UK SETS TIMETABLE FOR LOCAL LOOP UNBUNDLING
OFTEL, the official regulator for the UK telecom industry, issued new rules and timetables enabling telecom competitors to lease BT's local loop for providing high speed services directly to their customers by July 2001.  The decision is aimed at promoting competition for access services, especially DSL services.  By April 2000, OFTEL will publishes draft license conditions setting out arrangements for access to local loops. OFTEL will set the price for use of BT's local loop based upon the costs incurred by BT plus a mark up.  BT will be required to provide wholesale access to other telecom operators on exactly the same terms that BT offers it to its own in-house service providers.  OFTEL's policy statement "Access to Bandwidth: Delivering Competition for the Information Age" is available online.
http://www.oftel.gov.uk/competition/a2b1199.htm
OFTEL, November 30, 1999

BT RESPONDS TO OFTEL DECISION
Responding to criticism that it has been slow in rolling out ADSL services, BT said that it is "not surprised" at the Oftel decision, and commented that the regulatory agency has only done “half the job by ignoring the cable companies, which pass more than 50% of UK homes.”  BT plans to have ADSL capacity available in 400 central office exchanges by next spring.  It expects to make ADSL available to 70% of UK residences by the end of 2001.  http://www.bt.com
BT, November 30, 1999

NETRO PROPOSES OPEN STANDARD FOR PACKET-ON-DEMAND AIR INTERFACE
Netro has proposed its packet-on-demand air interface to the IEEE 802.16 committee as the open standard for broadband wireless access networks.  Netro CellMAC protocol supports symmetrical two-way communications with bandwidth-on-demand in point-to-multipoint broadband wireless network.  CellMAC is a media access control layer that is optimized for bursty IP services together with voice and Frame Relay.  Netro said the submission of its air interface proposal to the 802.16 committee is intended to stimulate market growth for broadband wireless services.  The technology has already been deployed in over 34 locations worldwide over the past year.  Netro's AirStar system is also resold on an OEM basis by Lucent and Siemens.    http://www.netro-corp.com/
Netro, November 30, 1999

The official web site for the IEEE 802.16 Working Group on Broadband Wireless Access Standards    http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/16/

AT&T TO BUILD GLOBAL IP NETWORK FOR GENERAL MOTORS
AT&T was awarded a five-year, $350 million contract to build and manage a global IP network for General Motors.  The new infrastructure will replace GM's multiple legacy networks and enhance the automaker's e-business connectivity.  The network architecture will use IP over SONET at GM's five-building headquarters campus in the Detroit area. AT&T will leverage capabilities of its Concert joint venture network with BT for reach to Europe, Asia and Latin America.  Separately, AT&T will also provide a virtual IP network linking Delphi Automotive Systems with more than 2,800 suppliers and customers.  Delphi’s IP network will be based on Frame Relay and ATM.
http://www.att.com/press/item/0,1354,2292,00.html
AT&T, November 30, 1999

AKAMAI ADDS TO LIST OF GLOBAL NETWORK PARTNERS
Akamai announced a list of new network partners for its Internet content delivery system, including AT&T, BT Digex, GlobalCenter, GTE Internetworking, NaviSite, PSINet, Qwest, Telecom Italia, Teleglobe, Universo Online and Verio.  The company now has over 100 network providers hosting its1,700 Internet content delivery servers in 30 countries.
http://www.akamai.com/news/press703.html
Akamai, November 30, 1999

COLT TO PROVIDE KPNQWEST WITH LOCAL ACCESS VIA ITS EUROPEAN METRO NETWORKS
KPNQwest signed a master services agreement with COLT Telecom Group plc providing it with local loop access in key cities across Europe.  The agreement names COLT as a preferred supplier of local access circuits across its network, leaving customers a competitive choice for local access. KPNQwest is deploying a long distance fiber network linking 39 major Western, Central and Eastern European cities.  COLT currently has operations in eighteen European cities in nine countries and plans to be providing service in 24-26 cities by the end of 2000.    http://www.qwest.com/press/story.asp?id=164
Qwest, November 30, 1999

ADSL FORUM CHANGES NAME TO "DSL FORUM"
The ADSL Forum voted to change its name to the "DSL Forum," reflecting its decision to cover the broader range of digital subscriber line technologies, including VDSL (very high bit-rate DSL).The Forum is also actively shaping the direction of Voice over DSL (VoDSL) technology.  The next main DSL Forum meeting will be held in Paris in February 2000.  http://www.adsl.com
DSL Forum, November 30, 1999

VANION SELECTS LUCENT FOR REGIONAL ATM NETWORK
Vanion, an integrated CLEC based in Colorado, will deploy Lucent Technologies' CBX 500 ATM switches PacketStar access concentrators and WaveLAN wireless solution for a voice and data backbone serving the Rocky Mountain region.  The PacketStar Access Concentrators will allow Vanion to combine voice with Internet access or video onto a single T1.  The WaveLAN wireless solution will allow Vanion to provide network services in remote areas where it would be too costly to build traditional wireline access.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  http://www.lucent.com/press/1199/991130.nsa.html
Lucent Technologies, November 30, 1999

CISCO SYSTEMS INVESTS $16 MILLION IN IPCELL
IPCell Technologies, a start-up developing packet telephony software, received $16 million in venture funding from Cisco Systems.  IP Cell's OptiCall Call Agent software, which operates over either IP or ATM, uses MGCP to control call set ups, service execution and call tear downs.  The company is based in Richardson, Texas.  http://www.ipcell.com/News/Funding/funding.html#
IPCell, November 30, 1999

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