Strix Scales Wireless Mesh Networks

Strix Systems introduced a new, third-generation Outdoor Wireless System and a new High Performance Modular Architecture for large-scale mesh networks.



The new OWS 2400-30 offers increased user density, provides enhanced transmit power and receive sensitivity, a 30% smaller form factor and lower cost per radio compared to earlier products. The new design doubles from 64 to 128 the number of WLAN associations permitted per radio, allowing up to 768 concurrent users per node. Modularity lets the OWS 2400-30 scale to up to six radios as needed (802.11a/b/g/j, 802.16d/e, 2.4 GHz, 4.9GHz and 5 GHz in any access and backhaul configuration.



The new High Performance Modular Architecture offers Scalable Mesh Fast Re-route (SMFR) capabilities for distributed localized node intelligence, network topology-independent fast re-route, instant roaming, zero throughput loss, and zero latency over multiple hops. Strix said it is able to deliver cero throughput loss and zero latency for over 10 hops, enabling real-time applications and lowering OPEX costs for the number of wired connections needed for a given area.



When networks are turned up, every node automatically scans to locate all other network nodes and selects the best path to the wired node based on round-trip delay (RTD), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and other criteria. The nodes continue to scan and evaluate the best path and alternate paths to the wired node, automatically self-healing to the next-best path within milliseconds if the criteria of the best path drops below the set threshold or the path is blocked.



Strix also noted that in mobile applications, its Scalable Mesh Fast Re-route can deliver hand-offs for trains traveling at up to 200 mph.



SMFR also supports real-time node-state status indication, real-time backhaul path analysis, a congestion-avoidance algorithm, and an optimal channel re-use algorithm.

http://www.strixsystems.com

Which Mesh Architecture is Best for Delivering VoIP? by Cyrus Irani

For wireless data networks, voice is a "killer app." This article will first look at the four key mesh network performance requirements for real time applications; the three mesh architectural options when deploying wireless voice over IP (wVoIP) over a WiFi mesh network; how a multi-radio, multi-RF architecture positively impacts the capital cost to deploy; and the operating expenses involved to properly operate such networks.

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DiVitas Develops Enterprise FMC Platform

DiVitas Networks, a start-up based in Mountain View, California, is developing an enterprise-class fixed-mobile-convergence (FMC) platform that would enable seamless roaming between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. The platform is being designed to work with in any corporate WLAN environment, with any PBX, and over any type of fixed, mobile, or wireless network. A light, client application would run on the dual-mode handset.



DiVitas said thekey mission for its forthcoming platform is to provide the cost advantages of seamlessly bridging cellular calls over to lower cost WLANs while enabling enterprises to retain control of this process. This would include the ability to monitor media quality in order to specify when and how handoffs should occur, and the ability to implement advanced security. Security capabilities include application-layer authentication, authorization and access control, session-layer end-to-end encryption, packet filtering and bandwidth policing, network-layer STUN, NAT/Firewall Traversal and automatic pre-authentication.



The platform is currently in beta testing. Full product details have not yet been disclosed. DiVitas has conducted interoperability testing with Trapeze Networks' WLAN Mobility System to enable enterprise campus mobility with fixed mobile convergence. DiVitas has also entered into a relationship with G-Tek Electronics Group, which supplies a dual-mode SIP Wi-Fi handset that integrates GSM/GPRS and Wi-Fi modules.



DiVitas was founded by president and CEO Vivek Khuller and CTO Venkat Kalkunte. Khuller was previously a venture partner at Clearstone Venture Partners, entrepreneur in residence at Matrix Partners, and an executive at Sycamore Networks and Verizon. Kalkunte formerly worked at Cisco, and was founding engineer of Transmedia Communications, which Cisco purchased in 1999. He also worked at Alteon, Stratacom, and other technology companies.

http://www.divitas.com

• DiVitas has raised $8 million from Clearstone Venture Partners (investors in Meru, SiNett, and Good), venture debt and private investors.

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ZyXEL Selects PMC-Sierra's Multi-Service Processor for CPE

ZyXEL Communications has selected PMC-Sierra's MSP4120 and MSP4200 Multi-Service Processors for its VoIP Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) solutions. Its VoIP family includes Analog Telephone Adapters (ATA), VoIP Routers and Wi-Fi VoIP Ethernet Gateways. PMC-Sierra's devices provide both voice and routing functions.



The MSP4120 and MSP4200 VoIP router-on-a-chip products combine a DSP for processing up to four voice channels together with a MIPS32 4Kec core for high performance routing and control functions. The MSP4200 offers the additional benefit of a PCI interface to enable the inclusion of 802.11 Wi-Fi subsystems to create Wi-Fi access points.

http://www.pmc-sierra.com/voip

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Force10 Debuts 10 Gbps Security Platform

Force10 Networks introduced a security appliance that inspects, monitors, captures and blocks traffic at line-rate 10 Gigabit speeds. Force10 Networks said its security platform leverages a Dynamic Parallel Inspection (DPI) architecture for signature processing. The technology employs multiple hardware-based engines to simultaneously process thousands of rules on a single packet. The P-Series directly embeds security rules and signatures into hardware to ensure line-rate processing, inspection and monitoring of traffic on the network. The ability to write new signatures directly to hardware in real time provides IT managers with deterministic, predictable performance regardless of traffic conditions.



The Force10 P-Series family of security appliances includes the P10, a 1RU appliance the offers two line-rate 10 Gigabit ports for an aggregate inspection throughput of 20 Gbps. As a complement to the P10, the two-port Force10 P1 delivers inspection at line-rate Gigabit speeds. The Force10 P-Series supports open source network security applications, enabling customers to specify policies from public domain signatures or standard network monitoring libraries. An open application program interface also allows IT managers to develop custom signatures for firewalling, denial of service attacks and packet and flow analysis applications.



Force10 said it already has more than 20 government organizations, Internet exchanges and national laboratories using P-Series security platforms. Among these are the Amsterdam Internet Exchange, Oakridge National Laboratory, Oxford University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, SRI International, Seaton Corp, the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Peter Kiewit Institute.
http://www.force10networks.com

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Level 3 to Acquire ICG Communications

Level 3 Communications will acquire ICG Communications, Inc., a privately held Colorado-based telecommunications company, for $163 million in stock and cash.



ICG primarily provides transport, IP and voice services to wireline and wireless carriers, Internet service providers and enterprise customers. ICG's network has over 2,000 metro and regional fiber miles in Colorado and Ohio and includes approximately 500 OPs. ICG serves more than 1,600 customers.
http://www.Level3.com

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Triple Play Alliance to Open Lab in Germany

The Triple Play Alliance (TPA), an organization backed by nine industry vendors and service providers, will open a Triple Play Lab interoperability test and demonstration lab near Munich, Germany.



The lab, designed to serve as an international competence center for triple play technology, allows TPA members to test and demonstrate triple play scenarios in a real-world environment.



Extreme Networks is providing the core switching solution in the Triple Play Lab.



Additional member of the alliance include: Avaya, Colt Telecom,
ComLoc, Comptel, Kerpen, Power PLUS Communications, and Schroff.

http://www.extremenetworks.comhttp://www.triple-play-alliance.com

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Modulus Video Encoder Certified for Microsoft TV

Modulus Video's ME6000 high definition MPEG-4 AVC video encoder has been certified for the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software platform. The platform is also now providing integrated support for Microsoft TV Picture-in-Picture (PIP) functionality. Modulus said its ME6000 is currently in deployment by operators worldwide.

http://www.modulusvideo.com

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Nike Launches "JogaTV" Broadband Channel with Maven Networks

Nike is launching its own "JogaTV" broadband channel over the Web, providing video programming for soccer fans worldwide. Nike is using Maven Networks' Video publishing and distribution platform.



Video programming on JogaTV features international stars of the game including Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, and Wayne Rooney demonstrating the values of beautiful soccer - - Joy, Honor, Skill, Heart and Team.

http://www.maven.net/http://www.joga.com

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Nortel Names Chief Marketing Officer

Nortel announced the appointment of Lauren Flaherty as Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for the company's global marketing strategy, brand development and advertising, and the corporation's internal and external communications. Flaherty most recently served as IBM's vice president, worldwide marketing, small and medium business. http://www.nortel.com

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Verizon Appoints VP of Brand Management

Verizon announced the appointment of Andrea Fant-Hobbs as vice president of brand management, reporting to Jerri DeVard, senior vice president of marketing and brand management for Verizon. Previously, Fant-Hobbs was vice president and account director for Vigilante, where she managed the Manhattan-based advertising agency's largest client, General Motors. http://www.verizon.com

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Malicious Fiber Cut in the UK Disrupts Traffic

At 18:13 on April 13th 2006, most of the underground fibre circuits providing telephony and internet services to two major business parks in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire were maliciously severed.

According to Wireless Information Network (WIN), a UK provider of SMS text messaging and Wireless Data Service, roadside cabinets and ducts positioned beneath the pavements and roads in seven separate locations around the Cressex and Knaves Beech Business Parks in High Wycombe were attacked, seemingly simultaneously, between 6.05pm and 6.25pm on Thursday evening, as most businesses had wound down for the Easter holidays. Armoured fibre-optic and copper cabling, designed to prevent damage from accidents and petty vandalism, were severed, most probably using industrial cable cutters and saws.

The incident is believed to have affected thousands of businesses, as the business parks house scores of companies across the IT, service and manufacturing industries, including an NHS diagnostics centre, a Royal Mail sorting office, Dreams plc, OneTel Business Communications, Walters Microsystems and WIN plc.

Services to WIN plc. have now been restoredhttp://www.winplc.net

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Japan's JCSAT-9 Successfully Launched

The JCSAT-9 telecommunications satellite was successfully launched aboard a Sea Launch Zenit-3SL launch vehicle from the Pacific Equator.



JCSAT-9, which was designed and built by Lockheed Martin, features 20 Ku-band channels covering Japan and 20 C-band channels covering Japan, Southeast Asia and Hawaii. JCSAT-9 is also equipped with a mobile service communications subsystem. It is the second in a series of seven satellite launches planned this year for LMCSS and the first of three satellites Lockheed Martin will deliver to JSAT over the next two years. Based on Lockheed Martin's high-power A2100AX platform, JCSAT-9 will operate from 132 degrees east and is designed for a minimum service life of 12 years.



JSAT owns and operates nine satellites in eight orbital slots, covering North America, Hawaii, Asia and Oceania.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com

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JDSU to Acquire Test-Um for Home Networking Tester

JDSU agreed to acquire Test-Um Inc., a developer of home networking test instruments for the FTTx and digital cable markets, for an undisclosed sum.



Test-Um's "three-wire" test instruments verify the ability of home wiring to support the reliable delivery of new, high-bandwidth voice, data and video services throughout the home. Test-Um's instruments include test sets for verifying line conditions and power-signal levels, wireless testers that facilitate communications on the job, tone tracing and identification to locate and track cable runs, and analyzers for more advanced service troubleshooting and certification.



Test-Um has 30 employees and is based in Camarillo, California. The company will be integrated into JDSU's Communications Test and Measurement Product Group.



JDSU said the acquisition would enable it to provide an extensive set of home-wiring test instruments for the verification, installation and maintenance of Category 3, Category 5 and coaxial cables used in home and small office networks for the delivery of VoIP, IPTV and other services. The ability to conduct "three-wire" home network testing is increasingly important as the number of broadband-connected homes and networked devices grows.

http://www.jdsu.comhttp://www.test-um.com

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Envivio Debuts MPEG-4 Part 11 Middleware on Sigma STBs

Envivio is showcasing MPEG-4 middleware running on a Sigma Designs based H.264 consumer set-top box. The Envivio IPTV Triple Play solution delivers standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) IP video, video on demand (VOD) and middleware with an electronic program guide (EPG) -- all within an MPEG-4 environment.



In the demonstrated solution, SD and HD IP video is encoded by Envivio 4Caster B3 and HD3 systems. Content for VOD services is delivered via the Envivio 4Sight streaming server. The Envivio EPG is created using the interactive components defined in MPEG-4. enables advanced features including PVR, an integrated telephony portal and trick play.



IP video content and the EPG are delivered to the consumer set-top box as MPEG-4 streams and managed by the Envivio 4Front middleware server.



Envivio's 4Front middleware supports MPEG-4 Part 11 for the delivery of synchronized applications and messages to enable advanced services such as SMS texting, betting and voting.

http://www.envivio.com

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QUALCOMM and DOJ Reach Settlement in Flarion Gun-Jumping Case

QUALCOMM reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) resolving "gun-jumping" allegations arising from QUALCOMM's acquisition of Flarion Technologies earlier this year. The acquisition was cleared by the DOJ's Antitrust Division and closed in mid-January.



QUALCOMM said that during the Hart- Scott-Rodino review of the transaction, it and Flarion called the DOJ's attention to provisions of the acquisition agreement that required Flarion, in the period before the closing, to obtain QUALCOMM's consent to enter into certain types of intellectual property licenses and other agreements, and to make certain types of customer proposals. QUALCOMM and Flarion said they voluntarily modified some of the provisions to eliminate or reduce the consent requirement. The DOJ has asserted that the provisions effectively gave QUALCOMM an inappropriate level of control over Flarion's business prior to Hart-Scott- Rodino clearance in violation of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. The companies disagree with the DOJ's position. The settlement involves the simultaneous filing of a civil complaint by the DOJ under the Act and the entry of a stipulated final judgment. The judgment contains no finding or admission of wrongdoing by QUALCOMM or Flarion. The companies will pay $1.8 million to the DOJ.

http://www.qualcomm.com

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D-Link Selects Marvell's "TopDog" 802.11n Silicon

D-Link selected Marvell's "TopDog" branded family of 802.11n IEEE draft-compliant silicon for its Draft 802.11n product line. Volume deployment of Marvell based D-Link products started this month. The D-Link products, featuring Marvell TopDog WLAN technology, include wireless routers and PC client cards. Marvell TopDog WLAN products deliver data rates between 300 to 600 Mbps and Ethernet connectivity from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps.

http://www.marvell.com

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TiVo Prevails in Patent Case with EchoStar

A jury in the United States District Court in the Eastern District of Texas ruled in favor of TiVo in its lawsuit against EchoStar Communications. TiVo said it was pleased that the jury found that its time warping patent is valid and that EchoStar has been infringing its
intellectual property. TiVo intends to seek a permanent injunction against EchoStar's DVR products. The jury also awarded $73 million in compensation to TiVo.



In a statement, EchoStar said "This is the first step in a very long process and we are confident we will ultimately prevail. Among other things, we believe the patent - as interpreted in this case - is overly broad given the technology in existence when TiVo filed its patent. We believe the decision will be reversed either through post-trial motions or on appeal. Additionally, the Patent Office is in the process of re-examining TiVo's patent, having determined there is a substantial question concerning the validity of the patent.



DISH Network subscribers can continue to use the receivers in their homes, including their DVRs. Furthermore, TiVo dropped their claim that EchoStar's Dishplayer 7200 DVR infringes their patent. "http://www.tivo.comhttp://www.echostar.com

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Intelsat Previews "Super Head-end" for MPEG-4

Intelsat introduced its "Ampiage" -- a new satellite-based, open-architecture, super head-end for North American multiple system operators (MSOs) seeking to upgrade to MPEG-4 and telcos looking to enter the IPTV market.



Intelsat's Ampiage service will handle the acquisition, aggregation, encoding, encapsulation and encryption of licensed TV programming from content providers and has the ability to redistribute it in MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 format to cable and telecom service providers. Intelsat plans to offer hundreds of video and audio channels in full digital quality. Ampiage will leverage Intelsat's Americas' satellite fleet, including its IA-8 satellite, enabling reception in antennas as small as 3.7 meters and providing ample margin for variable environmental conditions.

"Ampiage represents a 'super head-end' that service providers can use to offer the highest quality, reliable content transport, distribution and content management. A small telco would find it difficult to build an infrastructure that has the suite of capabilities afforded by Ampiage at a cost that would yield a profitable business case," said Stephen Spengler, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing at Intelsat.

Key Ampiage features will include:

• Full IP-multicast capability employing the latest advanced video codecs;



• Hundreds of all-digital video and audio programming channels;



• Tailor-made solutions for local affiliate stations and regional sports networks;



• Integrated conditional access solution;



• Compatibility with existing access networks;


• Multiple set-top box integration.

Ampiage will be equipped with an open architecture to enable operators to either leverage existing equipment (including set top boxes) or choose new equipment from multiple CPE providers.

http://www.intelsat.com/special/ampiage/index.asp

• Intelsat's IA-8 satellite, which was launched in June 2005, carries 28 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders, as well as 24 Ka-band spot beams and will have total end-of-life power of 16 Kw -- making it one of the most powerful communications satellites to date. The satellite will provide coverage of North and South America, Alaska, Hawaii and the Caribbean from its orbital slot at 89 degrees West longitude.

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Centillium Expands FTTP and Optical Transport Chipset Lines

Centillium Communications has expanded its fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) semiconductor product portfolio with the introduction of its newest optical transceiver chipset families, Zeus 2 and Apollo 2. The Zeus 2 optical transceiver chipsets mark Centillium's entry into the GPON and EPON markets, while the Apollo 2 optical transceiver chipsets are targeted at the SONET transport and enterprise applications.




Both chipsets are manufactured in CMOS technology, and integrate a laser driver, limiting amplifier, automatic laser power control, DDM and an on-board EEPROM.



The Zeus 2 transceiver chipsets enable the transmission of bi-directional burst-mode data traffic for rates up to 2.5 Gbps, and support CO and CPE applications for GPON, EPON and A/BPON infrastructures. Zeus 2 complies with IEEE 802.3ah and ITU-T G.983/G.984 specs.



The Apollo 2 transceiver line enables the transmission of point-to-point, continuous mode data traffic for rates up to 2.5 Gbps, covering Fast Ethernet, OC3/STM-1, OC12/STM-4, Gigabit Ethernet, and up to OC48/STM-16.

http://www.centillium.com/html/optical_phys.htm

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Olympus and Movaz Establish Joint Venture for MEMS

Olympus Corporation and Movaz Networks have established a joint venture company to provide Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) based technologies and products for optical equipment suppliers worldwide.



Olympus Microsystems America, which will be based in San Jose, California, combines Movaz IP and engineering resources with Olympus' established MEMS foundry services and optical technology. The joint venture aims to manufacture and market new products with anticipated gross sales of 6 billion Japanese yen (approximately US$60 million) within 5 years.



The first jointly developed product, a MEMS-based Wavelength Selective Switch (WSS) for Reconfigurable Optical Add Drop Modules (ROADM), has been deployed since last August in Movaz's Multi-Degree RAY ROADM network to provide extended reach to key government and university sites including the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX), and the National Lambda Rail. Olympus Microsystems America, Inc. will also develop business for new products, technology, and markets with a focus on MEMS-based activities including ROADM products, variable optical attenuators (VOA), small switches, optical cross connects (OXC), aspheric lenses, and tunable filters.


http://www.movaz.comhttp://www.olympusmicrosystems.com

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