MontaVista Joins OpenSAF

MontaVista Software has become a member of the OpenSAF Foundation to help drive the development of OpenSAF high availability middleware. Consistent with SA Forum specifications, OpenSAF is rapidly being adopted by major vendors in the network infrastructure market, as well as other vertical markets.


Last month, MontaVista announced MontaVista Linux Carrier Grade Edition 6.0 which bundles OpenSAF 4.0 open source code, the latest version of the high availability middleware. http://mvista.com

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Telegent Introduces Mobile TV Receiver Chip for Latin America

Telegent Systems introduced a single-chip mobile TV receiver supporting ISDB-Tb and analog broadcast TV standards with an integrated H.264 decoder. The solution is targeted at handsets supporting live, broadcast TV capability in Latin America and other emerging markets.


Telegent's TLG1180 chip enables ISDB-Tb to be added as a feature on low-cost phone platforms in which the mobile phone baseband processor does not have embedded H.264 decoding capability, which is the majority of baseband processors today. The solution's H.264 integration enables all video decoding to occur within the single-chip system, reducing power consumption, simplifying the design cycle, and reducing the overall solution bill of materials by more than 50% relative to designs that incorporate analog and digital TV and the H.264 decoder as discrete components.
http://www.telegent.com

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Network Test Automation Forum (NTAF) Shows Interoperability

The Network Test Automation Forum (NTAF), which was formed earlier this year with the goal of promoting interoperability between test tools and simplifying lab automation efforts, conducted its first "plugfest" in which
NTAF members succeeded in demonstrating initial interoperability of their respective implementations of draft NTAF specifications.


Five leading companies, BreakingPoint Systems, Fanfare, Ixia, Spirent, and Verizon, tested their code in "real world" scenarios by successfully interconnecting to the implementations from other NTAF members and resolving the challenges of getting prototypes to interwork. The event validated the draft NTAF specification and demonstrated acceptance from multiple NTAF members including Cisco and EXFO.
http://www.ntaforum.org

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Aruba Hits Revenue of $83M, Up 44% YoY

Aruba Networks reported quarterly revenue of $83.1 million, an increase of 44% from the $57.6 million reported in the same period last year. GAAP net income for the quarter was $2.1 million, or $0.02 per share, compared to a net loss of $24.7 million, or $0.28 per share, last year.


"The proliferation of mobile devices, such as iPads, tablet devices and smart phones, continues to rapidly increase, forcing companies to reconsider their approach to the network edge," said Dominic Orr, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aruba. "With our user-centric architecture, industry-leading security and proven scalability, we believe Aruba is uniquely positioned to take advantage of these trends, as evidenced by our fiscal first quarter results. First quarter revenues increased 44% year-over-year and 8% sequentially, driven by strong demand from our existing customer base across all of our key verticals, as well as from new customers, over 800 of which we added in the first quarter alone."http://www.arubanetworks.com

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Microsoft Debuts Lync Server 2010

Microsoft released Lync Server 2010 -- the next generation of Office Communications Server -- its system for converging communications across the enterprise. Lync integrates instant messaging, presence, audio, video, web conferencing and voice. The Lync interface works within applications, including Microsoft Office, Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Exchange.


Microsoft Lync Online will be available as part of Microsoft Office 365 next year. The company also expects that Lync-based solutions will develop across a wide spectrum of personal computing devices, browsers and mobile devices in 2011 and beyond.


As part of the rollout, over 70 devices specifically designed for Lync are being announced. Hardware products include headsets, webcams, Internet protocol phones, telepresence systems and USB endpoints optimized for Lync, from partners including Polycom, Aastra, Plantronics, Jabra, ClearOne, Logitech and Radvision. In addition, more than 30 partners are launching applications on the Lync platform for public and private organizations of all types and sizes. Solutions include contact centers, call recording, accounting, performance monitoring services and new applications that embed communications within business processes. Partners include Aspect Software Inc., Convergent Media Systems Corp., ProtonMedia Inc. and Wortell.


Finally, several partners, such as British Telecom (BT), Dell, Dimension Data, HP and Verizon Business are offering services to help customers evaluate, deploy and manage their Lync infrastructure.
http://www.microsoft.com
http://www.lync.com

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AT&T Markets its First MiFi Mobile Hotspot -- Novatel

AT&T announced its first MiFi Intelligent Mobile Hotspot. The MiFi 2372 from Novatel Wireless goes on sale November 21 at AT&T company-owned stores nationwide or online for $49.99 after $100 mail-in rebate (pay $149.99 and after mail-in rebate receive $100 AT&T Promotion Card.)http://www.att.com

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GSMA Launches Embedded SIM Initiative

The GSMA is exploring the possibilities for embedded SIM that could be remotely activated. Embedded SIM could lead to exciting new form factors for mobile communications and speed the development of M2M services by making it easier to bring mobile broadband to non-traditional devices such as cameras, MP3 players, navigation devices and e-Readers, as well as smart meters.


"The traditional SIM has been an important innovation in mobile telephony, and has provided many benefits to consumers in terms of security, portability of contacts, and ease of portability of devices across networks," said Rob Conway, CEO and Member of the Board of the GSMA. "As our industry moves from connecting phones to connecting a wide range of devices, it is apparent that the embedded SIM could deliver even greater flexibility. The embedded SIM will provide assured levels of security and portability for consumers, as well as provide additional functionality for enabling new services such as e-Wallet and NFC applications."http://www.gsmworld.com

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DOCOMO Studies Mobile Spatial Stats for Disaster Prevention Planning

NTT DOCOMO will conduct a joint research project with Kogakuin University to study how mobile spatial statistics could be used for better disaster prevention planning. The idea is analyze mobile user data in the Tokyo region to understand the movement of people and thereby estimate the consequences if public transportation were to be severely disrupted or halted by an earthquake.


Mobile spatial statistics are aggregate data that include mobile phone locations and user attributes, but individual users are not identified in the use of such statistics.


DOCOMO is conducting related research with the University of Tokyo focused on urban planning.
http://www.nttdocomo.com

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HP Extends Visual Collaboration with H.264 SVC

HP is extending its line of visual collaboration products with the introduction of a wider array of lower cost solutions and the implementation of H.264 Scalable Video Coding (SVC) -- a new video compression technology suited for IP networks.


The new software-based HP Visual Collaboration products extend HD videoconferencing from notebook computers, to executive touch-screen workstations to conference rooms and high-end HP Halo telepresence studios.


The software-based SVC capability, which is provided through a technology partnership with Vidyo, enables scalable video quality that adapts dynamically to best-efforts network connections. This means that compression occurs in the end-point rather than with encoders in the network, reducing latency and eliminating the need for a costly multipoint control unit.


The new desktop and conference room solutions include:

• HP Visual Collaboration Desktop software client -- it can be deployed by users on their own PCs and notebooks.



• HP Visual Collaboration Executive Desktop -- a bundled, touchscreen solution that features an HP TouchSmart 600 Quad loaded with HP Visual Collaboration software. It also includes camera and headset accessories.



• HP Visual Collaboration Room 100 and Room 220 -- video-enable multipurpose conference rooms.



• HP's Visual Collaboration infrastructure products -- based on standard ProLiant servers, these include a video portal, a video router for connecting up to 100 concurrent sessions, and a video gateway for bridging H.323 and SIP sessions.

HP's current Halo solutions that run on a dedicated network will continue to be offered as an option for customers who seek a fully managed, high-touch solution.


"Customers need to collaborate inside and outside their companies -- whether they are traveling, working at home or at the office," said Rob Scott, general manager and vice president, Visual Collaboration, HP. "HP's full range of high-quality, HD videoconferencing solutions, especially at the desktop, make that possible."http://www.hp.com/go/visual-collaboration

• The Unified Communications Interoperability Forum's (UCIF) Task Group on Scalable Video Coding (SVC) is working to define H.264 SVC UCIF-compliant unified communication systems.



• In June 2010, HP announced plans to use Vidyo’s complete VidyoConferencing line of software-based desktop and room system-based solutions running on HP servers for delivering high-quality, high-definition video.



• Also in June 2010, Vidyo, which is a start-up based in Hackensack, New Jersey, announced a $25 million Series C round of financing to support is personal telepresence solutions. Vidyo is headed by Ofer Shapiro (CEO and co-founder), who previously spent eight years at RADVISION where he was responsible for the development of the first IP video conferencing bridge and gatekeeper technology. Ofer was also a contributor and one of the editors of the H.323 standard. Vidyo's other co-founder is Dr. Alex Eleftheriadis (Chief Scientist), who was an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at Columbia University. He holds 12 patents, has served as the Editor of the MPEG-4 Systems specification, and is currently co-editor of the H.264 SVC Conformance specification.

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Alcatel-Lucent launches Wireless Network Optimization

Alcatel-Lucent introduced a Wireless Network Optimization Solution for helping mobile operators manage their networks. This set of services and software tools, which leverages network modeling expertise developed at Bell Labs, enhances the Quality of Experience that mobile users perceive. Alcatel-Lucent's new tool sets include RF design audits, remote network monitoring (NPA), and an LTE -- TIA services suite.


Jean-Philippe Poirault, Head of Media, IT and Telecom Services for Alcatel-Lucent, said: "Our specialized Wireless Network Optimization solution delivers measurable and proven increases in utilization and performance, expands subscriber capacity and delivers an end-to-end Quality of Experience that exceeds customer expectations. This solution can improve throughput by more than 20%, decrease network costs, increase revenues and widen profit margins. The solution can pay for itself in as little as 3 months, freeing up cash for re-investment."http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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UK Sets Auction 2012 Date for 800 MHz Spectrum

Ofcom, the UK's telecoms regulator, will auction spectrum licenses for the 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands in 2012, according to the BBC. The 800MHz band has become available as a result of the switchover to digital TV. The auction has been repeatedly delayed by litigation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11776901

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SiTime Intros High Frequency MEMS-Based Differential Oscillator

SiTime introduced a high frequency, programmable, differential oscillator for applications such as Ethernet Switches, Solid-State Drives (SSD), Optical Line Terminals (OLT), RAID controllers and Host Bus Adapters (HBA), Servers, Memories, and PCIe-based embedded applications. The MEMS-based SiT9107 device supports common protocols such as Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, SAS, SATA, DDR, microprocessor and FPGA clocking. It offers up to 5 decimal places of frequency accuracy and is a drop-in replacement for existing quartz-based timing solutions.
http://www.sitime.com

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AT&T Wins $286M Contract with Social Security Administration

AT&T Government Solutions was awarded a contract by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to deploy a Citizens Access Routing Enterprise (CARE) contact call center through 2020.


The contract, which was The award determination was made under the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Networx Universal program, will permit SSA to issue individual task orders to AT&T worth up to $286 million for an IP--based interactive voice response automation and contact call center.
http://www.att.com

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