Alcatel-Lucent Builds Cloud-based OSS Solution

Alcatel-Lucent is preparing to launch a new cloud-based portfolio of OSS (operations support systems) capabilities within its Motive portfolio of customer experience solutions that could be deployed as an overlay to an existing OSS.

Alcatel-Lucent said this new portfolio innovates in three unique ways: a new foundation that can dynamically identify and track all network resources; fully automated, programmable OSS that can fulfill orders and assure services; and a "self-healing" environment driven by big data network analytics that evolves from automated recovery to predictive management.

By offering an overlay, the new Motive Dynamic Operations portfolio provides a path for service providers to migrate to the cloud by making their operational infrastructure as agile as the virtualized network and data center.

Alcatel-Lucent plans to integrated the virtualized OSS with its CloudBand NFV solution, Nuage Networks’ SDN solution, and virtualized network functions, including evolved packet core (EPC), IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and radio access network (RAN).

Telefónica is using Alcatel-Lucent’s OSS technology to drive automated operations and recovery. Alcatel-Lucent and Telefónica announced plans in 2012 to streamline the operator’s OSS into a single, global software platform for greater network management agility and efficiency. In February, the two companies followed up with the announcement they were joining forces to accelerate Telefónica’s move to NFV.

Andrew McDonald, Alcatel-Lucent, President, IP Platform Business Division: “It is imperative to fundamentally change the current OSS approach before operators will be able to realize the promise of NFV and SDN. After launching both an NFV platform in Cloud Band, an SDN solution through Nuage Networks and a compehensive virtualized packet core, IMS and wireless network functions, Alcatel-Lucent is now bringing innovation to the OSS space with the launch of Motive Dynamic Operation, which delivers the OSS agility required for operating networks in the cloud.”

http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

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Netsocket Adds App Delivery Capability to its SDN-based Virtual Edge Solution

Netsocket is enhancing its SDN-based Virtual Edge solution for branch offices with the capability for automated application delivery.

Netsocket’s Virtual Edge appliance virtualizes WAN/LAN edge networking functions including routing, switching, firewall and tunneling. The newly announced capabilities, which Netsocket calls vApps, enable automated delivery of qualified third party applications. All applications, both networking and non-networking, are hosted on the Virtual Edge’s MicroCloud Server, a commodity x86 platform. The list of vApps currently available include:

• FortiGate from Fortinet - advanced Security/Firewall/IDS/IPS
• Snorby - an Open Source Firewall/IDS/IPS
• Unifi from Ubiquiti Networks - WiFi Controller
• Pandora - Open Source Remote Monitoring / Management
• QFlex - Enterprise Session Border Controller (eSBC) from GENBAND
• OpenVPN - Open Source VPN aggregator and client
• FreePBX - Open Source IP-PBX
• Windows Server 2012 Essentials - Software Infrastructure from Microsoft
• Cacti - Open Source Performance Visualization
• “Generic” debian Linux VM - VM for MSP-installed apps and tools

Netsocket said these new capabilities will significantly enhance the portfolio of services that network operators could offer to their SMB customers. Through Netsocket’s model, service providers are able to layer services at greater margins than traditional hardware resellers and are able to deliver a virtualized edge network service at a very low operational cost, without infrastructure build-out. Netsocket’s Virtual Edge with vApps provides:

“MSPs are facing increased competition from all sides as the SMB market offerings evolve. Netsocket continues to innovate our virtualized networking solutions through the lens of our MSP customers. Netsocket’s Virtual Edge ensures MSPs have the greatest flexibility and agile service delivery model possible to provide IT services to their SMB customers,” added Fletcher Hamilton, president and CEO of Netsocket.

http://www.netsocket.com

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Dell'Oro: Service Provider Core Router Market Grows 4%

The Service Provider Core Router market posted a four percent increase in the first quarter of 2014 versus the year-ago period, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth, according to a new report from Dell'Oro Group.  The report forecasts even more rapid growth for this segment through 2014.

"Two major factors have driven growth: first, pent up demand due to low investment in 2012; and second, the demand for new higher capacity products," said Alam Tamboli, Senior Analyst at Dell'Oro Group.  "The four major vendors in the market have all introduced higher capacity products that make better use of 10 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet ports and many vendors have stepped outside of their traditional flagship core routing products and have introduced products tailored to new use cases in the core," added Tamboli.

Routers Quarterly Report, 1Q14: Service Provider Core Router Market Highlights

Top Four Vendors Accounted for 97% Share

• #1 Cisco Systems: Lost four percentage points of its four-quarter trailing market share versus the year-ago period as revenues grew but the market grew faster.
• #2 Juniper Networks: Maintained its four-quarter trailing market share above 25% of the market with its trio of products—T, PTX, and MX.
• #3 Huawei Technologies: Gained two percentage points in four-quarter trailing market share versus the year-ago period, with continued high-exposure to its domestic market, China.
• #4 Alcatel-Lucent: A relative newcomer to the market gained two percentage points in four-quarter trailing market share versus the year-ago period.

http://www.delloro.com/news/service-provider-core-router-market-records-fourth-consecutive-quarter-of-growth-2

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Coriant Achieves 57.6 Tbps Data Transmission Rate over Hollow Core Fiber

Coriant achieved a data transmission rate of 57.6 Tbps (gross rate of 73.7 Tbps) over hollow core optical fiber -- an officially certified Guinness World Record.

Coriant said hollow core photonic band gap fibers offer a significant increase in transmission capacity, due to its potential for a much lower attenuation, virtually non-existing nonlinear distortions, a much higher optical amplification bandwidth, and ultimately low latency. In combination with space division multiplexing (SDM) technology, which Coriant has been actively researching for several years and successfully demonstrated last in a customer field trial, the capacity of hollow core fibers could increase 100-fold compared to current systems.

"Coriant is proud to have Guinness World Records recognize our achievement in the highest data transmission rate over hollow core optical fiber, which was 50 times the previous record,” said Ken Craft, Executive Vice President, Optical Products and Technology at Coriant. “This achievement represents further proof that we are on the right path driving this research, keeping our finger on the pulse of cutting-edge innovations.”

http://www.coriant.com

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AT&T Updates Project VIP Status, Raises 2014 Guidance

AT&T said its Project VIP network transformation plan, announced in 2012, is ahead of schedule.  The company also reported strong second-quarter wireless trends and an increase in its full-year 2014 revenue guidance, while reaffirming its full-year guidance for consolidated margins, EPS growth, capital spending and free cash flow.

Some highlights of the announcement:

• AT&T’s 4G LTE network now covers nearly 290 million people;
  
• Project VIP will bring fiber to more than 400,000 new business customer locations by the end of the second quarter.
  
• For Q2, AT&T expects postpaid subscriber net adds to exceed 800,000 while postpaid churn remains at 0.95 percent or lower.
  
• Approximately 3.2 million AT&T Next smartphone sales, which have risen throughout the quarter and now are expected to be approximately 50 percent of total sales;
  
• Approximately one-half of the company’s postpaid smartphone customer base on no-device-subsidy Mobile Share Value pricing plans, growing to approximately two-thirds by year-end.
  
• AT&T expects second-quarter wireless service EBITDA margins to be pressured year over year due to the increased sales activity and strong customer movement to the no-device-subsidy Mobile Share Value plans.  Wireless service EBITDA margins are expected to be over 40 percent in each of the three remaining quarters of 2014.
  
• U-verse video additions bundled with broadband are expected continue to perform well.
  
• Wireline margins continue under pressure, reflecting content cost increases, fiber expansion and high-speed broadband subscriber growth.
  
• AT&T raised its full-year 2014 guidance for revenue growth to be in the 5 percent range and reaffirmed its full-year 2014 guidance for stable consolidated margins, adjusted earnings per share growth at the low-end of the mid-single digit range, capital expenditures in the $21 billion range and free cash flow in the $11 billion range.

http://about.att.com/story/att_provides_update_on_network_transformation_second_quarter_trends_and_full_year_2014_financial_guidance.html

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Synopsys and Intel Collaborate to Enable 14-nm Tri-Gate Design

Synopsys announced SoC design tools for Intel's 14-nm Tri-Gate process technology for use by customers of Intel Custom Foundry.

The companies confirmed that Intel Custom Foundry 14-nm design platform supports Synopsys' Galaxy Design Platform tools and RTL-to-GDSII methodology, high-performance DesignWare Memory Compiler intellectual property (IP), and advanced interface IP.

"The combination of Intel's 14-nm Tri-Gate process technology and Synopsys tools, memory and interface IP enables designers to create industry-leading SoCs for their target markets," said Ali Farhang, vice president, Design and Enablement Services, Intel Custom Foundry. "By building on our successful collaboration on Intel's 22-nm design platform, we have been able to seamlessly extend the solution to our 14-nm process technology."

http://www.synopsys.com/Company/PressRoom/Pages/default.aspx

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Cadence Collaborates with Intel on 14nm Tri-gate Design

Cadence Design Systems announced support for Intel’s 14nm Tri-Gate process technology to enable customers of Intel Custom Foundry. Cadence and Intel have together enabled the custom/analog flow, including Spectre APS, Virtuoso Schematic Editor, Virtuoso Layout Suite and Virtuoso Analog Design Environment for the 14nm Tri-Gate process. The companies are also collaborating on the development of the Cadence digital flow featuring Encounter Digital Implementation System, QRC Extraction Solution, and Tempus™ Timing Signoff Solution.

Cadence is also delivering the LPDDR4-3200 PHY for Intel Custom Foundry’s 14nm Low Power design platform. With data rates of up to 3200Mbps and a 1.6 GHz memory clock, this latest and most advanced memory PHY IP realizes the full capabilities of LPDDR4 technology. Cadence LPDDR4-3200 PHY IP is backward compatible with LPDDR3 memories and supports package on package (POP) and memory on PCB systems, making it ideal for the mobile market, which demands high memory performance, low power, low cost and compact systems.

http://www.cadence.com
http://www.intel.com

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ItsOn Releases its Cloud-based OSS/BSS

ItsOn, a start-up based in Redwood City, California, announced the commercial release of its cloud-based  OSS/BSS. The ItsOn Smart Services Platform enables mobile operators to virtualize service policy control, billing and traffic-management functions for data, voice and text, with an optimized real-time, on-device user experience.

The company said the goal of its integrated smart policy and charging solution is to help mobile operators offer highly personalized contextual services and applications-based plans to their customers. The cloud platform integrates with existing mobile network architectures to orchestrate OSS/BSS.

"The only way operators can meet the growing trend toward exciting new use cases such as personalized mobile service plans for families and businesses, sponsored applications, content as a service, on-device contextual marketing and real-time on-device customer care, while also reducing operating costs, is to extend and enhance their OSS/BSS and policy orchestration systems," said Greg Raleigh, Founder and CEO of ItsOn.

http://www.itsoninc.com

• ItsOn secured $28 million in seed, Series A and Series B as well as an additional $12.5 million in an April 2014 Series C round of funding, led by Tenaya Capital with participation from existing investor Andreessen Horowitz. Previous ItsOn investors include Vodafone Ventures, Verizon Investments, SV Angel and an investor group led by Jim Davidson.
  
• ItsOn is headed by Dr. Raleigh, who previously served as vice president of mobile internet at Qualcomm; founder, President, chief executive officer and board member at Airgo Networks (acquired by Qualcomm in 2006); vice president of wireless internet at Cisco; founder and president of Clarity Wireless (acquired by Cisco in 1998); and chief scientist and vice president of research and development at Watkins Johnson Company.

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