G-Connect Selects Data Connection for IP/MPLS

G-Connect, a supplier of IP access and service creation equipment, has licensed Data Connection's integrated control plane technology which includes DC-BGP, DC-OSPF, DC-ISIS, and DC-MPLS protocol stacks for use in its family of IP Service Gateways. G-Connect, which is an affiliate of ADC Telecommunications, is based in Israel. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.dataconnection.com
http://www.g-connect.com/

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Verizon Wireless to Offer Samsung VCAST-Enabled Phone

Verizon Wireless will begin offering a VCAST-enabled phone from Samsung. Verizon Wireless' newly launched VCAST service delivers 300 daily updated video clips from leading content providers for $15.00 monthly access in addition to their regular Verizon Wireless calling plan. Verizon Wireless VCAST customers also receive unlimited browsing of Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web 2.0 news and information service. Samsung's SCH-a890 also includes an integrated 1.3-mega pixel camera, picture caller ID and a personal organizer.
http://www.verizonwireless.com
http://www.samsung.com/wireless

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NexTone Adds 27 Carrier Customers in Q4

Citing explosive demand for VoIP services, NexTone Communications reported that Q4 sales of its IP session management platforms increased more than 260% over the same period in 2003. The company said it added 27 new carrier customers during Q4, giving it a total of more than 200 carrier deployments in production and generating revenue. During the quarter, Nextone also added new sales offices in Moscow and Sydney.


NexTone is a privately-held company based in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
http://www.nextone.com

• In December 2004, NexTone Communications introduced a new session management solution that combines both transport and application QoS to deliver deterministic performance for real-time services over converged IP networks. The new platform includes a NEBS3-compliant, chassis-based Real-time Session Manager (RSM), which acts as a centralized policy manager and enforcement point to manage network resources and optimize call distribution, and the Multiprotocol Session Controller (MSC), enhanced with microflow management capabilities to work with MPLS routers to enforce QoS policies across the network edge.

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Copper Mountain Lays Off Most Employees

Copper Mountain Networks, a supplier of broadband access equipment, initiated actions to lay off most of its remaining employees by March 22, 2005, retaining a limited team of employees to provide customer support and handle matters related to the ongoing exploration of strategic alternatives. The company is still pursuing the potential sale of its intellectual property.


Copper Mountain's Management and the Board of Directors concluded that maintaining the company's existing employee headcount was "not necessary for any of the strategic alternatives currently under consideration, and the ongoing employee-related expenditures could potentially decrease total stockholder value."http://www.coppermountain.com

• Copper Mountain's VantEdge provides high-density interfaces for aggregation from T1/E1 for remote DSLAMs and access points, to OC-12/STM-4 and Gigabit Ethernet for video delivery to DSLAMs and PON OLT (Passive Optical Network Optical Line Termination) devices.



• In August 2004, Copper Mountain retained Raymond James & Associates to explore strategic options, including a possible sale of the company. At the time, Copper Mountain said the recent cancellation of a large carrier broadband upgrade project and potential delays in decisions from several other large carriers made it necessary to explore these options.

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AMCC Settles Shareholder Class-Action Litigation

Applied Micro Circuits Corporation (AMCC) reached an agreement to settle the securities class-action litigation currently pending against the company and certain current and former officers and directors. While denying any wrongdoing, AMCC agreed to pay $60 million, of which the company expects its insurers to pay approximately $31 million.
http://www.amcc.com

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Parkervision Unveils Digital Power Amplifier Architecture

ParkerVision introduced a digital power amplifier architecture that enables the manufacture of high performance low cost RF power amplifiers in common silicon semiconductors. Additionally, the company announced that its unique architecture enables models of power amplifiers that inherently perform the function of traditional RF transmitters and totally eliminate the need for traditional transmitter hardware.


ParkerVision said its power amplifiers will benefit from extraordinary yield because they are monolithic (single chip) implementations that can be produced using less expensive, high volume silicon semiconductor processes. The initial ParkerVision digital power amplifier product lineup includes models for:

• CDMA2000 1x 1xRTT, 1xEV-DO, and 1xEV-DV


• GSM/GPRS/EDGE


• IMT-2000 W-CDMA for UMTS


• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n gear


• Bluetooth enabled devices


• cordless and VoIP Phones


• multi-mode/multi-band products that combine the standards listed above.

ParkerVision is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.
http://www.parkervision.com/

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AT&T Promotes Two Top Executives

AT&T announced the promotion of two of its top executives. AT&T President William J. Hannigan has been given the additional designation of Chief Operating Officer for AT&T. Hannigan joined AT&T in December 2003 and has led a restructuring of the company while overseeing its business division. AT&T Chief Financial Officer Thomas W. Horton was named Vice Chairman and retains his CFO title. Horton joined the company in June 2002.
http://www.att.com

• Prior to joining AT&T, Hannigan was Chairman and CEO of Sabre Holdings. Previously, Hannigan held senior executive positions at SBC Communications, including president of SBC Global Markets and president of Southwestern Bell's $4.5 billion Business Communications Services unit. Prior to joining Pacific Bell in 1996, Hannigan spent nearly 12 years at Sprint and its predecessor companies.

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China Netcom Acquires 20% Stake in Hong Kong's PCCW

China Netcom agreed to pay approximately US$1 billion for a 20% stake in PCCW, Hong Kong's incumbent telecom operator.


China Netcom is one of two dominant fixed-line telecom operators in China. Its northern service region in China consists of Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality, Hebei Province, Henan Province, Shandong Province and Liaoning Province. Its southern service region in China consists of Shanghai Municipality and Guangdong Province. China Netcom primarily targets business and residential customers in selected high-density areas in its southern service region in China. China Netcom also operates an extensive network in the Asia-Pacific region. http://www.pccw.com

• In February 2004, China Netcom acquired full control of Asia Netcom, a company founded in March 2003 by a consortium lead by CNC which included Newbridge Capital and Softbank Asia Infrastructure Fund.

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Motive Offers Hosted Service for Subscriber Activation

Motive announced an on-demand, hosted service for broadband management. The offering, called Motive OnDemand for Broadband, is a subscription-based service that allows service providers to build intelligent automation into subscriber activation and support services. The hosted service eliminates up-front IT investments for automating the subscriber activation processes. The company said the hosted model is particularly well-suited for providers rolling out broadband services based on emerging technologies such as wireless and powerline broadband, and for providers serving emerging geographies.


Motive's portfolio of on-demand solutions package key components of the company's products as a la carte, high-availability Internet services. They are hosted in a state-of-the-art data center featuring dedicated full-time staff, Tier 1 technology infrastructure, system availability, proactive monitoring, reporting and migration services. Motive said it currently hosts solutions for more than 25 of its customers, representing approximately 30 million daily server transactions.
http://www.motive.com

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FCC Chairman to Leave in March

Michael K. Powell announced his decision to step down as FCC chairman and commissioner in March. In a statement, Powell said he intends to take some time off and then pursue other interests.



Powell was appointed FCC commissioner in 1997 by President Bill Clinton. He was designated chairman by President George W. Bush on January 22, 2001.
http://www.fcc.gov

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Cablevision to Sell Satellite Unit to Echostar for $200 Million

EchoStar Communications agreed to acquire Cablevision's direct broadcast satellite and certain other related assets for $200 million. The deal includes the Rainbow 1 satellite, located at the 61.5 degree W.L. orbital position, as well as FCC licenses to construct, launch and operate DBS services over 11 frequency channels at the 61.5 degree W.L. orbital location. In addition, EchoStar will acquire the contents of Rainbow DBS's ground facility in Black Hawk, S.D. and related assets.



The EchoStar III satellite is also located at 61.5 degrees West Longitude and is currentlyu used to broadcast DISH Network TV programming using DBS spectrum controlled by EchoStar at that location. Echostar said it is assessing how the Rainbow satellite's flexibility can best be utilized to enhance DISH Network's existing service.



Cablevision said it will continue to explore strategic alternatives, including monetization, for its remaining Rainbow DBS related assets, including programming, equipment and spectrum.



VOOM will continue to provide service to its current customers during a transition period.
http://www.echostar.com
http://www.cablevision.com

• Rainbow DBS provides the VOOM HDTV service, currently featuring a lineup of 39 HD channels -- more HD programming than any other satellite or cable service provider in the U.S.. Starting in March VOOM satellite programming was expected to increase from its current total of 130 channels to 355 HD and SD channels. The HD lineup would grow from 39 channels to 71 channels. To facilitate the expansion, VOOM is leasing 16 transponders on the SES Americom AMC-6 satellite, which VOOM refers to as "Rainbow 2." VOOM uses MPEG-4-capable set-top receivers developed with Motorola.



• In November 2004, Rainbow DBS Company LLC, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems, selected Lockheed Martin (to build its next five geostationary telecommunications satellites. The five new satellites, designated Rainbow Ka-1 through Rainbow Ka-5, will provide direct broadcast services across the continental United States (CONUS), Alaska and Hawaii. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.



• EchoStar Communications' DISH Network satellite television service added approximately 350,000 net new subscribers during Q3, giving the company a total of 10.475 million subscribers.

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Agilent to Acquire Wavics for Handset Power Amplifiers

Agilent Techonologies agreed to acquire Wavics, a Korean-based designer and manufacturer of power amplifier modules for the worldwide mobile handset market. The technology reduces battery power consumption and allows CDMA and W-CDMA handsets to run cooler. Agilent said it plans to combine this new power amplifier capability with its miniature FBAR (film bulk acoustic resonator) filters to create higher-performance CDMA and W-CDMA front-end modules. Financial terms were not disclosed.
http://www.agilent.com
http://www.wavics.com

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China's ZTE Reports 2004 Sales of US$4.1 Billion, up 169%

ZTE Corporation reported 2004 contract sales of RMB34 billion (approximately US$4,111 million), of which RMB13.6 billion (approximately US$1,644 million) was attributable to international sales, representing a year-on-year increase of 169.5%. The company said sales of handsets for the year 2004 exceeded 10 million sets, up 100% over the previous year. In particular, ZTE cited strength in GSM and 3G wireless technology. The company is now supplying its GSM equipment in over 20 countries.
http://www.zte.cn/English/02news/detail.jsp?CateName=News&ID=2385

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Lucent Supplies Optical Network for Jiangsu Telecom

Jiangsu Telecom has activated its next generation optical transmission network using Lucent Technologies' LambdaUnite Multi-Service Switch (MSS). Lucent also supplied the Navis Optical Management System, as well as technical support from Lucent Worldwide Services (LWS) to Jiangsu Telecom. LWS provided installation and testing services, and on-site support. The contract was first announced in May 2004.



Lucent said the network marks the first deployment of Automatic Switched Optical Network (ASON) technology in China. A distributed control plane in the ASON provides the optical network with the faster setup and release of connections and it can more quickly detect a problem and restore itself in the event of a failure.
http://www.lucent.com

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Polaris Cites Gains for its Next-Generation DCS Solution

Polaris Networks, a start-up based in San Jose, California, announced a three year agreement to supply its Optical Multiservice Multiband Switch for deployment in McLeodUSA's metro networks. McLeodUSA plans to use the platform for wideband technology to support growth in its 25-state footprint by integrating its SONET transport network directly with cross-connect platforms in a cap-and-grow deployment. Financial terms were not disclosed.



Polaris also announced general availability of its Optical Multiservice Multiband Switch (OMX) -- a next generation DCS switch designed to combine the functions of a wideband, broadband and super-broadband digital crossconnect system (DCS) with SONET add/drop-based transport. It can be used to consolidates SONET rings and switch/groom multiband traffic. The platform provides 240Gbps to 2 Tbps of wideband (DS1/VT1.5), broadband (DS3/STS1), and superbroadband (STS-Nc) switching capability with DCS OAM&P functions. It also integrates SONET ADM functions and layer 2 protocol adaptation (MPLS, PPP, POS, GFP/X.86, FR, ATM) and packet/flow aggregation functions into a single, consolidated system.





In a multiservice transport network, the Polaris platform could also be used for Layer 2 protocol adaptation and packet aggregation for Ethernet over SONET (GFP, VCAT/LCAS).



Polaris uses a programmable hybrid switch fabric based on its own ASICs. Polaris is also developing a GMPLS-based control plane to automate end-to-end provisioning of services.
http://www.polarisnetworks.com

• In April 2004, Polaris Networks raised $10 million in new funding. Investors include Redpoint Ventures, Venrock Associates, Advanced Technology Ventures, SToRM Ventures and strategic private investors.



• Polaris Networks is headed by Surya Panditi, who previously served as CEO of Avici Systems and of Convergent Networks.



• Polaris' technical team is led by Ray Kao, previously a founder of TransMedia Communications (acquired by Cisco in 1999 for its voice-data signaling technology). Prior to TransMedia, Kao was the chief architect of Stratacom/Cisco's multiservice switching products.

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Scientific-Atlanta PVR Selected by Telewest

Telewest Broadband selected Scientific-Atlanta's Explorer 8300DVB PVR set-top for a new personal video recorder service to be launched in the UK in 2005. The current interactive platform is based on middleware provided by Liberate and the Conditional Access System provided by Nagravision. This vendor integration effort, currently underway and scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2005, will be followed by launch of Telewest Broadband's PVR service in the second half of 2005.



The new Explorer 8300DVB PVR will incorporate a DOCSIS tuner for high-speed data access, as well as three video tuners to allow Telewest Broadband's customers to record three separate programs simultaneously or record two programs while watching a third - a step forward from the popular dual tuner solution in other Scientific-Atlanta PVRs. The set-top also provides two video decoders, which enables the user to watch a channel while archiving a previously recorded program to a VCR tape. In addition, the 8300DVB PVR will decode HDTV signals, which will help Telewest Broadband to retain its leadership in the deployment of innovative products.
http://www.scientificatlanta.com/

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SingTel Launches 3.5 Mbps Unlimited DSL Service

SingTel launched a new BroadBand 3500kbps Unlimited Plan targeted at residential customers. The service comes bundled with music downloads, video-on-demand and games. In line with the launch of its new 3500kbps Unlimited, SingNet BroadBand has also upgraded the upload speed of its existing 1500kbps service, to be on par with that of its new plan. The new upload speed for both its 1500kbps and 3500kbps plans is 350kbps. Each new subscriber is also provided access to more than 260 SingTel Wi-Fi hotspots throughout Singapore.
http://www.singtel.com

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BT Wholesale appoints Managing Director

Cameron Rejali has been appointed managing director for products and strategy for BT Wholesale. Rejali joins BT Wholesale from the Sprint Corporation where he was most recently vice president of product management and development.
http://www.btplc.com

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Nortel Signs 3G Partner in China

Nortel announced a joint venture partnership with China Putian Corporation for research and development (R&D), manufacture and sale of third generation (3G) mobile telecommunications equipment and products to customers in China. China Putian, a state-owned enterprise, is one of the largest telecommunication equipment manufacturers in China.



When established, the new company - named Putian-Nortel Networks Telecommunications Equipment Co.- will likely be headquartered in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, and will focus on TD-SCDMA (Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access) and WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) products and solutions, as well as related network engineering and optimization services. China Putian will own 51% of the joint venture; Nortel, the remaining 49%.



China's Premier Wen Jiabao and Canada's Prime Minister Paul Martin witnessed the signing ceremony.
http://www.nortel.com
http://www.china-putian.com

• In June 2004, China Putian and Nortel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by for cooperation on R&D and manufacture of 3G equipment and products. The two companies have already cooperated on such projects as the recent 3G field trials sponsored by China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII).

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Zhone Adds Voice Gateway Module to Access Concentrators

Zhone Technologies announced the availability of its new "VoiceFLEX" Voice Gateway module for its Multi-Access Line Concentrator (MALC) platform. With this new feature set, the MALC enables a full array of voice, data and video services over circuit or packet-based networks with TDM support for both GR-303 and V5.2, ATM support for AAL2 and ELCP, as well as VoIP support for both SIP and MGCP standards-based service implementations.



The MALC with VoiceFLEX can be configured to deliver a range of narrowband and broadband services for residential and business subscribers including: traditional TDM POTS, Specials, T1/E1, DSL, Ethernet, and PON.



Zhone's MALC can be deployed both as a remote loop carrier (RT) or Central Office Terminal (COT). As a COT, the MALC is able to aggregate traffic from multiple loop carriers and provide direct host connectivity using native GR-303 and V5.2 signaling. As a COT, the MALC with VoiceFLEX Gateway reduces the required number of interface groups on the switch, providing capacity for over 52,000 subscribers in a single 19 inch chassis.



The Zhone MALC can be deployed as a traditional DLC, enabling carriers to migrate their trunking and switching facilities to IP without impacting subscribers. Trunking options range from nxDS1 to OC-12/OC-48 to 10BaseT, Gigabit Ethernet and Resilient Packet Ring over Gigabit Ethernet.



The Zhone MALC also provides advanced data and video capabilities, including full IGMP v2 multicast switching for video, VLAN support, and IP termination at the RT, with a non-blocking backplane.
http://www.zhone.com

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