Sprint's iDEN Nextel Shuts Down and Heads for Recycle Bin

Sprint officially pulled the plug on its iDEN Nextel National Network at 12:01 am Eastern time on Sunday morning, June 30.  Nearly 30,000 iDEN installations were taken off air. Decommissioned equipment from the iDEN sites will be recycled where possible. Sprint said its work includes gutting hundreds of cell sites of obsolete iDEN equipment -- from radios to server racks, antennas to air conditioners -- all will be staged for recycling vendors....

Read More

T-Mobile USA to Acquire 10 MHz of AWS Spectrum from US Cellular

T-Mobile USA will acquire 10 MHz of Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum from U.S. Cellular for $308 million in cash. The deal requires FCC and DOJ clearance. The spectrum covers 32 million POPs in the Mississippi Valley region, notably St. Louis; Nashville; Kansas City; Memphis; Lexington; Little Rock-North Little Rock; Birmingham; New Orleans; and Louisville. T-Mobile said the additional spectrum will allow for an incremental roll-out...

Read More

Tellabs Acting CFO Leaves for Westell

Tom Minichiello, acting chief financial officer, resigned to take up the CTO role at Westell.  He had served as Tellabs' acting CFO since May, following the resignation of Andrew Szafran. http://www.tellabs.com In November 2012, Tellabs named Daniel P. Kelly as its new chief executive officer and president. Kelly, 51, had served as Tellabs acting CEO and president since June 27, 2012, following the passing of Rob Pullen.  Previously,...

Read More

SanDisk Invests in Panzura for Flash-based Network Attached Storage

SanDisk Ventures announced an equity investment in Panzura, a start-up offering flash-based network attached storage (NAS) solutions for enterprise companies. Panzura’s scalable offering uses flash memory to store data off-premise in the "cloud," reducing customer system, support, administration, power and cooling costs. Panzura, which is based in San Jose, California, offers a cloud-integrated storage system for enterprises with network attached...

Read More

Planet Labs Plans Fleet of LEO Imaging Satellites

Planet Labs, a start-up based in San Francisco, unveiled plans to launch a large fleet of Earth imaging satellites.  The company's mission is to provide imaging services on relatively short notice at an optical resolution of 3 to 5 meters, which should be clear enough for agricultural and forestry applications while not compromising personal privacy. Planet Labs' constellation of low Earth satellites will act in unison to provide a better...

Read More

Roamware Partners with IBM on Big Data Analysis for Mobile Operators

Roamware introduced a roaming Big Data Analytics solution for mobile operators in collaboration with IBM. Roaware's RWisdom provides dynamic Big Data driven insights on roaming subscriber behavior, helping mobile operators to open up new revenue streams by offering dynamic location specific insights on subscriber behavior in an information-as-a-service model to industries such as retail, travel and financial services. Roamware is building RWisdom...

Read More

Metacloud Raises $10 Million for OpenStack-based Private Clouds

Metacloud, a start-up based in Pasadena, California, raised $10 million in a Series A funding for its on-premise, private cloud-as-a-service. Metacloud said its Carbon|OS combines the simplicity of the public cloud with the performance, security and cost advantages of the private cloud, enabling businesses to scale dynamic OpenStack applications quickly. The funding was led by Canaan Partners and included existing investors Storm Ventures and AME...

Read More

Verizon Wireless Completes LTE Build Out

Verizon Wireless announced that its 4G LTE network build out is substantially complete.  The company marked the occasion by activating service in Parkersburg, W.Va. -- the 500th market in the United Stated to get Verizon Wireless LTE service. The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network now covers more than 99% of its 3G network. The 4G LTE network is available to 298 million people across the country – more than 95% of the U.S. population, making it...

Read More

Cisco Focuses on Application-Centric Infrastructure, New Nexus Chassis/Modules

At this week's Cisco Live! event in Orlando, Florida, Cisco further outlined its data center networking architecture for the era of Application-Centric Infrastructure.  The goal is an open, programmable and automated infrastructure that is ready for cloud deployment models and Big Data applications. Cisco also announced new Nexus 7700 Series switches and new F3 Series I/O modules. Some highlights: Cisco's Application-Centric Infrastructure...

Read More

FCC Clears 10 MHz H-Block Spectrum for Auction

The FCC adopted an order that opens 10 megahertz of spectrum in the bands 1915-1920 MHz and 1995-2000 MHz (H Block) for commercial mobile broadband use. The order pairs the two bands that comprise the H Block, and establishes that the paired bands will be licensed on an Economic Area basis and auctioned through a system of competitive bidding. Rules are also established to  ensure that operations in the H Block do not cause harmful interference...

Read More

tw telecom Launches 40G and 100G Business Ethernet

tw telecom officially launched metro 40G and 100G Business Ethernet services in its 75 metro serving areas. The faster speeds complement its current 2.5G and 10G intra-market Ethernet services.   "The addition of these faster speeds will enable enterprises to more efficiently and effectively connect headquarters, remote offices and data center locations across the metro for a variety of Big Data applications," said Graham Taylor, Senior...

Read More

Ericsson and Sony Demo HD Voice over TD-LTE Smartphone

Ericsson and Sony demonstrated HD quality voice and video calling (VoLTE) using TD-LTE (VoLTE). The demonstration, which was conducted at Ericsson's Wireless Innovation Lab & Demo Center (WILD Center) in Shanghai, featured Sony’s 4G phone Xperia SP M35t smartphone, which supports TDD/FDD LTE, TD-SCDMA, HSPA and GSM over 13 bands.  A connection to the Core & IMS nodes located in Ericsson’s VoLTE Competence Center in Anyang, South...

Read More

U.S. Navy's 2nd MUOS Satellite Prepared for Launch

The first Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite, which will provide simultaneous voice, video and data communications to U.S. military combatants, was encapsulated into its payload fairing and is scheduled to launch July 19 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle. The satellite was built by Lockheed Martin. The MUOS constellation replaces the legacy Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Follow-On system and delivers secure, prioritized...

Read More

Claro Chile Launches LTE with NSN

Claro Chile, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the América Móvil, is the first operator to launch commercial LTE service in Chile. Nokia Siemens Networks provided the LTE radio access network featuring its Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Stations. along with its Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network to help the operator deal with the unprecedented increase in data traffic over its network. Nokia Siemens Networks’ Global Services is providing network planning...

Read More

OIF Releases Papers on OTN Monitoring and PCE Implementation

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has completed two critical technical whitepapers that address the increased adoption of OTN for 100G carrier networks and the use of PCE control technology as a building block towards Software Defined Networking (SDN). OTN TCM whitepaper -- provides guidelines on the use of Tandem Connection Monitoring, a way of monitoring performance on segments of an OTN connection.  It focuses on guidelines for...

Read More

Telenor and Qtel Win Telecom Licenses in Myanmar

Telenor and Qtel (Ooredoo) were each awarded licenses to build mobile networks in Myanmar. Telenor said it plans to rapidly roll out a modern telecommunications network and services. Telenor plans to build a state-of-the-art mobile network using HSPA and LTE-ready technologies reaching nationwide coverage within five years. First services are expected to launch in 2014. Ooredoo noted its significant experience of developing, delivering and investing...

Read More

Tele2 Norway Selects Ericsson for LTE

Tele2 Norway has selected Ericsson for its nationwide LTE rollout.  Ericsson will also upgrade and expand Tele2's existing 2G and 3G networks in Norway, becoming the main vendor for the radio access solutions for all standards. The deal includes multi-standard radio base station equipment from the Ericsson RBS 6000 family, LTE RAN software, upgrade of existing 2G and 3G access network software and upgrade of core solutions. Services will also be a key part of the upgrade. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.ericsson.c...

Read More

Ericsson Refinances $2 Billion Loan

Ericsson signed a new USD 2 billion multi-currency revolving credit facility and refinanced its credit facility signed in 2007. The new facility has a tenor of five years, with two extension options of one year each, and the facility serves for general corporate purposes. HSBC Bank plc and Nordea acted as coordinators. http://www.ericsson.com/pre...

Read More

Wind Telecomunicazioni Picks ALU

Wind Telecomunicazioni has selected Alcatel-Lucent to extend and transform its nationwide fibre-optic transport and IP communication networks across Italy. Alcatel-Lucent is providing a network transformation solution that includes long-haul optical transport, mobile backhaul, metro area network (MAN) and IP service edge technology to expand and update Wind's existing network, as well as introduce advanced services to customers. The deployment...

Read More

SK Telecom is First to Launch LTE-Advanced Service

SK Telecom launched the world's first LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) service through smartphones. The LTE-A service offers download speeds of up to 150 Mbps, which is two times faster than its regular LTE service, and 10 times faster than its 3G network. LTE-A coverage initially is available in Seoul and central city areas of Gyeongg-do and Chungcheong-do.  Expansion to 84 cities nationwide is planned. At top speed, LTE-A users can download an 800MB...

Read More

NTT Comm Launches SDN-based Cloud Migration Service

NTT Communications is launching the world’s first software-defined networking (SDN)-based cloud migration service. The NTT Comm On-premises Connection links customer on-premises systems with NTT Com’s Enterprise Cloud via the Internet using SDN technology. NTT Comm said overcoming complexity will be the driving factor when considering migrating an application from on-premise to the cloud as this requires servers and data to be transferred sequentially....

Read More

ZTE Develops Cloud Radio Scheduling/Coordination Functions for LTE

ZTE is showcasing a new Cloud Radio Solution for 4G network optimization at the Mobile Asia Expo conference in Shanghai. China Mobile is already testing ZTE’s Cloud Radio Solution to optimize trial TD-LTE networks in Guangzhou. ZTE's Cloud Radio features newly developed Cloud Scheduling and Cloud Coordination modules for LTE network operators. ZTE’s Cloud Scheduling module utilizes a central scheduler to manage network resources on a real-time...

Read More

ZTE Hits 1Gbps with LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation

ZTE has achieved wireless data transmission rates of 1 Gbps in a live demonstration using LTE-Advanced. In the demonstration, ZTE deployed Carrier Aggregation technology with four carrier frequencies on the F-band（1.9G Band） and D-band （2.6G Band）. Carrier Aggregation is a core technology in the LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) standard, combining two or more carrier frequencies sharing the same or different bands into one channel, increasing the peak transmission...

Read More

Broadcom's Latest StrataXGS Switch Delivers 10GbE Mobile Backhaul

Broadcom introduced its latest StrataXGS Ethernet switch chip for the aggregation layer of mobile backhaul networks. The StrataXGS BCM56450 switch features a traffic manager that provides fine-grained quality of service and offers 10Gbps serial interfaces.  The single-chip solution, which is part of Broadcom's switching portfolio for network access and aggregation, integrates many capabilities onto a single device, including high bandwidth...

Read More

Oracle's Gatekeeper Provides Carrier Billing, QoS Control for OTT Services

Oracle released a new version of its Communications Services Gatekeeper featuring pre-integrated solutions to help network operators monetize over-the-top (OTT) content. Essentially, the Oracle Communications Services Gatekeeper is an open, standards-based service exposure platform. The new release provides  analytics and partner management portals that leverage APIs to track and bill for specific OTT services. The Oracle Communications...

Read More

ADVA's 16G Fibre Channel Gains Brocade Gen 5 Qualification

ADVA Optical Networking's 16 Gbps Fibre Channel (FC) card has achieved Brocade qualification. The card delivers 16 Gbps FC over wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks, enabling enterprises to transport data across increasingly large distances.  It has now completed interoperability testing as part of Brocade's Gen 5 Fibre Channel program and has already been deployed by a number of financial organizations. “The continued explosion...

Read More

China's CERNET Deploys Compass-EOS Router for Peering

The China Education and Research Network (CERNET) has deployed Compass-EOS r10004 modular routers with multi 100Gbe and 10GbE links in its production next-generation exchange point (CNGI-6IX) connecting universities and institutes across China and to link to the global Internet. CERNET is funded by the Chinese government and connects more than 2,000 universities with more than 20 million users. “The Compass-EOS r10004 routers bring high capacity...

Read More

Huawei Releases Source Code for its Protocol-Oblivious Forwarding

Huawei is releasing the source code for its Protocol-Oblivious Forwarding (POF) technology, which is a software-defined networking (SDN) forwarding implementation. Users can freely download and run the software, modify the source code, or develop new features. Huawei said the goal of its Protocol-Oblivious Forwarding is to evolve the Open Networking Foundation's OpenFlow protocol towards a more flexible programming model where forwarding devices...

Read More

Wind River Targets Open Virtualization Profile for NFV

Wind River is developing Open Virtualization Profile software for implementing high performance, open-source, real-time kernel virtualization in next generation telecommunications equipment as well as network functions virtualization (NFV) and cloud environments. Open Virtualization Profile is a high value add-on software profile for Wind River Linux developed by optimizing open source Kernel-Based Virtual Machine (KVM) technology. This allows...

Read More

NSN Hits 56 Mbps Uploads with TD-LTE in 20 MHz Carrier

Nokia Siemens Networks achieved a record 56 Mbps peak upload throughput in a TD-LTE network using its commercial 4G base station with multiple antenna technology and a single 20 MHz carrier. The company set this record in a test network in Hangzhou, China, using its Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station and Single User Multiple Input Multiple Output (SU-MIMO) technology. Nokia Siemens Networks claims uplink records for both SU-MIMO and Multi User-Multiple...

Read More

PLUMgrid Debuts Virtualization Platform for Cloud Data Centers

PLUMgrid, a start-up based in Sunnyvale, California, released its PLUMgrid Platform, an infrastructure virtualization solution that enables the creation of on-demand programmable networks, which the company calls Virtual Domains. The goal its to allow administrators to create, copy and deploy secure multi-tenant virtual networks in seconds. The PLUMgrid Platform integrates security, operations and maintenance tools, and network visibility and...

Read More

O3B's First Four Satellites Successfully Launched by Arianespace

O3b’s first four satellites were successfully launched by an Arianespace Soyuz rocket from the Guiana Space Center. O3b is deploying a network of 12 satellites to deliver broadband connectivity to billions of people across emerging markets who have never had access to this level of connectivity before.  Thales Alenia Space produced the Ka-band relay platform. A second group of four O3b satellites will be launched in September, completing...

Read More

Sprint Shareholders Vote for Softbank Deal

Sprint shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favor of Softbank's acquisition proposal.  The deal still requires FCC approval.  The companies anticipate the merger will be consummated in early July 2013. “Today is a historic day for our company, and I want to thank our shareholders for approving this transformative merger agreement,” said Sprint CEO Dan Hesse. “The transaction with SoftBank should enhance Sprint’s long-term value and competitive...

Read More

OpenDaylight Project Adds Members

The OpenDaylight Project, a collaborative open source project to advance Software-Defined Networking (SDN), now has a total of 27 members.  The latest companies to join are ADVA Optical Networking, Ciena, Guavus and Versa Networks. OpenDaylight has been able to make the base controller architecture available within 60 days of the project’s launch and is now actively building the merged controller, as well as a Virtual Tenant Network (VTN)...

Read More

Allot Confirms Orders from 3 Top-Tier Mobile Operators

Allot Communications has secured orders from three of the world’s top ten telecommunication operators to assist in their LTE network rollouts. All three orders are from existing customers, including two in Europe and one in the United States. These operators will use the Allot Service Gateway as part of their initial LTE deployments.  Financial terms were not disclosed. Allot recently announced availability of its pure-play, 3GPP-compliant...

Read More

Vitesse Raises $40.2 Million in Public Offering

Vitesse Semiconductor closed $40.2 million through a public offering for 18,720,000 shares of its common stock, which includes the exercise in full by the underwriters of their over-allotment option, at a per share price to the public of $2.15. Vitesse will receive net proceeds of approximately $37.5 million after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses. Certain officers and directors of Vitesse participated in the...

Read More

Compass-EOS Integrates McObject’s High Availability Database

Compass-EOS is using McObject's eXtremeDB High Availability database in its new r10004 core router. Specifically, the Compass-EOS r10004 router relies on eXtremeDB High Availability’s replication features to maintain two fully synchronized copies of the control plane database, on active and standby controller cards. If the main database instance becomes inoperable due to hardware or software failure, its responsibilities are immediately assumed...

Read More

AT&T Opens Innovation Centers in Atlanta, Plano

AT&T is launching new Innovation Centers in Atlanta and the Dallas-Fort Worth areas to speed up innovation in Digital Life, connected car, connected devices, home entertainment and machine-to-machine technologies. The AT&T Foundry in Atlanta, which is adjacent to Georgia Tech, will test and develop products and services for Digital Life, AT&T’s recently-launched home security and automation service. The team will also create new apps...

Read More

Cisco Boosts its Enterprise Networking Portfolio

Cisco announced a major revamp of its enterprise networking line,  including new and updated Cisco Catalyst switching and Integrated Services Router products. Cisco, which this year has been updating its entire service provider and enterprise networking portfolio to become open and programmable, said a key objective is to enable applications to get the networking information they need to offer more innovative services to end users...

Read More

Microsoft and Oracle Team on Enterprise Clouds

Microsoft and Oracle announced a partnership that will enable customers to run Oracle software on Windows Server Hyper-V and in Windows Azure. Under the pact, customers will be able to deploy Oracle software — including Java, Oracle Database and Oracle WebLogic Server — on Windows Server Hyper-V or in Windows Azure and receive full support from Oracle. Microsoft will also offer Java, Oracle Database and Oracle WebLogic Server to Windows Azure customers,...

Read More

Radisys Unveils MPX-OS for Media Processing and Software MRF

Radisys introduced its MPX Operating Software (MPX-OS) as the new foundation of its media processing portfolio, including the company’s purpose-built MPX-12000 MRF platform and Software MRF. The MPX-OS brings new capabilities for interactive service architectures, including KVM virtualization for cloud deployments, VP8 video codec for WebRTC services, and Over The Top (OTT) HD video conferencing and transcoding requirements Radisys said the new...

Read More

Vodafone Bids EUR 7.7 Billion to Acquire Kabel Deutschland

Vodafone launched a bid to acquire all shares in Kabel Deutschland Holding AG in a deal valued at EUR 7.7 billion. The offer values Kabel Deutschland at EUR 87 per share, representing an increase of 37 percent on the last share price before takeover speculation emerged. The companies said a merger would strengthen the market position of Kabel Deutschland and the range of services it offers. Within Vodafone Group, Kabel Deutschland would remain...

Read More