Orange Launches 100 Mbps "Fibre Pro" FTTH at EUR 69

Orange has begun marketing a "Fibre Pro" broadband service with 100 Mbps symmetric speeds.


The "Fibre Pro" offer includes fixed-line telephony (including functions such as multiple-call), Internet and television, as well as a range of services designed to meet the needs of professionals such as a personalized URL, a fixed IP address, an "e-mail for professionals" service and the digital fax. Customers also benefit from technical assistance for setting-up the network in their offices as well as dedicated customer support. Pricing start at EUR 69 and includes communications to fixed-line telephones and mobiles both in France and abroad.

The service uses the new FTTH network that Orange is currently rolling-out across France. The Group’s objective is bring fiber-optic networks to 3,600 French municipalities (communes) across 220 agglomerations by 2015, covering all large and medium-sized towns in France.
http://www.orange.com

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EarthLink to Deploy ADTRAN Gear

ADTRAN will supply switches, routers and gateways to EarthLink for the nationwide launch of its EarthLink Business Complete suite.


EarthLink’s Complete, which is offered in every state in the continental U.S., combines hosted Voice over IP applications and private MPLS networks with equipment, mobile and security options. EarthLink will deploy ADTRAN’s NetVanta series of switches and routers and Total Access 900 series of IP Business Gateways to deliver its integrated, hosted network management solution.
http://www.adtran.com
http://www.earthlink.net

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NEC Debuts 10/40 Gigabit Ethernet OpenFlow switch

NEC introduced its UNIVERGE ProgrammableFlow PF5820 10/40 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) OpenFlow switch delivering 1.28 terabits of capacity.


The new PF5820, which builds on NEC’s ProgrammableFlow Software Defined Network Architecture (SDN), is designed for building high-performance, secure and programmable networks. Other products in this family include the NEC ProgrammableFlow Controller and PF5240 1/10 GbE Switch.


The PF5820 provides 48 10GbE SFP+ ports plus 4 QSFP+ ports that operate at 40GbE or as 16 additional 10GbE ports providing a total of 64 10GbE ports in one switch. The switch offers optional front-to-back or back-to-front airflow, redundant, hot-swappable AC power supplies. It supports the OpenFlow 1.0 specification and will support new versions of the OpenFlow standard as they become available.
http://www.necam.com/pflow/

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Clearwire Pulls in $716 Million for its TDD-LTE Rollout

Clearwire closed $734 million in funding needed for the continued rollout of its network.


The funding consists of $402.5 million from the public offering of 201,250,000 shares of Class A common stock at $2.00 per share. An original offering announced on December 5, 2011 comprised 175,000,000 shares of Class A common stock. An additional 26,250,000 shares of Class A common stock was added pursuant to the underwriters’ exercise of their over-allotment option. From this offering, Clearwire will net proceeds of $384.1 million, after underwriters’ discounts and commissions.


In addition, Sprint exercised its preemptive rights to purchase 173,635,000 shares of Class B Common Stock and a corresponding number of Class B units in Clearwire Communications LLC,. This provides Clearwire with an additional $331.4 million in net proceeds. The total net new capital available to Clearwire $715.5 million.


"This equity raise is a critical step for Clearwire to achieve its long-term business plan of creating the first wide-channel TDD-LTE 4G network in the U.S.,�? said Erik Prusch, president and CEO of Clearwire. “The added resources will enable us to continue delivering 4G mobile broadband service to meet the rapidly growing demand in the industry. We remain ideally and uniquely positioned to serve both wholesale and retail customers well into the future."http://www.clearwire.com

• Earlier this month, Sprint Nextel and Clearwire reached agreements valued at up to $1.6 billion over the next four years in payments for WiMAX services, possible pre-payments for LTE services and potential equity investments. The agreements further align Clearwire's LTE network build as a complement to Sprint's Network Vision strategy. Plans lay the foundation for the deployment of Clearwire's LTE Advanced-ready overlay network and outline the terms for Sprint to gain access to the additional LTE capacity. Clearwire and Sprint will collaborate on a network build plan and will jointly select LTE macro-cell sites to cover Sprint's high usage area hotspots. Clearwire and Sprint will work collaboratively to support the ecosystem for TDD-LTE in Band Class 41 for devices, chipsets and standards.

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Orange Launches 100 Mbps "Fibre Pro" FTTH at EUR 69

Orange has begun marketing a "Fibre Pro" broadband service with 100 Mbps symmetric speeds.


The "Fibre Pro" offer includes fixed-line telephony (including functions such as multiple-call), Internet and television, as well as a range of services designed to meet the needs of professionals such as a personalized URL, a fixed IP address, an "e-mail for professionals" service and the digital fax. Customers also benefit from technical assistance for setting-up the network in their offices as well as dedicated customer support. Pricing start at EUR 69 and includes communications to fixed-line telephones and mobiles both in France and abroad.

The service uses the new FTTH network that Orange is currently rolling-out across France. The Group’s objective is bring fiber-optic networks to 3,600 French municipalities (communes) across 220 agglomerations by 2015, covering all large and medium-sized towns in France.
http://www.orange.com

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EarthLink to Deploy ADTRAN Gear

ADTRAN will supply switches, routers and gateways to EarthLink for the nationwide launch of its EarthLink Business Complete suite.


EarthLink’s Complete, which is offered in every state in the continental U.S., combines hosted Voice over IP applications and private MPLS networks with equipment, mobile and security options. EarthLink will deploy ADTRAN’s NetVanta series of switches and routers and Total Access 900 series of IP Business Gateways to deliver its integrated, hosted network management solution.
http://www.adtran.com
http://www.earthlink.net

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NEC Debuts 10/40 Gigabit Ethernet OpenFlow switch

NEC introduced its UNIVERGE ProgrammableFlow PF5820 10/40 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) OpenFlow switch delivering 1.28 terabits of capacity.


The new PF5820, which builds on NEC’s ProgrammableFlow Software Defined Network Architecture (SDN), is designed for building high-performance, secure and programmable networks. Other products in this family include the NEC ProgrammableFlow Controller and PF5240 1/10 GbE Switch.


The PF5820 provides 48 10GbE SFP+ ports plus 4 QSFP+ ports that operate at 40GbE or as 16 additional 10GbE ports providing a total of 64 10GbE ports in one switch. The switch offers optional front-to-back or back-to-front airflow, redundant, hot-swappable AC power supplies. It supports the OpenFlow 1.0 specification and will support new versions of the OpenFlow standard as they become available.
http://www.necam.com/pflow/

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Clearwire Pulls in $716 Million for its TDD-LTE Rollout

Clearwire closed $734 million in funding needed for the continued rollout of its network.


The funding consists of $402.5 million from the public offering of 201,250,000 shares of Class A common stock at $2.00 per share. An original offering announced on December 5, 2011 comprised 175,000,000 shares of Class A common stock. An additional 26,250,000 shares of Class A common stock was added pursuant to the underwriters’ exercise of their over-allotment option. From this offering, Clearwire will net proceeds of $384.1 million, after underwriters’ discounts and commissions.


In addition, Sprint exercised its preemptive rights to purchase 173,635,000 shares of Class B Common Stock and a corresponding number of Class B units in Clearwire Communications LLC,. This provides Clearwire with an additional $331.4 million in net proceeds. The total net new capital available to Clearwire $715.5 million.


"This equity raise is a critical step for Clearwire to achieve its long-term business plan of creating the first wide-channel TDD-LTE 4G network in the U.S.,�? said Erik Prusch, president and CEO of Clearwire. “The added resources will enable us to continue delivering 4G mobile broadband service to meet the rapidly growing demand in the industry. We remain ideally and uniquely positioned to serve both wholesale and retail customers well into the future."http://www.clearwire.com

• Earlier this month, Sprint Nextel and Clearwire reached agreements valued at up to $1.6 billion over the next four years in payments for WiMAX services, possible pre-payments for LTE services and potential equity investments. The agreements further align Clearwire's LTE network build as a complement to Sprint's Network Vision strategy. Plans lay the foundation for the deployment of Clearwire's LTE Advanced-ready overlay network and outline the terms for Sprint to gain access to the additional LTE capacity. Clearwire and Sprint will collaborate on a network build plan and will jointly select LTE macro-cell sites to cover Sprint's high usage area hotspots. Clearwire and Sprint will work collaboratively to support the ecosystem for TDD-LTE in Band Class 41 for devices, chipsets and standards.

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ESnet Opens National Dark Fiber Testbed for GreenTouch Testing

The U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) will be made available to GreenTouch members to conduct energy efficiency network research.


ESnet is a national dark fiber testbed network linking thousands of DOE scientists to each other and to international collaborators. The testbed is a key component of Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Networking Initiative (ANI), a program created through a $62 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investment to develop the next generation scientific network in the U.S.


The GreenTouch Consortium is a global research initiative dedicated to dramatically improving network energy efficiency. The group has set a long-term goal of a 1000-fold improvement in network energy efficiency.


"For GreenTouch members to achieve our goal of drastically improving network energy efficiency by 2015, we will have to rapidly develop, test, and demonstrate new technologies," said Gee Rittenhouse, chairman of the GreenTouch Consortium and newly named COO of Alcatel-Lucent Software, Services and Solutions. "The dark fiber and testbed that ESnet is making available to our member organizations can significantly accelerate the cycles of network research and innovation."

“ESnet’s national dark fiber testbed, we believe, represents the first large-scale resource for energy efficiency research for networks, and we hope will provide a platform for other forthcoming initiatives,�? said Inder Monga, Area lead, Research and Services at ESnet. “We are excited by the possibilities this resource can bring to accelerating work in this important research field. We welcome proposals from the community to leverage the dark fiber that we hope will lead to new technologies that can fulfill the goals GreenTouch is driving towards.�?http://www.greentouch.org

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Uruguay's ANTEL is First LTE Operator in South America

Uruguay's Administración Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (ANTEL) is the first operator in South America to launch a commercial LTE service. The Antel "Internet Vera" LTE service is initially available in Punta del Este and will be extended to Montevideo and other areas of the country during 2012.

Antel has teamed with Alcatel-Lucent for an end-to-end LTE solution, including LTE base stations (eNodeBs), the IP wireless Evolved Packet Core (EPC) and Operations and Maintenance services. Antel will also be leveraging Alcatel-Lucent's IP portfolio of products for backhaul of the mobile traffic.

"This deployment represents a significant milestone for the introduction of the most advanced mobile services in Uruguay and in South America overall. As mobile phone penetration continues to experience very high growth in the region, the delivery of a 4G network will allow Antel to capitalize on this growth by providing their subscribers with a new breed of experiences and capabilities," said Gabriel Costa, leader of Alcatel-Lucent activities in Uruguay.

Alcatel-Lucent noted that it now has 18 LTE customers, including two of the world's largest service providers for commercial deployments. It is also involved in over 70 trials worldwide. http://www.alcatel-lucent.com http://www.antel.com.uy

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Fujitsu, NEC and Anritsu Test 100G OTN Interoperability

Fujitsu, NEC, and Anritsu participated in an interoperability test of an OTN interface that accommodates 100-Gbps Ethernet.


These tests were carried out as part of the "Ethernet over OTN Technology R&D Project," one of the joint research topics for collaboration among industry, academia, and government being pursued by the Interoperability Working Group (chaired by Naoki Yamanaka of Keio University)(7) of the Kei-hanna Info-Communication Open Laboratory. The companies confirmed that 100-Gbps Ethernet signals were transmitted with 100% transmission efficiency. http://www.fujitsu.com http://www.fujitsu.com/global/news/pr/archives/month/2011/20111213-01.html

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Verizon to Deploy Cisco CRS-3 for 100G Edge Access

Verizon will deploy Cisco's CRS-3 Carrier Routing System platform to terminate 100G connections closer to the network edge and customer's network facilities. Specifically, Verizon will deploy the CRS-3 platform in the first half of 2012 to provide 100G edge access to the IP network and upgrade its FiOS core network. Verizon has relied on Cisco's CRS-1 platform in the network for more than four years, allowing the company to easily transition to the CRS-3 platform, thereby simplifying network operations while enabling comprehensive system redundancy and network resiliency. The upgrade will occur in selected U.S. markets, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Seattle. Financial terms were not disclosed.


"We're constantly seeking to improve the Verizon IP network to support traffic growth, improve performance and increase functionality," said Ihab Tarazi, vice president of global IP and transport planning and technology for Verizon. "Upgrading the network using Cisco's CRS-3 platform provides better scale and expanded capabilities that support traffic growth areas such as broadband access and content delivery." http://www.verizon.com http://www.cisco.com

• In April 2011, Cisco announced a set of new capabilities for the CRS-3 platform, including flexible packet-transport -- a form of label switching enabled with the addition of a blade. Packet-transport broadens the platform's reach into new markets while protecting service providers' current investments in the core. It also complements the Cisco Carrier-Grade IPv6 functionality and data center capabilities like Network Positioning System (NPS), cloud VPN, and classical Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching routing.

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Cablevision Argentina Deploys 100G with Alcatel-Lucent

Cablevision Argentina, one of the Latin America’s largest cable TV and Internet services providers, will be the first cable operator in South America to deploy 100G technology in its network. lcatel-Lucent is supplying its 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) featuring next-generation 100G coherent technology to dramatically improve capacity scalability.


Cablevision has more than three million CATV customers and more than one million Internet users in Argentina, and offers the service of Cablevision Digital HD.


“Cablevision continues to lead the Argentinean cable TV market with the rapid expansion of its offerings, including new high definition channels and the highest Internet speed commercially available. Our 100G solution offers unprecedented capacity, bandwidth scalability, and the lowest cost-per-bit for optimized total cost of ownership,�? said Osvaldo Di Campli, president of Alcatel-Lucent's activities in the Caribbean & Latin America region.
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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ConteXtream Targets Software-Defined Networking for Access and Hosting & Cloud Providers

ConteXtream, a start-up based in Palo Alto, California with R&D in Petach Tikva, Israel, introduced a cloud-scale overlay grid architecture that leverages a distributed control plane instead of a centralized controller to deliver software-defined networking capabilities for broadband access network operators and cloud service providers. The ConteXtream Grid is a distributed virtual L4-7 switch that works as an overlay on existing networks to connect an unlimited number of endpoints to a flat network.


The ConteXtream architecture aims to solve three challenges for the cloud: the dynamic provisioning of resources; multi-tenancy, where VLAN become too complex to manage across a large network; and cloud-scale address learning. Unlike other Open Flow based approaches avoids any centralized choke point by distributing control plane intelligence to switches throughout the network, thus preventing vendor lock-in. ConteXtream will partner with switch vendors to enable its control plane. To solve the address learning challenge, ConteXtream is leveraging a unique Distributed Hash technique rather than flooding to identify new elements as they connect to the network.
By implementing its ConteXtream software in top-of-rack switches in the data center, the architecture reduces the number of connections that have to be managed in the network by three orders of magnitude and eliminates the need to install software on every application server.


ConteXtream said the benefit of its Grid software is that IT organizations no longer need to retrofit legacy solutions, limit virtualization zones, or constantly reconfigure networking infrastructure. ConteXtream Grid software is both hypervisor and networking equipment independent. This will help service providers drive significant CAPEX savings in application resources and networking costs, while giving them more flexibility to partner with Application Service Providers (ASPs).


ConteXtream notes that it is already deployed by tier one service providers to manage their broadband access networks. http://www.contextream.com

• Investors in ConteXtream include Comcast Interactive Capital and Verizon Ventures, as well as Benhamou Global Ventures, Gemini Israel Funds, Norwest Venture Partners and Sofinnova Ventures. The company was founded in 2007 and had raised $29 million in funding.



• ConteXtream is headed by Dr. Yaron Simler (CEO), who previously was CEO of Scopus Video Networks. The company was co-founded by Sharon Barkai (previously Founder & CEO of Xeround Systems) and Eldad Bar-Eli (previously with Cisco).

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