Microsoft Offers Subscription Model for Office Live Meeting

Microsoft introduced a paid subscription model for companies deploying Office Live Meeting across their entire organization. In addition to its present Shared Seat and Per-Minute Web conferencing subscription options, Live Meeting now offers the following models:

• The Named User model enables dedicated capacity for customers that schedule and conduct Live Meeting Web conferences with up to 15 participants, without incurring additional costs as their frequency of use increases.



• The Room model enables users to purchase any number of different-sized rooms based on their specific requirements. This model is ideal for customers that occasionally need to conduct large meetings.



• The Monthly Minutes model enhances the existing Per-Minute option. Customers now can sign up for a block of monthly minutes. This model provides the most flexibility for those customers that prefer to stay on the Per-Minute pricing option, while providing discounted rates for higher usage.

http://www.microsoft.com

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EchoStar and DirecTV Capture 795,000 Video Subscribers in Q2

EchoStar Communications added 340,000 net subscribers for its DISH satellite TV service in Q2, giving it a total of 10.125 million subscribers.



DirecTV added 455,000 net subscribers in Q2, giving it a total of 13.04 million U.S. subscribers. ARPU was $65.00. http://www.echostar.comhttp://www.directv.com

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AT&T Announces Contracts with AAA, Continental

AT&T was awarded a $21 million networking contract by the American Automobile Association (AAA) covering an array of local and long-distance voice, data, hosting and remote-access Internet services. AAA's 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week emergency roadside service is supported by AT&T Toll-Free Service. The organization's website is hosted in AT&T Internet Data Centers (IDCs) in Florida and Illinois; and the association relies on AT&T's Frame Relay and ATM services for linking its national office with affiliate clubs nationwide.



Separately, Continental Airlines awarded a $15 million contract to AT&T for toll-free services and call center solutions. Specifically, Continental will deploy AT&T Toll Free Services to support its three U.S.-based contact centers staffed by thousands of agents. The solution integrates AT&T's network-based technology with Intelligent Contact Management software solutions from Cisco Systems. http://www.att.com

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T-Online Sees Growth in the First Half of 2004

T-Online. Deutsche Telekom's ISP division, increased its net revenues by EUR 104.9 million to EUR 988.2 million during the first half of 2004, representing year-on-year growth of approximately 12%. T-Online's revenue from broadband tariffs also rose by 32.6% group-wide compared with the prior-year period. The number of customers using DSL tariffs went up from 2.2 million to 2.9 million. http://www.telekom.de

• Based in Germany, T-Online has subsidiaries in France, Spain, Austria and Switzerland. The division has 13.3 million registered customers.

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Cingular Wireless Selected for National Communications System

Cingular Wireless has been awarded a contract by the National Communications System (NCS) to provide Wireless Priority Service (WPS) to the country's authorized emergency response personnel. Cingular has launched WPS in select markets and expects WPS to be deployed across much of its network by the end of 2004. Total network deployment will be complete by the summer of 2005.



Computer Sciences Corporation, the NCS's integration contractor for the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service and the Wireless Priority Service, was responsible for the acquisition of Cingular as a participating WPS provider.



The National Communications System, part of the Department of Homeland Security's Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate, consists of 23 Federal member departments and agencies and is responsible for ensuring the availability of a viable national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) communications infrastructure. http://www.cingular.comhttp://wps.ncs.gov

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Vonage Names Louis Mamakos as CTO

Vonage named Louis Mamakos to the newly named position of CTO. Most recently, Mr. Mamakos was a fellow at Hyperchip, Inc. where he held various technical engineering and architecture role. Prior to Hyperchip, Mr. Mamakos spent eight years at UUNET Technologies, where he guided the company's rollout of its Internet backbone beginning in 1993. Mamakos is also credited with being the first chairman of the DNS working group within the IETFhttp://www.vonage.com

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Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom Expands IPTV with Alcatel/Acer

Taiwan's incumbent Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) has selected Alcatel, Acer and Ambit (recently merged with Foxconn) for an IPTV project. The contract was valued at EUR 4.75 million. The IP-based television services will use Alcatel's Open Media Suite and Open Video Server, along with STB (set top box) hardware technologies from Acer and Ambit. The carrier is already offering IP-based Video-On-Demand, Karaoke-on-Demand, and an Electronic Program Guide for broadcast TV.



Chunghwa Telecom currently serves approximately three million ADSL subscribers and has some 30,000 IPTV subscribers. The carrier is forecasting approximately 100,000 IPTV subscribers in the first year and one million subscribers within three years. http://www.alcatel.com

• In March 2004, Chunghwa Telecom was granted a cable TV license. It subsequently launched a multimedia-on-demand service in the cities of Taipei, Keelung, Taoyuan and Hsinchu.

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BigBand Demonstrates PacketCable Multimedia Solution

BigBand Networks has demonstrated a PacketCable Multimedia (PCMM) solution integrating its digital video and cable modem termination system (CMTS) platforms. The demonstration sourced standard digital video feeds delivered via satellite, allocated them guaranteed bandwidth using CableMatrix's PCMM-compliant On Demand Service Platform (ODSP), and modified the contents for distribution to PCs and IP set-top boxes.



The PCMM specification uses dynamic QoS signalling mechanisms that allow different applications to request and obtain bandwidth from the DOCSIS 1.1 or 2.0 data link layer. In the demonstration, a BigBand BMR(R) accessed variable bit rate digital video, set it to constant bit rate to comply with client device tolerance, and provided it via an Ethernet connection to a BigBand Cuda CMTS. The Cuda interoperated with the CableMatrix ODSP's Policy Server and Bandwidth on Demand (BoD) Application Manager to guarantee the required bandwidth for proper delivery of the video stream. The content was then forwarded over DOCSIS to a cable modem for provisioning to a WiFi gateway that wirelessly fed video to a PC, or to an IP set-top box connected to a television, with the dynamic QoS assuring high video quality.



BigBand Networks conducted its demonstration at this week's CableLabs Summer Conference in Keystone, Colorado. http://www.bigbandnet.com

• In June 2004, BigBand Networks closed its acquisition of the IP Cable Business Unit of ADC Telecommunications, including the Cuda and FastFlow product lines. The company also announced that it had completed a $25 million funding round.

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TDC Cable Selects SupportSoft for Broadband Activation

TDC Cable TV, a subsidiary of TDC Group and one of the largest Nordic cable providers, has licensed SupportSoft software to help its almost 1 million subscribers to activate broadband services. The SupportSoft software, which also provides for automated installation and maintenance of a home network, is designed to extend more comprehensive self-service functionality for problem diagnosis and resolution to TDC Cable TV's Webspeed subscribers. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.supportsoft.com

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Tyco Telecom Supplies STM-16 Circuits to Japan Telecom

Tyco Telecommunications was awarded a multi-million dollar contract to provide several high bandwidth, international circuits to Japan Telecom (JT) to support the carrier's growing international video broadcast transmission services. Specifically, Tyco Telecommunications will provide JT with multiple STM-16 circuits (2.488 Gbps) to connect JT's distribution facility in Tokyo with PoPs in New York City, London, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. The first of these circuits will support JT's plans to provide HDTV broadcast services for the 2004 Summer Olympics. The other high bandwidth circuits support JT's plans to provide video broadcast services between Japan, the United States and Europe for the next several years. http://www.tycotelecom.com

• The Tyco Global Network (TGN) includes dedicated fiber optic cables on the key Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Pacific routes.

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Voiceglo Enhances its VoIP Service

Voiceglo released an updated version of its GloPhone broadband VoIP service. The company is offering a new handset, along with local, long-distance and international calling plans. Users can make international calls to any traditional or wireless phone with rates starting at 2.9 cents/minute. The service provides free, unlimited peer-to-peer calling to other GloPhone subscribers.



GloPhone packages include standard calling features, such as caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding, missed call notification voice mail to email and conference calling. The new version adds Star 99 Call Messaging, Message Waiting Indicator, Direct Extension Dialing, Personal Contact Directory, Anyphone Directory Assistance, Multiple GloPhone Lines on One PC,
Glo2Go Phone Express, and Buddy Lists. GloPhone 2.0 also provides its users with a portable telephone solution for accessing the service from any Internet connection in the world. http://www.glophone.com

• Voiceglo provides free SIP-to-SIP calling to other Voiceglo members and charges for calls off the network.



• Voiceglo was founded by Michael Egan and Edward Cespedes. Egan is the Founder and former CEO of Alamo Rent A Car, which he directed to become one of the nation's largest car rental firms before selling it to Republic Industries. Cespedes is a former investment banker with JP Morgan and also serves as President of theglobe.com and Voiceglo.



• Voiceglo has deployed a joint CIENA/Laurel multiservice edge solution to support its GloPhone VoIP service. CIENA DN 7100 multiservice edge switches and Laurel ST200) service edge routers provide the voice switching, Internet routing and peering, QoS, subscriber management and interface flexibility for the network. Voiceglo is also using Acme Packet's Net-Net session border controllers for both hosted IP service delivery and peering to IP-based PSTN termination networks.

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Cisco Ships its Millionth IP Phone in Europe

Cisco Systems has shipped its one millionth IP phone in Europe. The recipient was Bankernes EDB Central (BEC), a leading Danish technology provider to 78 banks in the country. BEC is involved in a major deployment of some 6,000 IP phones by Danish banks over the next few years. http://www.cisco.com

• Cisco shipped 470,000 IP phones worldwide in its latest fiscal quarter. The company claims over 14,500 IP Communications customers globally and has sold over 3 million phones worldwide to date.

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New Global Telecom Selects NexTone

New Global Telecom (NGT), a provider of utsourced TDM and IP network management services to carriers and service providers, has deployed NexTone's Multiprotocol Session Controller (MSC) as the basis of its new IPartition service. The platform provides stateful any-to-any protocol conversion and termination of International and domestic IP traffic, enabling NGT's carrier customers to interconnect to any global carrier network regardless of their network infrastructure. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.nextone.comhttp://www.ngt.com

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Conexant Sets Up Design Center in Taiwan

Conexant Systems plans to open a design center in Taipei, Taiwan to support its engineering hardware and software support services, including board design verification and testing for the company's wireless, DSL and dial-up products for Taiwan equipment suppliers. Geographically, shipments to the Asia-Pacific region represent approximately 80 percent of Conexant's revenues, the majority of which are generated in Taiwan. http://www.conexant.com

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Digital Evolution Raises $10 Million for Web Services Security

Digital Evolution, a start-up based in Santa Monica, California, closed its Series C financing with $15 million in new capital for its Web Services Security and Management software. The new funding came from Redpoint Ventures, Mellon Ventures, Paladin Capital Group, and Palisades Ventures. Digital Evolution has raised over $30 million in total equity financing to date since its founding.



Digital Evolution's flagship product, its Digital Evolution Service Manager (DESM), enables monitoring and management of distributed, Web services-enabled applications and modules. The company recently launched an Identity-Based Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Management platform and has signed partnerships with Netegrity and IBM. http://www.digev.com

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MCI Introduces Virtual Peering Across MAE Facilities

MCI is launching a Virtual Peering Service to help ISPs and other large bandwidth users to interconnect networks at any of its MAE switching facilities across the U.S.



Unlike the traditional model of peering which is only with companies physically located at the same location or within the same region, organizations can now virtually "connect" across MCI's three major U.S. regions, including MAE East (Washington, D.C. metro, New York City), MAE Central (Dallas, Chicago), and MAE West (San Jose and Los Angeles). The new MAE Extended Services use virtual private connections to exchange traffic over MCI's global IP network without the regional or physical limitations traditionally associated with peering. MCI said this results in better network utilization and expanded geographic reach for its customers.



MCI also plans to expand its suite of services to additional U.S. and global locations beginning this fall. All MAE services support IPv6.

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Nortel to Resell PacketHop's Mobile Mesh Technology

Nortel Networks will resell PacketHop's secure mobile mesh solution as a homeland security communications solution for law enforcement and public safety agencies. The PacketHop system consists of client software that is loaded onto IP radio-equipped devices along with real-time multimedia applications specifically designed for server-less operations. Nortel Networks's Wireless Mesh Network portfolio consists of its Wireless Access Point 7220, Wireless Gateway 7250 and Optivity Network Management system. Joint solutions from PacketHop and Nortel Networks are targeted for availability in Q4 2004. http://www.nortelnetworks.comhttp://www.packethop.com

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PacketHop Secures $10 Million for Mobile Mesh Technology

PacketHop, a start-up based in Belmont, California, secured $10 million in a Series B round of financing for its secure mobile mesh software. PacketHop's software, which can be loaded onto standard IP radio-equipped devices such as commercial off-the-shelf laptops, tablets and PDAs, enables the devices to form a secure, scaleable and robust mobile broadband network. PacketHop's mobile mesh network does not require fixed network infrastructure such as base stations or access points to provide communications between devices. When fixed infrastructure is available, it is an additional resource utilized by the mobile mesh network to connect to a network backbone when necessary.



PacketHop is initially targeting the homeland security market.



The new funding was led by ComVentures and included existing investors U.S. Venture Partners and Mayfield. http://www.packethop.com

• PacketHop was founded in January 2003. Its core technology was developed in the SRI International lab.

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Adelphia Expands Deployment of nCUBE Video Servers

Adelphia Communications, the fifth largest cable provider in the U.S., has selected nCUBE to expand its On Demand services. Adelphia is now using nCUBE in six markets. In addition to nCUBE's On Demand system, Adelphia has also deployed nCUBE's digital advertising insertion systems in select markets. Financial terms were not disclosed. http://www.ncube.com

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Cox Boosts Cable Modem Speed

Cox Communications, the nation's third-largest cable television provider, is boosting the speed of its cable modem services. Cox Communications began offering three different Internet service tiers last fall. Going forward, the new performance levels are:

• Fast -- 256 Kbps symmetrical service for $24.95 (no cable TV bundle required).



• Faster -- 4.0 Mbps/512 Kbps for $29.95 (Cox Combo bundle required)



• Fastest -- 5.0 Mbps/768 Kbps for $44.95 (Cox Combo bundle required).

http://www.cox.com

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