MICROSOFT ORGANIZES BROADBAND JUMPSTART
INITIATIVE
Microsoft announced a Windows Media Broadband
Jumpstart initiative, saying the cost of broadband access needs to drop
dramatically, the quality of streamed video needs to improve, quality
content must be developed and improved business models need to be created. Microsoft's broadband strategy centers on industry alliances,
including the following partnerships for network edge improvements.
Content delivery: Akamai Technologies; iBEAM
Broadcasting; INTERVU; Sandpiper Networks
Caching vendors: InfoLibria; Inktomi; Network
Appliance
DSL access providers: NorthPoint Communications;
COVAD; Rhythms NetConnections; Jato Communications; First
WorldCommunications
Cable access providers: RoadRunner, which services
Time Warner and MediaOne and High Speed Access Corp.
The partners will work to optimize delivery of
Windows media at streaming rates of 300 Kbps and above. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/1999/09-29broadband2.htm
Microsoft, September 29, 1999
LONDON INTERNET EXCHANGE OFFERS GIG ETHERNET
PEERING CONNECTIONS
The London
Internet Exchange (LINX) claims to be the first major peering point to
offer Gigabit Ethernet connections to its ISP members.
Previously, only 10 or 100Mbps Ethernet switch ports were
available. In January, LINX implemented Gigabit Ethernet connections over
6 km of dark fiber between its two facilities in London.
The LINX network infrastructure includes Alcatel / Packet Engines'
Gigabit Routing Switches, Extreme Networks' Gigabit Ethernet switches and
Cisco routers. LINX noted a
455% increase in customer traffic over the past year.
Seventy (70) ISPs are currently participating in LINX. http://www.linx.net/
LINX,
September 29, 1999
Unisource Continues Divestment, Telia Acquires
Unisource Iberia
Telia has acquired Unisource
Iberia for an undisclosed sum in a plan to expand its IP operations in
Southern Europe. Unisource
Iberia, which began its Internet wholesale operations last year, is
already offering VPNs based on MPLS.
Last month,
the three shareholders of Unisource NV (KPN of The Netherlands, Telia of
Sweden and Swisscom) announced plans to divest the pan-European
communications group by selling off its constituent business units.
Unisource Carrier Services will be acquired by Energis, a leading
competitive carrier based in the UK, for about US$97 million.
The Unisource Group also consists of SIRIS (the third ranked
national operator in France) and Unisource Italia.
http://www.unisource.com/newsroom/pressrel/pr990929.html
Unisource, September 29, 1999
Last week, the Norwegian
and Swedish state owners of Telenor and Telia confirmed their
pending merger and said they would comply with
the views of the EU Commission.
HP AND QWEST TO OFFER HIGH-END DATA STORAGE
Qwest
and Hewlett-Packard
(HP) will launch a high-end data storage venture leveraging HP's SureStore
enterprise storage hardware and software and Qwest's new CyberCenters.
Planned services include backup and advanced recovery, as well as
ISP storage utilities. The
initiative is expected to provide approximately $200 million in revenue to
Qwest in the first year and up to $1.5 billion in revenue to Qwest over
the three-year term of the agreement.
http://www.qwest.com/press/story.asp?id=152
Qwest,
September 29, 1999
NTT TEAMS WITH VERIO FOR WEB HOSTING IN JAPAN
NTT Communications will use Verio's web hosting
software and technology platform for its web hosting services in Japan. The
two companies will develop NTT Communications' new data center in Tokyo,
from which Verio's Web-hosting services will be offered.
NTT invested $100
million in Verio in May 1998.
http://www.ntt-c.co.jp/NEWS_RELEASE_E/news99/9909/0928.html
NTT, September 29, 1999
ACCESSLAN DELIVERS PACKETLOOP WITH PRIORITY-Q
DIFFERENTIATED SERVICES
AccessLan Communications began shipping its PL-2000
DSL Service Concentrator with a Priority-Q functionality for
differentiated services, including voice, data, fax, video, etc. The Priority-Q software supports up to four levels of
priority for handling a variety of traffic streams. Eight different
service levels are defined within each priority level for further
granularity. AccessLAN said its QoS management system provides the
foundation for Differentiated Services ("Diff-Serv") and
Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) over the local loop.
Separately, AccessLAN announced a partnership with
TollBridge Technologies to deliver multi-line voice-over-DSL and GR-303
Gateways. The partnership
will combine AccessLAN's DSLAMs with TollBridge technology for both GR-303
gateways to current Class 5 switches and MGCP gateways for next generation
IP based switches.
Earlier
this month, AccessLAN announced a $12 million contract to supply its
PacketLoop PL-2000 DSLAMs to NetPlus for a voice-over-DSL network.
http://www.accesslan.com/index1.shtml
AccessLAN, September 29, 1999
Mariposa Expands Integrated Access Devices
Mariposa Technology added two new models to its line
of integrated access devices (IADs). A new ATX 50 IAD, which is aimed at
small to medium sized offices, can handle from as few as four to as many
as 30 voice channels, plus H.320 video, Ethernet and Frame Relay data over
a single scaleable ATM network interface.
The ATX 150, which is designed for medium and large sites, handles
up to 90 voice channels with the same video and data capabilities. Both products, as well as Mariposa's existing ATX 100 IAD,
are global products that feature toll-quality compressed or uncompressed
analog or digital voice, an integrated IP router, FRF.5 and FRF.8 Frame
Relay to ATM interworking, and full CAS, ISDN-PRI and Q.SIG signaling
support on both CBR and VBR ports. Mariposa's advanced signaling
capability enables ATM SVC bandwidth-on-demand for both compressed and
uncompressed voice and H.320 video, as well as full PBX and Class 5
feature transparency. The company is based in Petaluma, California and has
backing from Ericsson. http://www.mariposatech.com/
Mariposa, September
28, 1999
ACCELERATED
NETWORKS INTRODUCES UNIVERSAL VOICE OVER DSL IAD
Accelerated
Networks introduced a voice over DSL (VoDSL) integrated access device
(IAD) designed to interoperate with any ATM-based SDSL access multiplexer
(DSLAM), as well as any ATM T1 concentrator. The subscriber-located IAD
multiplexes and prioritizes traffic using standard ATM AAL-1, AAL-2 or
AAL-5 virtual circuits with multiple QoS levels.
It provides toll-quality voice to AAL-2-based GR-303 voice gateways
using standard E.168 hardware-based echo cancellation and support for
voice compression and silence suppression.
Ethernet or Frame Relay LAN interfaces are offered.
Prices start at $895 for a four analog ports.
Accelerated Networks also offers IADs with eight and 24 analog
voice ports over DSL. http://www.acceleratednetworks.com/
Accelerated
Networks, September 29, 1999
U.S.
MARINES BUILD RUGGEDIZED PROMINA NETWORK WITH N.E.T.
The US
Marine Corps will use "ruggedized" versions of N.E.T.'s Promina
800 multiservice switches as a transportable voice, data and video
communications platform in harsh environments.
Promina platforms will be installed in S-280 shelters and
transported via 5-ton trucks for the Marines' Digital Tech Control unit.
A separate Tactical Data Unit will have compact Promina platforms
installed in S-788 shelters and mounted on four-wheel drive vehicles that
can be flown into any location for quick deployment. The Promina platforms
will be equipped with interfaces for connections to satellites, PBXs, LANs
and other systems. The more
than $7 million order for Promina switches was part of a larger contract
awarded to General Dynamics Government Systems Corporation.
http://internet.net.com/corporate/releases/pr99/pr3299.html
N.E.T.,
September 29, 1999
NORTEL NETWORKS' 1-MEG MODEM RECEIVES FCC
APPROVAL FOR RETAIL SALES
Nortel Networks received the first FCC approval for
xDSL modems under Rules Part 68 -- Connection of Terminal Equipment to the
Telephone Network – for its 1-Meg Modem.
Part 68 is designed to ensure that approved equipment will not
cause Public Network degradation with crosstalk, high voltage or other
damaging impacts. Nortel said
the approval opens retail channels for 1-Meg Modem CPE distribution.
http://www.nortelnetworks.com/corporate/news/newsreleases/1999c/9_29_9999613_1mm_fcc.html
Nortel Networks, September 29, 1999
NORTEL NETWORKS, PANASONIC DEMO 3G
MOBILE-TO-MOBILE VIDEO
Nortel Networks successfully tested mobile-to-mobile
video calls using a live W-CDMA third generation (3G) network to connect
pocket-sized mobile video phones from Panasonic.
The tests also included wireless streaming video from the Internet
to laptop computers at 64 kbps, and point-to-point fixed wireless video
conferencing at 384 kbps. Nortel
Networks has previously announced 3G trials with Microcell and the North
American GSM Alliance in Canada; BT (British Telecom) in the UK; France
Telecom in France; Telstra in Australia; and Sprint PCS and AirTouch in
the US. http://www.nortelnetworks.com/corporate/news/newsreleases/1999c/9_28_9999586_3g_mobile_video.html
Nortel
Networks, September 29, 1999
