IBM Commits to Open Cloud Architecture

IBM announced a commitment to base all of its cloud services and software on an open cloud architecture. IBM said this commitment would help ensure that "innovation in cloud computing is not hampered by locking businesses into proprietary islands of insecure and difficult-to-manage offerings." Without industry-wide open standards for cloud computing, businesses will not be able to fully take advantage of the opportunities associated with interconnected...

Read More

Mellanox Pushes Open Ethernet for SDN

Mellanox Technologies is launching a "Generation of Open Ethernet" initiative to extend the power of Software Defined Networking (SDN) and serve as an alternative approach to traditional closed-code Ethernet switches. Mellanox Open Ethernet aims to eliminate proprietary software and encourages the development of an ecosystem environment focused on building Ethernet switch software to move innovation forward. Open Ethernet also includes the capability...

Read More

Deutsche Telekom Teams with FON for Wi-Fi Depth

Deutsche Telekom has formed a partnership with FON with the goal of offering pervasive Wi-Fi coverage in Germany. Fon currently supports more than eight million Fon Spots that comprise the world's largest WiFi network, with more than nine million subscribers. In Great Britain, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Croatia, Fon customers share their broadband lines and, in return, they receive access to millions of WiFi spots around the...

Read More

XO's Intelligent WAN Combines MPLS IP-VPN, Security and App Monitoring

XO Communications launched a new Intelligent WAN service that combines MPLS IP-VPN, network security and applications performance monitoring in one unified solution. The new XO Intelligent WAN service is aimed at cloud-centric connectivity requiring end-to-end visibility of the performance of applications across the network.  Three key capabilities include: Intelligent Networking: Connect offices, data centers and branch locations while...

Read More

TIA: Mobile Data Revenues Exceed Mobile Voice in U.S.

Revenue for mobile data services in the U.S. in 2012 exceeded those for mobile voice services, according to The Telecommunications Industry Association's (TIA's) newly released 2013 ICT Market Review & Forecast (MR&F).  The report is compiled annually by TIA and provides a global industry overview along with chapters that offer a deep-dive into specific industry segments. Some key findings: In 2012, for the first time in the history...

Read More

Gulf Bridge Activates Fiber Route via Iraq to Europe

Gulf Bridge International (GBI) activated the first ever terrestrial fiber optic link connecting all the countries of the Gulf to Europe via Iraq and Turkey. The new GBI North Route provides connectivity from the cable landing station at Al Faw, in the south of Iraq, crossing Iraq and Turkey to Istanbul, and onward to Frankfurt in Germany. "GBI’s route through Iraq and Turkey represents a major milestone for both regional and international communications,”...

Read More

Xtera Adds 100G OTN Switching to Transport Platform

Xtera Communications introduced OTN switching capabilities on its 100G optical networking platform. The Xtera Nu-Wave Optima now offers a stand-alone or integrated switching and transport solution.  Benefits include scalable transport and switching capacity, efficient capacity utilization in backbone networks, high manageability on per service and per wavelength basis, fast service provisioning, quick failure protection, and policy-based...

Read More

Dell'Oro: Core Routing Market Declined in Q4

The service provider core router market declined for the sixth consecutive quarter in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to a new report from Dell'Oro Group.  Market revenue fell to its lowest level since the third quarter of 2009 as network operators continued to shave investments in backbone networks. Cisco, Juniper, and Huawei were the market share leaders of the service provider core router market, accounting for more than 95% of fourth...

Read More

Infonetics: Ethernet Switch Sales Top $5 Billion in Q4, up 5%

The global Ethernet switch market totaled $5.1 billion in 4Q12, up 5% sequentially, and $19.8 billion in 2012, up almost $1 billion over 2011 (+4.7%), according to a new report from Infonetics.  Some key points: All top 5 Ethernet switch revenue leaders — Cisco, HP, Juniper, Dell, Brocade — increased revenue in 2012 over 2011, though smaller vendors managed to gain market share Together, Cisco and HP capture over ¾ of the global Ethernet...

Read More

Infonetics: WLAN Revenue Tops $1 Billion in Q4

Worldwide WLAN revenue, including enterprise access points, WLAN controllers and WiFi phones, grew 4% in 4Q12 from 3Q12, to $1.1 billion, according to a new report from Infonetics.  The study found that the demand for WLAN solutions expanded in all major geographic regions, even beleaguered EMEA, which grew by double digits in 2012. Some highlights: 88% of access points shipping today are based on 802.11n; next-gen 802.11ac products will...

Read More