NSA Releases Niagarafiles Flow Analysis Tool as Open Source

The National Security Agency announced the public release of a software tool called "Niagarafiles (Nifi)" that automates data flows among multiple computer networks, even when data formats and protocols differ. The code is being released through the Apache Software Foundation.

Nifi, which was developed by the NSA, is used to create situational awareness from flows of information coming from geographically dispersed sites.

NSA said that by releasing this technology as open source code will allow the private sector and others to examine the agency's research up close, and potentially benefit from it through additional enhancements and applications. At the same time, the government can gain from related research advances.

"NSA's innovators work on some of the most challenging national security problems imaginable," said Linda L. Burger, Director of the NSA TTP. "Their research breakthroughs often have broad, commercial applications, too. We use open source releases to move technology from the lab to the marketplace, making state-of-the-art technology more widely available and aiming to accelerate U.S. economic growth."

https://www.nsa.gov/public_info/press_room/2014/nifi_announcement.shtml

Read More

Telekom Austria Adds EUR 400M to Broadband Rollout

Telekom Austria announced additional investments of up to EUR 400 million for its ongoing broadband rollout in Austria.

"Following the successful conclusion of the capital increase of EUR 1 billion, trading of the new shares on the Vienna Stock Exchange commenced as of today. Our next important item on the agenda with regard to the allocation of the new funds mainly concerns investments in our core markets. In our domestic market, Austria, given the right framework conditions, additional investments of up to EUR 400 million will boost broadband rollout. In this way, we are equipping the country with the necessary infrastructure to meet the challenges lying ahead in the 21st century, while setting important impulses for economic growth and job creation," said Hannes Ametsreiter, CEO Telekom Austria Group and A1.

Telekom Austria also said the infusion of cash will give it the option to pursue strategic acquisitions, inline with the following priorities: (i) in-market consolidation to strengthen existing operations; (ii) the continued pursuit of Telekom Austria Group's convergence strategy to diversify in markets that are currently mobile-only as well as to enhance existing convergent operations; and (iii) expansion via new operations.

http://www.telekomaustria.com/



In October, Telekom Austria Group's A1 domestic subsidiary, together with its technology partner Alcatel-Lucent, demonstrated G.fast running a several hundred megabits per second.  Currently, G.fast is still in a testing phase at A1 and the launch of commercial operations is expected in 2016.

Read More

IDC: Worldwide WLAN Market Shows Sustained Growth in Q3

The combined consumer and enterprise worldwide wireless local area network (WLAN) market segments increased 7.4% year over year in the third quarter of 2014 (3Q14), according to the preliminary results published in the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly WLAN Tracker.

"WLAN is proving to be an increasingly mission-critical platform in the enterprise," said Rohit Mehra, Vice President, Network Infrastructure, at IDC. "Not only are organizations experiencing transformed internal business processes through WLAN-enabled cloud and multimedia applications, but public-facing enterprises are realizing opportunities to improve customer engagement through the wireless network. This is leading to a robust stream of network upgrades and greenfield deployments, increasingly built upon the 802.11ac standard. These trends will continue to play out in the foreseeable future."

Some highlights:

• 802.11ac already accounts for 26.5% of dependent access point shipments and 39% of revenues.
• The consumer WLAN market increased 4.8% year over year in 3Q14. This was noticeably lower than the 10.9% year-over-year growth seen in 2Q14.
• The enterprise WLAN market once again performed especially well in Latin America with its 27.3% year-over-year growth in 3Q14. The Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region also enjoyed its second consecutive quarter of solid growth, growing 15.0% year over year. North America, rebounding from a decline in 2Q14, grew 7.5% year over year in 3Q14. The enterprise WLAN market in the Asia/Pacific region grew more modestly at 4.5% year over year.
• Cisco's 3Q14 worldwide enterprise WLAN revenue increased 2.6% year over year and 7.3% quarter over quarter. Cisco's worldwide market share increased to 48.3% in 3Q14 from 46.8% in 2Q14, stemming two consecutive quarters of declining market share, but still down from the 51.6% market share held in 3Q13.
• Aruba (excluding its OEM business) had a very strong quarter in 3Q14 and increased 33.4% year over year and 1.4% sequentially on strength across its product portfolio, including the 802.11ac and Aruba Instant access points. As a result, Aruba's market share increased to 11.5% of the enterprise WLAN market, up from the 9.4% in 3Q13.
• Ruckus again outperformed the overall enterprise WLAN market after growing 22.6% year over year and 4.5% quarter over quarter in 3Q14. Ruckus now accounts for 6.3% of the overall market, up from 5.6% in 3Q13.

http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS25266114

Read More

Infonetics: VoLTE Drives Subscriber Data Management Momentum

While mobile deployments will continue to dominate the subscriber data management (SDM) market, there is interesting activity in the fixed-line space, including using SDM to support multiscreen video and enable multiple subscriber profiles supported by a single set top box (STB), according to a new report from Infonetics Research.

LTE and voice over LTE (VoLTE) continue to drive the subscriber data management (SDM) market as operators look to synchronize data across domains and ensure a smooth transition for subscribers across access networks. And we expect voice over WiFi (VoWiFi) to have a similar accelerating effect as VoWiFi devices become available,” says Shira Levine, directing analyst for service enablement and subscriber intelligence at Infonetics Research.

“Meanwhile, the ongoing buzz around analytics and big data is translating into interest in SDM’s role as an aggregator of subscriber information across multiple points in the network and IT realms,” Levine adds.

Some highlights:

• Operators will be launching network functions virtualization (NFV) initiatives over the next few years, but the virtualization of back-end subscriber data repositories is expected to be slow to follow as concerns about the reliability, availability, and security of virtualized network functions persist
• Organizational issues such as internal resistance to sharing data across departmental “silos” remain a major hurdle to operators’ SDM strategies
• The worldwide market for SDM software and services is forecast by Infonetics to grow to $2.5 billion in 2018, with services gradually representing a larger share of the market.

http://www.infonetics.com/pr/2014/1H14-SDM-SW-Market-Highlights.asp

Read More

Dell'Oro: Microwave Transmission Up 5% YoY in Q3

The point-to-point Microwave Transmission market held on to its positive upturn that began in early 2014, following nearly three years of market contraction, according to a new report by Dell’Oro Group.

“The microwave transmission equipment market is returning to growth,” said Jimmy Yu, Vice President of Microwave Transmission research at Dell’Oro Group.  “Following two quarters of year-over-year growth this year, we’re expecting the momentum to continue as mobile operators continue to expand their mobile networks in geographic areas that favor wireless backhaul over fixed line technologies.  India and the Middle East are just a few of these key microwave backhaul regions where further network spending has benefited the microwave market,” Yu added.

In the third quarter of 2014, the market grew five percent year-over-year for a second consecutive quarter and is set to grow in the area of three percent for the full year 2014.

During Q3, microwave transmission equipment revenue increased 33 percent and 20 percent respectively in Asia Pacific and the Middle East.  Other regions that rely on wireless backhaul such as Africa and Europe also increased microwave use during the quarter, offsetting declines in the Americas region.

http://www.delloro.com

Read More

Telstra Activates 700MHz + 1800 MHz in Melbourne

Telstra activated its "4GX" network service in Melbourne, promising users with compatible devices download speeds ranging from 2-100 Mbps.

4GX uses Telstra’s new 700MHz spectrum and delivers higher typical mobile speeds on compatible devices.  It also uses LTE Advanced technology to aggregate the 700MHz spectrum with Telstra’s 1800MHz band.

The service is available today in parts of Melbourne’s CBD and surrounding suburbs including in St Kilda, Windsor, Albert Park, South Yarra, South Melbourne, Docklands, West Melbourne, North Melbourne, Collingwood, Fitzroy, East Melbourne, Parkville, Elsternwick, Cremorne. By January, 4GX services will cover an area spanning three kilometres of the Melbourne GPO and will be expanded across Telstra’s mobile footprint over time.

http://www.telstra.com.au/aboutus/media/media-releases/telstra-launches-world-leading-4gx-mobile-service-in-melbourne.xml

Read More

Telstra Builds a National Wi-Fi Network

by James E. Carroll

Telstra is switching on the first 150 Wi-Fi hotspots in anational Wi-Fi network

The first Wi-Fi trials will be located at payphone sites in the heart of local communities in metro and regional areas as well as holiday hotspots, focusing on parts of the communities where people congregate and spend time. In future, Telstra-built hotspots will also be located at Telstra retail outlets and exchange buildings.

Access to Wi-Fi will be free at the 1000 trial sites before the network officially launches early next year.

“This trial marks the beginning of our ambition to switch on more than two million hotspots across the nation over five years and give customers the best Wi-Fi experience in and out of the home,” said Gordon Ballantyne, Group Executive Telstra Retail.

“We want customers to have greater options for connecting when they're out and about. From browsing the web, streaming videos or sharing photos with friends, we want customers to have a taste of what the network will be like next year, when Telstra Wi-Fi members will be able to use their home broadband allowance at the hotspots.

http://www.telstra.com

Read More