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Interview: NSN's Sue Spradley on LightSquared's Wholesale Mobile Data Paradigm
by Sue Spradley
AT&T Selects Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, and Juniper for IP/MPLS/Ethernet/EPC Domain
AT&T has selected Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, and Juniper Networks as its Domain Suppliers for IP/MPLS/Ethernet/Evolved Packet Core equipment needed for its industry-leading IP-based network. Financial terms were not disclosed."After conducting an extensive review of multiple IP/MPLS/Ethernet/Evolved Packet Core equipment suppliers, we're pleased to extend long-standing relationships with Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, and Juniper Networks," said Tim Harden, President of AT&T's Supply Chain and Fleet Operations organization. "AT&T's selection of these three industry-leading suppliers as Domain Suppliers showcases our ongoing commitment to meet the quality expectations of our customers today, while preparing for the demands of tomorrow."
AT&T said its Domain Supplier program, launched in September 2009, facilitates a more collaborative relationship with its equipment and software suppliers. The company noted that its network carries 18.7 petabytes of IP and data traffic on an average business day, the equivalent of transporting the entire digitized Library of Congress more than 250 times. This traffic volume has doubled over the last four years. The network includes more than 880,000 route miles of fiber-optic cable.
AT&T in January announced total 2010 capital expenditures are expected to be between $18 billion and $19 billion, a level framed by the expectation that regulatory and legislative decisions relating to the telecom sector will continue to be sensitive to investment.... > More
IP Infusion Moves Ahead with MPLS-TP
IP Infusion is preparing to add MPLS-TP (MPLS-Transport Profile) functionality to its ZebOS Network Platform software, which is widely used by network equipment manufacturers. The forthcoming MPLS-TP specification, which is expected to be finalized next year, will enable carriers to extend their core IP/MPLS network to the edge of mobile networks. MPLS-TP will enable automated maintenance, administration, provisioning and bandwidth management functions in the mobile aggregation network.
IP Infusion said its ZebOS MPLS-TP will preserve the operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) and management characteristics allowing a full end-to-end integration with existing and future IP/MPLS infrastructures. By using IP/MPLS and MPLS-TP from ZebOS, OEMs will be able to provide a consistent way of provisioning, troubleshooting and managing the networks from edge to edge.MPLS-TP has been engineered specifically for transport networks. It is a reliable connection-oriented, packet-switched transport layer technology that is aligned with existing circuit-switched transport networking. MPLS-TP overlays on existing MPLS networks to provide:
Initially, IP Infusion will be supporting MPLS-TP static capabilities. This will be updated to full MPLS-TP capabilities as the specification is completed.
- Standardized control plane functionality
- Advanced Quality of Service (QoS)
- End-to-end Operation, Administration and Maintenance (OAM)
- Reduced network equipment footprint
- OAM monitors and drives protection switching
- Support for existing management processes and work procedures
IP Infusion has also added support for G MPLS to ZebOS, which can be used as a dynamic control plane with MPLS-TP so that the network sets up Label Switching Paths (LSPs) and PseudoWires (PWEs). GMPLS is based on the TE extensions to MPLS (MPLS-TE). It may also be used to set up the OAM function and define recovery mechanisms.
Alcatel-Lucent Tests 100GE Performance with Isocore and Ixia
Isocore has tested and verified the Alcatel-Lucent 7750 Service Router's (SR) 100 Gigabit Ethernet (100 GE) performance using Ixia's K2 100 GE test solution. The tests validate the Service Router's ability to handle high-touch service connections at 100 Gbps line-rate speeds. The companies said the test results also demonstrate the viability of 100 GE for broad deployment throughout carrier networks, extending beyond the IP core and into the service edge and metro, where services meet the network.
This test is the first 100 GE demonstration of line-rate, loss-less transmission using a diverse mix of service traffic types with thousands of queues and service attributes, which are critical for service assurance. Ixia's K2 and IxNetwork were used to emulate the Ethernet and IP traffic seen on business VPN services offered to corporate customers who have stringent performance and service level agreement (SLA) expectations.
Specifically, Isocore and Ixia tested configurations that emulated large-scale connection and service attributes in service provider networks which offer high-touch IP and Ethernet VPN services. Isocore used Ixia's K2 100 GE test solution to transmit, capture and perform real-time analysis with full line-rate 100 GE Internet mix (IMIX) traffic in conjunction with layer 3 Virtual Private Networks (L3VPN), layer 2 VPNs, QinQ double tagging at the customer edge, and Ethernet Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS).
The test emulated both customer edge (CE) and provider edge (PE) routers with OSPF (Open Shortest Path First), LDP (Label Distribution Protocol) and MP-iBGP (multiprotocol-Interior Border Gateway Protocol) sessions. The Alcatel-Lucent 7750 SR was configured with 8,000 IP-VPNs, 4,000 Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) links, and 20,000 layer 2 VPNs. The 7750 SR maintained comprehensive quality of service (QoS) on each flow while operating at 100 Gbps line rate.
Ixia noted that its Higher Speed Ethernet (HSE) solutions are the only full-production test products available today that validate IEEE 802.3ba standards-based network elements. Ixia's K2 modules generate and analyze 40 GE and 100 GE BERT and layer 2-7 line-rate traffic, with up to one million distinct flows. K2 modules are compatible with Ixia's testing applications, which allowed Isocore to initially develop its configurations using 10 GE interfaces and then to quickly adapt as needed to support Alcatel-Lucent's 100 Gbps service routing interfaces.
Wholesale Applications Community Sets Course
The Wholesale Applications Community, which was formed earlier this year by global telecommunications operators looking to build an open alternative Apple's iTunes and similar storefronts, has taken its first steps.The initiative has formally registered as a not-for-profit corporate entity based in the UK, named a prestigious board of directors, and joined forces with the Joint Innovation Lab (JIL). Peters Suh has been named the CEO of the Wholesale Applications Community. Most recently Peters was the CEO of the Joint Innovation Lab (JIL), a joint venture between China Mobile, SOFTBANK MOBILE, Verizon Wireless, and Vodafone. Prior to JIL, Peters held a number of executive positions at Vodafone, Fremont Communications and AirTouch. The company announced that Michel Combes, Vodafone Chief Executive Europe has been elected Chairman of the Wholesale Applications Community, and Jean-Philippe Vanot, Deputy CEO, France Telecom has been named as Vice Chairman. In addition to Combes and Vanot, the WAC board of directors includes:
- John Donovan, CTO, AT&T
- Li Zhengmao, VP, China Mobile
- Olivier Baujard, CTO Deutsche Telekom
- Alex Sinclair, Chief Strategy and Technology Officer, GSMA
- Dr Hyun-Myung PYO, President of Mobile Business Group, KT Corporation
- Dr Kiyohito Nagata, SVP, NTT DOCOMO
- Sung Min Ha, President Mobile Network Operation Business Unit, SK Telecom
- Napoleon Nazareno, President and CEO, Smart Communications
- Tetsuzo Matsumoto, Senior Executive Vice President, SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp.
- Marco Patuano, Head of Domestic Market Operations, Telecom Italia
- Vivek Dev, Group Director of Global New Services, Telefónica
- Dr. Hannes Ametsreiter, CEO, Telekom Austria Group
- Morten-Karlsen Sorby, EVP and Head of Corporate Development, Telenor
- Dick Lynch, EVP and CTO, Verizon
WAC aims to establish wholesale applications ecosystem that provides a simple route to market for developers to deliver the latest innovative applications and services. Network operators would be able to distribute applications through their respective application storefronts and charge users through their existing phone bill. In this model, developers will set the application price and will receive a revenue share for the transaction. The revenue share will be defined on an operator-by-operator basis.
WAC aims to publish its initial specification and components of its SDK to developers in November. This specification will be based on W3C standards and create a strong platform for developing rich mobile web applications. WAC will also provide backwards compatibility for devices based upon the current JIL and BONDI specifications.
Juniper to Acquire SMobile for Mobile Security
Juniper Networks agreed to acquire SMobile Systems, a privately-held developer of smart phone and tablet security solutions, for $70 million in cash.
SMobile's product portfolio protects devices running on Android, Apple iOS, Symbian, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile operating systems from viruses, spyware, identity theft and other threats, while providing parental and enterprise controls. SMobile said its solution combines strong mobile security with a powerful device management console. Enterprises are able to protect mobile users against viruses and malicious attacks while being able to remotely locate and wipe lost devices.
SMobile was founded in 2002, has approximately 35 employees, and is based in Columbus, Ohio. Noted customers include BT, Fortune 15 companies and U.S. government agencies.
Juniper plans to integrate the SMobile technology into Junos Pulse, its software client for enabling ubiquitous connectivity, security and acceleration to smart phones, tablets, netbooks and notebooks.
"Security breaches in today's mobile environment are growing threats that impact everyone," said Mark Bauhaus, executive vice president and general manager, Services Layer Technologies at Juniper Networks. "Juniper already secures the majority of smart phone traffic in the United States, is a global leader in high-end firewalls and the SSL VPN2 market, and enables more than 25 million end users to remotely and securely connect their PCs and smart phones to corporate networks. Integrating SMobile's portfolio into Junos Pulse will provide users with the most comprehensive mobile security solution available on the market."
Intel's Silicon Photonics Achieves 50 Gbps Chip Laser Interconnect
Intel Labs has created a silicon-based optical data connection with integrated lasers using Hybrid Silicon Laser technology that can transmit data at 50 Gbps. The prototype device, which is the result of a multi-year silicon photonics research agenda, is composed of a silicon transmitter and a receiver chip.
The transmitter chip is composed of four such lasers, whose light beams each travel into an optical modulator that encodes data onto them at 12.5Gbps. The four beams are then combined and output to a single optical fiber for a total data rate of 50Gbps. At the other end of the link, the receiver chip separates the four optical beams and directs them into photo detectors, which convert data back into electrical signals.
Intel said its chips were assembled using low-cost manufacturing techniques familiar to the semiconductor industry. Intel researchers are already working to increase the data rate by scaling the modulator speed as well as increase the number of lasers per chip, providing a path to future terabit/s optical links.
Intel noted that this silicon photonic project is separate from its Light Peak technology, though both are components of Intel's overall I/O strategy. Light Peak is an effort to bring a multi-protocol 10Gbps optical connection to Intel client platforms for nearer-term applications.
BTI Positions 7200 Metro Services Platform for High Density 10G
BTI Systems unveiled its 7200 Metro Services Platform, a new metro networking platform designed for optical and packet layer flexibility in delivering wireless backhaul, video and Ethernet business services.The 7200 Metro Services Platform, which features a modular architecture in a 7U footprint, consolidates Carrier Ethernet, multi-service optical, and Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) functions. BTI adopts a pay-as-you-grow model, allowing the system to scale for high-density 10G hubbing. BTI Systems said its 7200 Metro Services Platform is especially well suited for the new breed of metro/regional carriers that require a larger solution for ring interconnect, high-capacity metro service delivery, data center interconnections and high-density cloud networking. The platform also acts as a Middle Mile solution for service providers to deliver broadband and video networking functions. Key features of the 7200 Metro Services Platform include:
The 7200 platform also supports all the existing modules in the BTI portfolio.
- The ability to simplify network operations by consolidating packet optical service delivery, WDM multiplexing and photonic-layer building blocks in a single 7RU form factor with 20 modular slots;
- Support up to 400 Gbps of 10G private line capacity;
- Access over 100 GbE and 18 10GbE Carrier Ethernet switched ports, or a combination of optical and packet functionality; and
- Expandable up to 800G with expansion shelf architecture that enables deployment of multiple shelves, managed as a single network entity;
- Support existing BTI Systems solutions, including the full line of 10G multiprotocol transponders, muxponders, reach extension and network multiplexing modules.
Speedtest.net Ranks Comcast as Fastest U.S. ISP
Ookla, which operates the popular Speedtest.net website, is now providing ISP performance rankings as part of its "Net Index." The new performance is index is gleaned from the more than one million daily tests on the Speedtest.net site.The new ISP rankings show the top residential ISP in the U.S. based on download speed performance is Comcast, followed by Charter, Optimum Online, MidContinent Communications and Road Runner to round out the top five. Upload speeds tell a different story with Surewest Broadband on top, followed by Verizon Internet Services, AT&T Worldnet, Comcast and Cox.
The ISP rankings are updated daily and are available for free by geographic region. The index provides separate tracking for download and upload speeds. In addition, each ISP will be listed with a 1 to 5 star rating system based on end-user provided input.
"The Net Index already offers a powerful research tool for academia, government, ISPs, and those curious about broadband performance. However, it has always been our goal to expand on that information and provide a resource that helps consumers make more informed broadband decisions,” said Mike Apgar, co-founder and managing partner of Ookla. “The new ISP ranking data takes a giant step in that direction, further empowering consumers for the first time with rich data that helps evaluate ISP performance close to home or throughout the world."
In the near future, Ookla will add a Value component to Net Index, allowing consumers to see the cost breakdown associated with broadband services by country, state, city, and even by ISP. The Value Index is currently in development, but to-date Ookla has collected survey information from more than 100,000 broadband-only participants. Preliminary data shows the current average monthly cost for broadband in the U.S at $47.32, with the average cost per Mbps at $5.06, although this varies greatly from state-to-state. For example, based on download speed, California broadband costs just $4.24 per Mbps, while residents of Idaho pay $8.80, Washington respondents averaged just $3.89 per Mbps and Michigan subscribers pay $6.36.
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Interview: NSN's Sue Spradley on LightSquared's Wholesale Mobile Data Paradigm
by Sue Spradley
LightSquared, a new company backed by Harbinger Capital Partners, plans to launch a wholesale-only, 4G-LTE network across the U.S. complemented by satellite coverage. LightSquared will provide wholesale wireless broadband capacity to a diverse group of customers, including retailers; wireline and wireless communication service providers; cable operators; device manufacturers; web players; content providers; and many others. NSN has been appointed vendor of choice in a deal valued at $7 billion over 8 years.
Mobile Backhaul Transition Requires New Testing
by Joe Zeto
The move from TDM- to Ethernet-based transport does not come for free. TDM-circuits are well established at providing ultra-high reliability, voice quality of service, and accurate timing. Ethernet technology requires careful attention to match these capabilities. Testing for Ethernet-based mobile backhaul systems can be split neatly into performance testing and conformance testing. It is essential that wired and wireless components now be tested with the same types and scale of traffic seen in actual network deployments.
Cybersecurity Requires Public/Private Coalition
by Greg Oslan
No longer is the task of cybersecurity relegated to IT offices and CIOs in the private sector, nor to a select number of government agencies. Instead, a call to action has been put forth to all entities -- especially the government -- to make cybersecurity a top priority. It is now recognized as one of the most important national security challenges of our time.
A Rethinking of Cloud Services and Network Architecture
by Jim Theodoras
The revenue potential of offering cloud hosting services is significant. To take advantage of this considerable opportunity, service providers must rethink both their network architectures and business models.
Delivering Scalable Video Solutions
Advantages of SVC-Optimized QoS
by Andy Singleton
Scalable Video Coding is a layered video codec that is an extension of the established H.264 standard. SVC operates by transmitting a base video layer and one or more enhancement layers. Here's a look at how SVC helps solve the issue of poor quality and unusable desktop video conferencing due to packet loss. The long-term goal of this technology is to enable enterprises to deploy desktop video communications on a wide scale.
Does Network Neutrality Impact DPI?
by James Brear
FCC Chairman Genachowski's adoption of at a "Third Way" in regulating broadband traffic once again raises the question of what is proper network management. What is the likely impact for vendors of deep packet inspection (DPI) platforms?
Staying Competitive By Managing Services, Not Just Circuits
by Mark Showalter
The challenge facing metro network planners is to find the most cost-effective way to deliver profitable services in the near-term while deploying a network flexible enough to support an array of new services in the future. Here's a quick look at MPLS, VPLS, and metro Ethernet Transport.Industry Events
ChinaCom 2010
25-Aug-10 to 27-Aug-10
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LTE - Asia
07-Sep-10 to 08-Sep-10
Hong Kong
FTTH Conference 2010 - Asia Pacific
09-Sep-10 to 14-Sep-10
Amsterdam
Full Event Calendar
Hamadoun Touré, ITU Secretary-General 04-Jun-10
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