DragonWave Adds Frequencies to BB Wireless Platform

DragonWave, a start-up based in Ottawa, Canada, announced the expansion of its AirPair product family with the addition of 11, 13 and 15 GHz to their frequency portfolio and new protection options with the UpMast Radio Switch (UMRS). The new frequencies will significantly reduced susceptibility to rain, especially in high rain-rate regions, and provide considerable improved reach and network availability.



The UpMast Radio Switch (UMRS) complements the industry leading mesh restoration capability of the AirPair product. For single links the UMRS will provide improved network availability at a low overall cost, by enabling radio redundancy with a single modem. UMRS will be compatible with existing AirPair equipment, enabling in the field network hardening.



Dragonwave said these new product introductions will support all the major AirPair features, including Gigabit Ethernet with capacity scalability to 200 Mbps full duplex in 50 MHz channels, and 170 Mbps in 40 MHz channels.



The DragonWave flexible bandwidth radio platform can scale from 10 to 200 Mbps in 10 Mbps increments. Available in both full outdoor and indoor/outdoor configurations, the AirPair product operates within both licensed and unlicensed radio frequencies of 11-to-26-GHz.

http://www.dragonwaveinc.com

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NeoPhotonics Ships One Million Bi-Directional Transceivers for FTTH

NeoPhotonics has reached the shipment milestone of 1 million Bi-Directional (Bi-Di) transceivers for FTTH applications, primarily for networks in Japan.

http://www.neophotonics.com

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New Edge Networks Tests Flat-Rate National Pricing for Business WAN

New Edge Networks launched a three-month trial of flat-rate pricing for wide area network locations anywhere in the United States.



Under the simplified flat-rate pricing, New Edge Networks guarantees a $159 monthly rate for every remote site on an any-size, private WAN if at least 85% of a company's locations qualify for DSL service within New Edge Networks' core and extended DSL network called BigFoot. Pricing is for a private business-class wide area network that does not touch the Internet.



Where DSL service is not available, New Edge Networks will substitute 128k Frame Relay connections for the same price. This frame relay access option typically costs $300 to $800 per site, depending on location and carrier. This is what forces the average cost per location for most businesses to surge above the $159 a month rate.

http://www.newedgenetworks.com

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Sirius Telecom to Deploy Veraz ControlSwitch

Sirius Telecommunications, which provides switch services, switch partitions, and private line services to large international telecom carriers, will deploy Veraz Networks' products to replace its existing switching infrastructure. The initial deployment will include installations in New York and Los Angeles. In deploying Veraz's programmable ControlSwitch, Sirius will shift its network to a centralized, automated, software-driven network and thus enable Sirius to better streamline its operations.

http://www.veraznetworks.com

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Optical Solutions' GPON Deployed in Oregon

Cal-Ore Telephone is using Optical Solutions' FiberPath Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) system to deliver voice, video and data services to a new residential development in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) serves over 850 square miles of California and Oregon with four exchanges. Recently the company expanded services beyond its traditional exchange borders to provide voice, video and data services to a development in neighboring Klamath Falls, Oregon. The FiberPath system features GPON technology, and is compliant with ITU FSAN standards.

http://www.opticalsolutions.com

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Meru Delivers RF Signal-Level Wireless Security

Meru Networks introduced a wireless security solution that provides protection of wireless networks at the Radio Frequency (RF) signal level. The new Meru Security Services Module is software that works in combination with Meru's wireless LAN product portfolio. It leverages Meru'sAirShield Technology, which uses advanced micro-scanning, radio scrambling and transmission jamming techniques to ensure military-grade, radio frequency security for a enterprise network. In addition, unlike other wireless security solutions, Meru's Security Services Module conducts its scanning without disrupting network services. This is a critical feature for enterprises deploying both voice and data over wireless for mission-critical applications, as these kinds of applications cannot tolerate the kind of transmission interruptions that existing security solutions necessitate.

The Meru Security Services Module functions as part of Meru's System Director operating system and is installed on the Meru WLAN System's Controller. As such, the Module can be used in conjunction with Meru Access Points or Meru Radio Switches. The Security Services Module delivers three key features for enterprises, as follows:

• Continuous Micro-scanning with no disruption to network service -- an AP will inspect packets and scan channels for security violations while transmissions destined for other APs continue uninterrupted. If a packet is incoming to the scanning AP, that AP processes the packet in a few microseconds, then continues to scan. This micro-scanning ability lets every AP on the network act simultaneously as a monitor and Wi-Fi access point without disrupting service to clients -- especially critical for running wireless VoIP.



• Radio Jamming to eliminate rogue transmissions before they add any traffic to the network. Once the Security Services Module scans and detects a rogue, it jams the rogue so that its transmissions appear as white noise on the network and all authorized clients and APs ignore the transmission. Unlike traditional rogue access solutions, Radio Jamming prevents rogue packets from ever being seen on the network, reducing network traffic overhead and ensuring that rogues have no chance to commit spoofing-type attacks.



• Transmission Scrambling to prevent attacks before they happen -- even those from passive or eavesdropping hackers. Traditional WLAN security solutions take packets and randomize the bits, giving only the sender and receiver the key to recovering the information. Meru's Security Services Module goes one step further and adds an RF-level scrambling in which only the sender and receiver are able to see the transmission and all other clients see only white noise. Meru's patented WRC/OD antenna technology accomplishes this without requiring any additional software on the client.

http://www.merunetworks.com

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TI's PIQUA Aims to Improve IP Service Quality

Texas Instruments introduced a scheme that leverages its digital signal processor (DSP) technology and embedded software solutions to monitor and improve the quality of IP-based services, such as voice, data and video.



TI's new "PIQUA" utilizes real-time calculations to instantly assess quality parameters related to the user's experience, allowing both equipment manufacturers and service providers to dynamically adapt to changing conditions and make adjustments which today are either impossible or done manually. These quality management tools enable the discovery, monitoring and repair of services, devices and networks, allowing operators to proactively manage factors like echo, dropped-packets and line-delay.



In addition, PIQUA's real-time diagnostic tools and historical reporting capabilities will make it possible for operators to identify trends and avert problems before customers are even impacted.



PIQUA's IP Services Quality Management includes:

• Proactive monitoring and management


• Reacting to performance degradation before customers' call


• Threshold-based alerts


• Real-time diagnostics


• Historical reporting


• Identifying trends, averting problems, post-call review


• Empowering subscriber support center personnel with valuable measures, analysis tools and recommendations

TI is initially working with industry partners, including Motive and Viola Networks. The company will also enlist original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), original design manufacturers (ODMs) and third-party suppliers of network provisioning tools to make PIQUA part of their solutions. The first implementations of PIQUA, targeting VoIP applications, will be available in customer and third- party equipment later this year.

http://www.ti.com/piqua

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Charter Offers Unlimited Music Downloads for Cable HSD Customers at $9.99 per month

Charter Communications introduced a new "Charter Music To-Go" tier for its premium music download service. In addition to the ability to purchase music downloads individually, Charter Music To-Go enables customers to download personalized playlists to more than 25 compatible MP3 players as part of their subscription. The music is available to the customer for the duration of the subscription. Charter Music To-Go is available to high-speed Internet customers for $9.99 per month.

http://www.charter.net

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Motorola to Support MicroTCA and VMEbus Gear

Motorola announced plans to support bptj MicroTCA-based communications servers and VMEbus- based products. This coexistence strategy is designed to help equipment manufacturers and system integrators bring new communications capabilities to the embedded market quickly while preserving the rich set of real-time I/O capabilities of VMEbus.



Developed initially for the telecommunications industry, MicroTCA meets evolving communications requirements and shares many of the same characteristics, such as small physical size, scalability and low entry cost, that made VMEbus successful in the embedded market. For these reasons, Motorola is developing MicroTCA-based solutions that will coexist with its VMEbus product lines.

http://www.motorola.com

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AT&T Trims New DSL Pricing to $15

AT&T launched a limited-time, online-only promotional DSL offer for $14.99 a month (other monthly charges apply) for new residential customers.

The $14.99 price point provides downlink speeds from 384Kbps to 1.5Mbps and requires a six-month term commitment.

In addition, the company is renaming its DSL service -- AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet.

http://www.att.com

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Agere Triple Performance of USB 2.0 Device Microcontrollers

Agere Systems introduced a Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 system-on-a-chip with an on-board microprocessor that processes data more than three times faster than widely deployed 8051-based USB 2.0 device controllers.



The new chip integrates an ARM7TDMS microprocessor and processes 40 million instructions per second (MIPS), compared to 12 Mbps for competing designs.



USB 2.0 PC-based applications that might benefit from the added performance include cameras, MP3 players and scanners. One example could be boosting the speed at which a scanner performs image processing.



The chip supports both high-speed USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) and full-speed (12 Mbps) data transfers.

http://www.agere.com

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Cablevision's Optimum Lightpath Deploys Atrica's Carrier Ethernet

Cablevision's Optimum Lightpath group, which provides business communications services in the New York metro area, has deployed Atrica's Carrier Ethernet Systems. The carrier operates an extensive fiber network in New York state. Optimum Lightpath is now offering E-Line and E-LAN Ethernet services and dedicated Internet Access via Ethernet service, all of which are delivered via a single converged network. Key features include flexible bandwidths and SONET-like 50ms protection.



Atrica said it was chosen for its performance in five critical functionality areas: support of TDM traffic via Circuit Emulation; guaranteed end-to-end Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with CIR and EIR; sub-50ms resiliency; scalability of the network architecture; and carrier-class service management and provisioning, as well as its compliance with the Metro Ethernet Forum's Global Carrier Ethernet Service Definitions. Specifically, Optimum Lightpath is offering Ethernet via Atrica's Carrier Ethernet Systems which are Ethernet Private Line (EPL), Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL) and E-LAN (Ethernet multipoint-to-multipoint) services compliant with the MEF 9 technical specification for such services.



Atrica equipment deployed includes the A-2000 family of Carrier Ethernet Edge Switches, the A-4000 family of Carrier Ethernet Aggregation Switches and the Atrica Service Platform for Ethernet Networks (ASPEN), an integrated service provisioning and management system.

http://www.atrica.com

Migrating Enterprise Clients to Ethernet-based Services

Some of the vertical markets currently leading the demand for Ethernet services include schools/universities, government organizations, financial storage networks, high technology centers, and wholesale telecommunications operators. Growth markets for Ethernet services include manufacturing, healthcare, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), DSL backhaul, and residential services. While they can certainly win new customers with a broad range of Ethernet service offerings, carriers should first look to their existing customers as migration candidates.

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OEN Signs Starz for its IPTV Launch in Houston

Optical Entertainment Network (OEN) has signed a number of IPTV carriage agreements with Starz Entertainment Group, enabling it to carry all 13 Starz and Encore channels, along with Starz HDTV and Starz On Demand, over its FTTH network in Houston. STARZ is the latest addition to OEN's line-up of IPTV channels, which also includes the largest number of SD and HD TV channels in a system that is made fully available for license in other metropolitan areas.



OEN's FISION service will pass 1.6 million households in Houston, the 10th largest television market in the U.S.



http://www.4fiber.tv

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Entone Supplies Hydra IP Video Gateway to Consolidated Comm.

Consolidated Communications, which serves approximately 245,000 local access lines in Illinois and Texas, is deploying Entone's Hydra IP video gateway to support its IPTV launch. The Hydra IP video gateway can deliver up to three independent television channels to any combination of up to six television sets. In-home video distribution is performed using a home's existing coaxial cabling and no additional set-top boxes are required at the various televisions throughout the home. Hydra typically resides with the primary television or home entertainment center, providing the full breadth of video interfaces including coax, composite, s-video and component video. Installation of other televisions simply involves plugging the television into the coax jack. No new wiring and no additional set-top box required.



In addition to Entone's Hydra IP video gateway, Consolidated is also using Entone's StreamLiner network video recorder (NVR) based on HP's server hardware to support its video on demand (VOD) services. Consolidated Communications' IPTV deployment also includes headend equipment from Tut Systems, Myrio middleware from Siemens SURPASS Home Entertainment solutions, and content protection from Verimatrix.


http://www.entone.com

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Concurrent Unveils RAM-based, High-Density VOD Server

Concurrent unveiled plans for a high-density, RAM-based video-on-demand (VOD) server that will be capable of storing in excess of 20,000 hours of on-demand content . The Concurrent MediaHawk 4500, which is targeted for launch in Q3, will also enable VOD ingest rates exceeding 2,500 hours per day.



Stream density has been dramatically improved to 2,400 streams per 2RU enclosure, enabling both small and large scale deployments with minimized footprint and power consumption. The platform will use a real-time Linux operating system and commercial hardware.



Concurrent said the MediaHawk's highly scalable RAM cache approach will allow service providers to employ scalable, pay-as-you-grow deployment models. http://www.ccur.com

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PMC-Sierra Opens Tech Center in India

PMC-Sierra has established a new technology center in Bangalore, India. Arun Bellary has been appointed as its Managing Director. The company plans to hire 40 to 50 people in 2006.

http://www.pmc-sierra.com

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BT Global Services Restructures, Targets Customer Network Operations

BT Global Services announced a major transformation of its customer facing capabilities by creating a new global organisation in charge of customer service and network operation (CS&NO). The new structure will bring together over 14,000 customer service and technical professionals operating in more than 140 countries. It will focus on the increasingly complex needs of multi-site organisations around the world for managed and outsourced networked IT services.



The new organization will also deliver the geographic expansion and upgrade of BT's MPLS network. BT currently offers MPLS in over 90 countries and plans to deploy a further 48 new MPLS nodes into key cities across the globe, opening a new node every seven working days throughout 2006.

http://www.btplc.com

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BT Reports Consumer Demand for Mobile TV

BT reported "clear consumer demand" for its trial mobile service that delivers broadcast digital TV and radio to mobile phones. The pilot BT Movio -- formerly known as BT Livetime - revealed that two thirds of customers would be prepared to pay up to £8/month for the service on their current mobile network, creating new revenue streams for mobile operators.



Set for commercial launch later this year, BT Movio intends to be the first wholesale mobile broadcast entertainment service to launch in the UK .



The service is broadcast using the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) network and is navigated through the world's first implementation of DAB delivered electronic programme guide (EPG) on a mobile TV phone. Unlike other mobile TV services, BT Movio's use of a broadcast platform allows multiple users to access services at the same time without a reduction in quality.



Over the past four months BT Movio, together with its mobile operator partner for the pilot, Virgin Mobile, has been broadcasting digital TV and digital radio via a DAB-IP enabled smartphone to 1000 users in the M25 area. The results of the pilot have been extremely positive with the majority of pilot users saying that they would consider upgrading their mobile phone to one which supports the service. 73 per cent of participants stated that they would be prepared to pay for the service on their current network if the service was priced competitively. 38% were prepared to switch networks to receive this service.



Some key findings:

• Over three quarters of the pilot users tuned into digital TV and radio on their mobile on a weekly basis or more often, with the average length of TV viewing being more than one hour per week.



• A large proportion of pilot users stated that they want up to five types of mobile TV channels including a combination of news, sport, comedy, sitcoms and music.



• Users tuned into Digital Radio on average for over one and a half hours every week.

http://www.btplc.com

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FLO Forum Submits Air Interface for Standardization

The FLO Forum has officially submitted the FLO (Forward Link-Only) Air Interface Specification (AIS) to the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)'s Subcommittee TR-47.1. Engineering Committee TR-47 is responsible for the development and maintenance of Terrestrial Mobile Multimedia Multicast (TM3) standards, and TR-47.1 is the subcommittee focused on FLO technology standardization.



The Air Interface Specification defines the radio protocols used over the air between the FLO network and a FLO device for the delivery of multicast services. The AIS enables the delivery of multiple multimedia streams over the standard TV channel allocation bandwidths while ensuring fast service acquisition, robust performance in mobile fading links, and low receiver power consumption.

http://www.floforum.org

• FLO technology is a new air interface originally developed by Qualcomm with multicasting capabilities designed to increase capacity and reduce content delivery costs to mobile handsets.



• The AIS includes a complete description of the Physical layer, which uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and advanced forward error-correction techniques, and a complete description of the Stream/Control and MAC layers, which multiplex a multiplicity of simultaneous multimedia services into logical units distinguishable at the radio interface (physical) layer. The specification enables the delivery of multiple, multimedia streams over the standard TV channel allocation bandwidths while ensuring fast service acquisition, robust performance in mobile fading links, and low receiver power consumption. The AIS, the first technical specification produced by the FLO Forum, will be forwarded to Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) for inclusion in new standards that address the delivery of terrestrial mobile multimedia multicast services to mobile devices.



• FLO Technology is independent of the cellular network but complements CDMA2000 1X, 1xEV-DO and WCDMA cellular network data and voice services.



• In September 2005, QUALCOMM announced the first live, over-the-air demonstration of "FLO" (Forward Link Only) Technology delivered to a wireless handset. The demonstration will feature over-the-air delivery and viewing of multiple channels of wireless multimedia content, both streaming video and multicast packet data on a form factor accurate (FFA) handset.



• In July 2005, QUALCOMM and other key members of the wireless industry announced the establishment of The FLO Forum, a new non-profit industry association that promotes the development of products and services related to the delivery of advanced multimedia services to wireless devices around the world using "FLO" (Forward Link Only) technology.

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Ixia Expands its IxANVL Conformance Testing Solution

Ixia announced a number of enhancements to its IxANVL conformance and interoperability test solution. IxANVL now supports test execution and automation from Microsoft Windows platforms, and additional protocols have been added to the portfolio, including the Metro Ethernet MEF9 test plan, MPLS VPN protocols, and SIP.



IxANVL's enhanced support for VoIP includes a new SIP conformance test suite for verifying interoperability and standards compliance of voice signalling protocols.



IxANVL has significantly expanded its support for MPLS VPN and Triple Play application protocols. MPLS VPN protocols - including Layer 3 MPLS VPNs, Layer 2 MPLS VPNs (Martini), and VPLS - are used by Service Providers to offer seamless private network connections to their customers. The addition of IGMPv3, MLDv2, and DHCPv4 support also extends IxANVL's coverage of key protocols commonly deployed by Service Providers at the customer edge of their networks to control access and configuration of video and data services.



The IxANVL 6.90 release (October 2005) added full support for the Metro Ethernet Forum's MEF9 conformance test suite, which is designed to meet the conformance test methodology defined by MEF1 and MEF9.



IxANVL conformance test suites include Bridging, TCP/IP, IP Routing, IP Storage, MPLS, Network Security, Tunneling, Multicast, RMON, PPP, Metro Ethernet, and VoIP. http://www.ixiacom.com/ixanvl

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