NTT Com Tests NAT Traversal with its SkyWay WebRTC Platform

NTT Communications has added Traversal Using Relays around NAT (TURN) functionality to SkyWay, its open platform that enables application/service developers to use Web-based (browser) real-time communications (WebRTC).

WebRTC enables peer-to-peer (P2P) real-time communication for voice calls, video chatting and file sharing via PCs, smartphones, tablets and native applications without going through server-side systems. Direct P2P connectivity ensures higher quality voice and video streams, lower latency and fewer dropped packets, thus increasing the overall user experience. WebRTC is being standardized under HTML5 by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

NTT Com said TURN enables WebRTC to be used without P2P communication by transmitting data through servers. It allows more flexible communication systems capable of using WebRTC to be constructed in corporate network environments where P2P communication is rendered unavailable due to certain network configurations, such as the network address translation (NAT) method with strict security policies.

TURN requires high network bandwidth and robust servers to transmit large-volume data, and appropriate security measures are needed as well. NTT Com expects to release an official version of SkyWay with TURN after conducting the current trial.

Corporate users or/and service providers can now use SkyWay incorporating the TURN protocol as a cloud computing service without having to prepare additional server resources or install applications in an WebRTC server for P2P communication. Users first need to apply on the SkyWay website. Availability will be on a first-come first-served basis.  The trial is available on NTT Com’s GitHub page.

http://nttcom.github.io/skyway/en/

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Dell'Oro: WLAN Market Forecast to Expand Nearly 40% by 2019

The wireless LAN market is forecast to expand nearly 40% from 2014 revenues, approaching $13 billion by 2019, according to a new report from Dell’Oro Group.  A mini-upgrade cycle is expected to occur this year thanks to new 802.11ac ‘Wave 2’ Access Points and 2.5 & 5 Gbps Ethernet interfaces on Access Points.

“We expect 2015 to be a pivotal year for the Enterprise-class WLAN market with the introduction of higher speed 802.11ac Wave 2 systems,” said Chris DePuy, Vice President at Dell’Oro Group.  “This will drive a need for greater Ethernet speeds, opening the door for an upgrade cycle to 2.5 and 5 Gbps Ethernet, which will drive a potential upgrade cycle for Campus Switching as well.”

In response to the new technology trends emerging in 2015, the Wireless LAN Five-Year Forecast Report now contains a forecast of both Wave 1 and Wave 2 802.11ac for Enterprise-class devices.  In addition, in a related report called the Enterprise Edge Five-Year Forecast Report, Dell’Oro Group now forecasts both 2.5 Gbps and 5 Gbps Ethernet switch ports.  Also included in the report are estimates on total SP WiFi units and revenue forecasts, and an analysis.

http://www.delloro.com/news/wireless-lan-market-forecast-expand-nearly-40-percent-approaching-13-billion-2019-according-delloro-group-forecast-report

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NTT Com Offers Fortinet's Software Security Appliance

NTT Communications has begun offering a software security appliance service that can be deployed in a customer’s private cloud, and in the near future via NTT Com’s WideAngle security service for managed security.

The service, which is offered in collaboration with Fortinet, enables the on-demand use of basic security functions, such as cloud intrusion prevention system (IPS) and filtering, for the unprecedentedly fast, flexible and low-cost implementation of security measures.

NTT Com is the world’s first telecom service provider to launch a one-stop service for managed security service using Fortinet’s software security appliance. It is being offered as a new option in NTT Com’s Enterprise Cloud service for mission critical systems.

NTT Com said its one-stop service combines basic security measures such as IPS and URL filtering, plus antivirus and antispam measures for emails, as well as managed security for virtual environments in a customer’s private cloud and NTT Com’s WideAngle cloud.

http://www.ntt.com/aboutus_e/news/data/20150123.html

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Dell SecureWorks Launches Malware Protection Service

Dell SecureWorks launched a fully managed security service designed to rapidly detect advanced threat actor activity on networks.

The Advanced Malware Protection and Detection (AMPD) service combines threat intelligence from Dell SecureWorks and Lastline's malware defense platform. Dell SecureWorks continuously monitors and inspects email, file and Web traffic on an organization’s network using purpose-built appliances. Suspicious traffic is further reviewed by advanced analysis engines hosted at Dell SecureWorks. AMPD technology is combined with the CTU-powered intelligence capabilities of a specialized security analyst team that rapidly detects, analyzes and diagnoses threats, and provides focused guidance on their removal.

“Once organizations are alerted to suspicious activity, they must rapidly respond to determine with a high degree of confidence about the level of threat in order to minimize potential impact,” said retired Col. Barry R. Hensley, executive director of the Counter Threat Unit at Dell SecureWorks. “Security teams that often use open-source intelligence for research on threat indicators alerted by their own security controls often draw the wrong conclusion on what the threat actually is. That leads to misguided actions and wasted time while an adversary remains undetected with unfettered access to their networks.”

http://www.secureworks.com

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Microsoft's Commercial Cloud on $5.5B Annual Run Rate

In its quarterly financial report, Microsoft highlighted its growth rate in cloud services, notably:

• Office 365 Home and Personal subscribers increased to over 9.2 million, up 30% sequentially over prior quarter
• Commercial cloud revenue grew 114% driven by Office 365, Azure and Dynamic CRM Online, and is now on an annualized revenue run rate of $5.5 billion
• Office Commercial products and services revenue declined 1%; transactional revenue was impacted by the continued transition to Office 365 and declines in commercial PCs following the XP refresh cycle

“Microsoft is continuing to transform, executing against our strategic priorities and extending our cloud leadership,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft.  “We are taking bold steps forward across our business, and specifically with Windows 10, to deliver new experiences, new categories, and new opportunities to our customers.”

http://news.microsoft.com/2015/01/26/microsoft-cloud-and-devices-momentum-highlights-second-quarter-results/

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Allot Confirms Video Optimization Order with 3 Carriers

Allot Communications confirmed orders from three new mobile operator customers in the fourth quarter of 2014 for its application-aware and network-aware video optimization system.  Financial terms were not disclosed.

Allot said one of EMEA’s leading Tier-1 mobile service providers is implementing the Allot VideoClass system to prevent video buffering delays, stalls and latency, and expedite web browsing to enhance the overall customer quality of experience (QoE).

A second order was received from a major multinational mobile operator based in LATAM that selected the Allot VideoClass system to eliminate network congestion and enhance video delivery. Allot also received an additional Allot VideoClass system order from a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Europe.

“As multimedia consumption on smartphones, tablets and connected devices becomes more prevalent, mobile operators require powerful QoE management solutions to better monetize dynamic video and web bandwidth demands and to gain control of their networks,” said Yaniv Sulkes, AVP Marketing at Allot Communications.

http://www.allot.com/

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Vodacom South Africa Picks ALU for GPON

Vodacom South Africa has selected Alcatel-Lucent to build a gigabit passive optical networking (GPON) solution for enterprise and residential markets.

Specifically, Vodacom plans to deploy a new converged network in all major centers in South Africa, including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban, reaching 250,000  homes and businesses within the next three years. Alcatel-Lucent is providing its 7360 ISAM FX for GPON services, as well as Customer Experience Management Platform using Motive Home Device Manager and Network Analyzer Fiber. The project also includes Professional Services, Operations Support Systems (OSS) deployment and Managed Services.

http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/press/2015/alcatel-lucent-build-converged-network-vodacom-south-africa

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Mexico Tests 700MHz LTE for National Broadband with ALU

Alcatel-Lucent is working with government of Mexico to trial LTE running in 700 MHz APT spectrum as the basis for a new national wholesale ultra-broadband mobile network initiative.

The "Red Compartida Project" aims to provide a 4G LTE mobile broadband wholesale offering service in the Digital Dividend spectrum for both existing services providers and licensed tenant operators.

The trial in the city of Acapulco uses Alcatel-Lucent’s LTE express solution for rates up to 120 Mbps and the company's latest Packet Microwave Radio solution as backhaul.

http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/press/2015/alcatel-lucent-and-mexican-government-conduct-4g-lte-field-trial-preparation-new-national-mobile-0

http://www.ift.org.mx/iftweb/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/COMUNICADO-48-IFT.pdf

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AT&T Builds its Network in Mexico with Nextel Acquisition

AT&T plans to acquire Nextel Mexico from NII Holdings for US$1.875 billion, less the outstanding net debt of the business at closing.

The deal includes spectrum licenses, network assets, retail stores and approximately 3 million subscribers. Nextel Mexico’s network covers approximately 76 million people.

The Nextel Mexico assets will be combined with those of Iusacell, which AT&T recently acquired. AT&T said its ambition is to create the first-ever North American Mobile Service area covering over 400 million consumers and businesses in Mexico and the United States.

Regulatory approvals are required as is the consent of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, which is overseeing the restructuring of NII Holdings.

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

• Nextel de México is still using an iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network) over most of its territory. The carrier has launched LTE in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
  
• Earlier this month, AT&T completed its previously announced acquisition of  Iusacell, a leading Mexican mobile operator, from Grupo Salinas for US$2.5 billion, inclusive of Iusacell debt.  The deal includes all of Iusacell’s wireless properties, including licenses, network assets, retail stores and approximately 8.6 million subscribers. 
  Iusacell offers wireless service under both the Iusacell and Unefón brand names with a network that today covers about 70 percent of Mexico’s approximately 120 million people. AT&T plans to expand Iusacell’s network to cover millions of additional consumers and businesses in Mexico.
  Iusacell operates a 3G  GSM/UMTS network based on the same technology that AT&T uses in the United States. Iusacell owns between 20 and 25 MHz of 800 MHz spectrum, primarily in the southern half of the country, including Mexico City and Guadalajara, and an average of 39MHz of PCS spectrum nationwide. 
  “The quick approval of this deal is one more example of why Mexico is an attractive place to invest,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and CEO. “We look forward to bringing more wireless competition to Mexico along with an improved mobile Internet experience for customers. Expanding and enhancing Iusacell’s mobile network to cover millions of additional consumers and businesses is our top priority."

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