in 28 markets nationwide and 35 countries globally. Sprint expects to further enhance and expand coverage in an additional 16 U.S. markets later this year.
Sprint's Ethernet access solution connects from the customer's premises to the Sprint Global MPLS or DIA networks using an Ethernet local loop. Speeds range from 2 Mbps to 1 Gbps, subject to market availability. http://www.sprint.com
Force10 Networks' ExaScale E-Series virtualized core switch/router will be integrated into IBM's iDataPlex servers and Intelligent Cluster. IBM will also provide support for the ExaScale switch/routers -- including implementation and technical support -- for enterprise customers worldwide. http://www.ibm.com http://www.force10networks.com
ASSIA, which supplies software for Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) of DSL networks, noted that it has now established sales with U.S. service providers representing 80% of the nation's DSL footprint. ASSIA's U.S. customers collectively provide DSL service to 27 million subscribers.
"We are extremely pleased with our customer traction over the past year," said Dr. John Cioffi, Chairman and CEO of ASSIA. "DSL service providers are increasingly recognizing the significant value that ASSIA can bring to their DSL networks. ASSIA is very active in serving customers on four continents and expects to further increase its penetration of the North American market in the next year."http://www.assia-inc.com
ASSIA stands for Adaptive Spectrum and Signal Alignment Incorporated.
ASSIA is headed by Dr. John Cioffi, a veteran of the DSL industry, having served as founder, CTO and Vice President of Engineering at Amati prior to its acquisition by TI in 1997. Dr. Cioffi also held a tenured endowed professorship at Stanford University in the Department of Electrical Engineering from 1985-2009, where he is now an active Professor Emeritus with small research efforts there in broadband access.
The measured power consumption of Nokia Siemens Networks' Flexi EDGE Base Station in a typical configuration, with three sectors and four carriers per sector, averages 978 watts in a basic mode of operation. With software energy saving features, high performance can be maintained but power consumption can be reduced to 833 watts. In some instances this can be further reduced to 562 watts with a reduced configuration of two, instead of four, carriers per sector. Energy efficiency is critical as around 90 percent of the energy consumption of a cellular network comes from base stations.
These ratings conform to new technical specifications published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). A key aim of this technical specification was to define reference base station configurations and load levels so that everyone in the industry can measure base station power consumption in a similar way. The specification takes into account different measurement conditions such as temperature, pressure and humidity.
Nokia Siemens Network said it is the first vendor to report wireless access network energy efficiency according to the ETSI specificationhttp://www.nsn.com
BT is enhancing its Onevoice unified communications service by opening up its network and integrating capabilities of its Ribbit platform.
Ribbit, a Silicon Valley-based start-up that BT acquired in 2008, operates a softswitching infrastructure that ties advanced voice services into web applications.
The integration with BT Onevoice connects the worlds of the web and traditional corporate voice networks, providing corporate users with a single direct dial phone number for all incoming and outgoing calls from wherever they are in the world.
Users will be able to define how calls are routed through the Onevoice VPN to reach them if they are away from their office. Calls will be delivered on-net to other sites directly to the Ribbit softphone or via the nearest PSTN breakout point to any number globally, minimizing international call costs. Users can choose to have multiple device options for making and receiving calls through the Onevoice network offering significant call savings on mobile bills.
The cloud-based service includes a soft-phone which gives users easy access to a range of advanced call features for calling any BT Onevoice on-net number, according to their corporate dial-plan, in addition to off-net public numbers. Enterprise calls can be originated from a soft-phone, and all on net numbers and services such as BT Conferencing audio bridges can be accessed at a fraction of the cost of a mobile or hotel phone call.
The user's ‘One Number' can also be directed to multiple end points or devices which can easily be moved or changed, so that multiple end points or devices can be reached and even ring simultaneously. Onevoice Ribbit v1.0 offers a portal for users to set up and administer the service for themselves, including the configuration of end-user devices, call forwarding rules, conference speed dials and speed-dial favorites. Users will also be able to view call logs, manage passwords and voicemail including speech-to-text transcriptions. The transcription is sent as text to email or SMS, and the recording is attached to emails so users can listen to the voice mail.
The service will be released to selected customers in beta this summer, with full release expected by the end of this year.
U.S. Congressional leaders are calling for new legislation to update the nation's communications laws, particularly in wake the the recent court ruling that overturned the FCC's authority to regulate Comcast's network management practices.
The initiative is supported by Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Rep. Henry A. Waxman, the Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Senator John F. Kerry, the Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, and Rep. Rick Boucher, the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology.
A series of bipartisan, issue-focused meetings will be held in June.
In a related statement, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) said: "Congressional action to update the Communications Act is a clear signal to Chairman Genachowski to stand down on his recently announced plans to reclassify broadband services. Instead of an antiquated regulatory scheme imposed by the FCC, Congress will work to develop a legal and regulatory framework appropriate for our modern communications market."http://commerce.senate.gov
Earlier this month, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski outlined a "Third Way" for regulating Internet traffic and services -- a new legal framework aimed at restoring the status quo consensus that existed prior to the court decision that vacated the FCC's authority to regulate the way Comcast manages peer-to-peer traffic on its network. Genachowski said he supports a light-touch regulatory approach that encourages investment in network infrastructure but that gives consumers "basic protection against anticompetitive or otherwise unreasonable conduct by companies providing the broadband access service (e.g., DSL, cable modem, or fiber) to which consumers subscribe for access to the Internet."
In April 2010, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the FCC does not have the authority to regulate the way Comcast manages peer-to-peer traffic on its network. The 3-0 court decision focused on the FCC's "ancillary authority" over broadband services. The ruling vacated an FCC Order issued in August of 2008 in which the FCC concluded that Comcast's management of its broadband Internet networks contravenes federal policies that protect the vibrant and open nature of the Internet. Specifically, the FCC concluded that by monitoring the content of its customers' traffic and selectively blocking certain peer-to-peer connections, Comcast unduly interfered with Internet users' right to access the lawful Internet content and to use the applications of their choice.
for its "au Hikari" service, which supports 1 Gbps fiber broadband connections. The Motorola VIP2060 is am IPTV set-top with a built-in 500 GB HDD to support DVR functionality. Its standard quad tuner enables users to watch and record IPTV programs provided by KDDI as well as terrestrial and satellite (BS/110CS) broadcast services via a connected external antenna, with support for both Japanese broadcasting standards -- ISDB-T and ISDB-S. Advanced media capabilities include simultaneous recording, time-shifted viewing, delayed playback, trick play DVR capabilities and transcoding of MPEG-2 & MPEG-4 AVC video.
its U.S. Ethernet footprint to Central and Northern New Jersey, Stockton, Calif., and Baltimore, Md., and has deepened its coverage in 10 U.S. markets. The carrier now offers Ethernet access in 28 markets nationwide and 35 countries globally. Sprint expects to further enhance and expand coverage in an additional 16 U.S. markets later this year.
in a typical configuration, with three sectors and four carriers per sector, averages 978 watts in a basic mode of operation. With software energy saving features, high performance can be maintained but power consumption can be reduced to 833 watts. In some instances this can be further reduced to 562 watts with a reduced configuration of two, instead of four, carriers per sector. Energy efficiency is critical as around 90 percent of the energy consumption of a cellular network comes from base stations. 
