TelecomWeb News Digest articles from February 2005

TelecomWeb News Digest archives from February 2005

The SBC/AT&T Merger: This Is The Way Business Is Done.(Telecommunications industry)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... The deal that some top regulators of years past said could never be done now officially is on the table. Texas-based SBC Communications plans to spend some $16 billion for what remains of the original Ma Bell: AT&T. For SBC, this is a second...

VoIP Gateway Market Could Total $1 Billion By 2009.(voice over internet protocol )(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway equipment deployed by global service providers is anticipated to grow at a steady positive rate over the years, and it could begin to approach a $1 billion market around 2009, according to Dublin,...

Survey: Handset Brand, Subsidies Still Matter.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Like the name on your designer jeans, it appears the brand on your wireless phone determines your rung on the social ladder, at least in the United States. According to a new global survey conducted by Washington, D.C.-based ForceNine...

Amicus Effort Targets Congress For New Telecom Laws.(Digital Age Communications Act)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Individuals from government, telecom and computer circles are organizing a coalition effort to help write a new set of communications-reform legislation that will be proposed to the U.S. Congress. Under the auspices of The Progress & Freedom...

ADSL2+ Startup Lands 'Critical' Ericsson Contract.(Cellular telephone equipment industry)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Little Critical Telecom has grabbed the brass ring -- a multi-year global distribution agreement with giant Ericsson under which Ericsson will sell Critical's GEmini Remote Ethernet DSLAM as part of the Ericsson Broadband Access Portfolio. ...

Sprint Joins WiMAX Forum.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Sprint signed on as a principal member of the WiMAX Forum, noting that it has been an "influential force" in driving 802.16 standards and saying it wants to "share that expertise" with the Forum. The carrier didn't say exactly how it plans...

Cable Broadband VoIP Subscriptions Surge.(VoIP (Network protocols))(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... The number of cable subscribers who have signed up for VoIP was close to 500,000 at the end of last year, up from only about 50,000 at the end of 2003, according to a new study by Infonetics Research. In the same period, the number of cable...

OPASTCO: FCC Erred in Giving Nextel Rural Status.(Federal Communications Commission)(Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies urges on United States. Federal Communications Commission. Common Carrier Bureau's standards)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) may have erred in August 2004 when it designated Nextel Partners an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in rural service areas of seven states, according to the...

MCI Launches European Ethernet Service.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Possible Qwest acquisition target MCI launched private-line Ethernet service in nine European countries. The service, offered with from 2 Mb/s to 100 Mb/s of bandwidth at a flat rate, provides local area network (LAN)-to-LAN connectivity to...

XO Says It's Ready, Willing, Able To Provide UNE Alternatives.(XO Communications Inc. prepared for unbundled network elements rules)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Competitive local carrier XO Communications Inc. says it's ready to leverage the new final rules for unbundled network elements (UNEs) expected to be issued today or tomorrow by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), while the new rules...

Rumor Du Jour: Qwest Courts MCI, But Don't Bet Yet.(Qwest Communications International Inc. and Qwest Communications International Inc. bids to acquire MCI Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Soon, you won't need that program to tell the players. The latest in a spate of mega-mergers reportedly involves Qwest Communications, MCI and a $6.3 billion price tag (although neither party is talking on the record), but things could get...

Senate Bill Pares USF From Gov't Spending.(Universal Service Fund to be removed from Anti-Deficiency Act)(government)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... If adopted, a proposed U.S. Senate bill would permanently remove the Universal Service Fund (USF) and its E-Rate program - subsidizing Internet access for schools and libraries - from the Anti-Deficiency Act, which essentially prevents...

Nortel, Qualcomm Stage First HSDPA Demo.(Northern Telecom Ltd. completes demonstration and testing of its Speed Downlink Packet Access technology)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Nortel and Qualcomm completed what they describe as the first test of High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) technology using currently available commercial equipment. They reportedly achieved DSL-like bandwidths while riding in a moving car...

Canadian Regulator Lowers Local Access Charges.(Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's new rules)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) issued new rules on Competitor Digital Network (CDN) services that essentially lower the price of access facilities and services provided by incumbents local exchange...

Cisco Lands SingTel, Telekom Malaysia Deals.(Cisco Systems Inc. signs contracts with Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., and Telekom Malaysia Bhd.)
February 7, 2005... Cisco Systems today disclosed two recent business advances in southeast Asia - Singapore Telecom's EXPAN, an international data network service center operation, will expand its routing and security solutions from Cisco, while Telekom Malaysia...

At France Telecom, Broadband Unleashed.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... France Telecom has agreed to unbundled ADSL access for its customers some time this year, enabling consumers to purchase broadband separately from their telephone subscriptions and, thus, opening up the market to new competition. The commitment...

FCC Rules Set To Wean 'Mass-Market' UNE Access.(Federal Communications Commission)(unbundled network elements )
February 10, 2005... The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) late Friday issued its new, anxiously-awaited ground rules for competitive operator access to incumbent local exchange carriers' (ILECs) unbundled network elements (UNEs), but it maintained ILECs have...

Skype Lands Its First Telecom Partner.(Hutchison Global Communications Ltd. sigsn co-branding agreement with Skype Technologies S.A.)
February 10, 2005... Hong Kong's Hutchison Global Communications signed a co-branding pact with Skype, the free voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider that's built what is believed to be the world's largest base of VoIP users, with a claimed 24...

Nextel Signs Off On 800 MHz Order.(Northern Telecom Ltd. wins Federal Communications Commission's contract)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... It's been a long and arduous road, but Nextel accepted the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Report & Order (WT Docket 02-55) voted last summer to help eliminate interference between commercial RF users and publicsafety first responders...

Wi-Fi Could Come To A BlackBerry Near You.(Northern Telecom Ltd. and Research in Motion signs memorandum of understanding)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Nortel and Research in Motion (RIM) signed a memorandum of understanding under which BlackBerry handhelds will be equipped for VoIP over standard Wi-Fi. Under the deal, the companies are integrating RIM's BlackBerry enterprise platform and...

Partners Demo Terabit Reconfigurable Metro Network.(Mahi Networks Inc. and Mintera Corp. forms partnership)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Mahi Networks and Mintera teamed to put together a package they say can upgrade standard metro networks to a blazing 1.28 Terabits per second (Tb/s). The two say they completed verification of a system that combines Mahi's Vx7 multi-service...

Verizon Launches Combo Telecom, DirecTV Bill.(Verizon Communications Inc. introduce single payment service)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Verizon says new DirecTV customers who order the direct-to-home satellite television service through via Verizon will receive a single bill that covers the DirecTV service as well as the telecommunications services offered by the ILEC, allowing...

Alcatel Heads Euro Mobile Broadband R&D.(Compagnie Financiere Alcatel to perform research and development in the MObile Wideband GLobal Link sYstem project)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Alcatel has been tagged to lead a new $16 million European R&D effort to establish standards for providing broadband to ships, trains and planes. The European consortium, called MOWGLY (MObile Wideband GLobal Link sYstem), formally sprang into...

Is It Cease-Fire Time For ILECs, IXCs?(incumbent local exchange carriers, interexchange carriers)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... SBC's proposed purchase of AT&T and potential mergers between other large incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and interexchange carriers (IXCs) could alter these telecom operators' policy positions if such former antagonists join the same...

FCC, With Trepidation, Takes on ICC...Again.(Federal Communications Commission, Interstate Commerce Commission)
February 14, 2005... The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously to open comments on a further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to wrestle with the admittedly tough and frustrating issue of payments among telephone companies for origination...

Verizon Ends Up As MCI's White Knight.(Verizon Communications Inc.'s merger deal)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Verizon won the bidding war for MCI, making a formal offer topping the $6.3 billion that Qwest has put on the table. Both bids appear to be slightly less than MCI's current $6.48 billion market cap, leaving a good possibility that, when the...

SBC Touts Large Chicago Wi-Fi Installation.(SBC Communications Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... SBC Communications says its FreedomLink Wi-Fi service is now operating and available at Chicago's Merchandise Mart office, transportation and shopping complex (and the accompanying 350 W. Mart Center), creating the largest SBC hot spot in the...

NSA Gives Arizona University The Security Nod.(National Security Agency certifies University of Advancing Technology)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... The University of Advancing Technology (UAT) in Tempe, Ariz., says its network security study program has been certified by the National Security Agency (NSA), allowing graduating students to take on relatively sensitive, technically oriented...

FiberLabs Begins U.S. Marketing Effort.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Japan's FiberLabs has begun marketing its optical amplifiers and ASE sources in the United States and Canada. Rather than attempting to set up its own U.S. operation, the Japanese company named OgMentum as its sales and marketing agent in North...

Study: Wireless Web Ads Set To Spike.(online advertising strategy of wireless communications services)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Wirelessly delivered advertising associated with the Internet could be the next craze among marketing and sales organizations as Internet Protocol (IP)-enabled mobile services and handheld devices gradually make their way into the market,...

More Trade-Group Consolidation.(CompTel/Ascent and Association for Local Telecommunications Services's joint venture )
February 14, 2005... CompTel/Ascent and the Association for Local Telecommunications Services (ALTS), in a surprise move, have agreed to merge. The melding of the two, effective March 1, represents the conglomeration of what had been a multiplicity of industry...

Sony Seeks Content Provider For Wi-Fi-Enabled PSP.(Playstation 2 Portable)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... The long-promised -- and delayed -- Sony Playstation 2 Portable (PSP) will be released in the United States March 24, says the media behemoth. Challenging the 2.8 million-seller Nintendo DS handheld game console that launched last November, the...

Check This Out: AOL Set To Become A VoIPCo.(voice over internet protocol company)(Time Warner Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2005... Time Warner is in the final stages of preparing to launch an AOL-branded voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, according to well-placed industry sources. The sources, tracked down by TelecomWeb editors at this week's CompTel/Ascent trade...

FCC Closes Broadband Auction, Raises $2 Billion.(Federal Communications Commission)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2005... The Federal Communications Commission's auction of broadband Personal Communications Services (PCS) licenses ended yesterday, netting $2,043,230,450. This is the last to be seen of any PCS spectrum, and the auction finally disposed of the...

Cisco QoS Program Vets Managed IP VPN Providers.(Quality of Service )(internet protocol virtual private network)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2005... Cisco Systems Inc. is initiating a network Quality of Service (QoS) program in Europe to support enterprise customer decision-making and serviceprovider evaluation of managed Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IP VPN) services,...

Verizon Tops Qwest For MCI Purchase Deal.(Verizon Communications Inc.)
February 17, 2005... Earlier today, ILEC Verizon Communications formally announced its leapfrog move to extend its vertical depth and horizontal reach by disclosing an agreement to purchase interexchange carrier (IXC) and bankruptcy survivor MCI in a deal worth...

Who's That Talking Behind Those Shades?(Bluetooth enabled eyewear - Razrwire)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2005... Two giants in their respective industries -- Motorola and sunglasses manufacturer Oakley Inc. -- unveiled a new line of Bluetooth-enabled eyewear in sunny Cannes, France, designed to keep wireless subscribers both comfortable and connected. The...

WiMAX Forum Boast Three New Heavy Hitters.(AT&T Corp.)(British Telecommunications PLC)(ZTE (China))(Brief Article)
February 17, 2005... AT&T, British Telecom and China's ZTE are the newest board members of the WiMAX Forum. AT&T will be represented by Christopher Rice, director of access technology and services; BT will be represented by Group Technology Officer Mick Reeve; and...

The Fight Intensifies Over Level3 Leavings.(Level 3 Communications Inc.)
February 17, 2005... The ranks of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) companies fighting over the fallout from Level3's decision to exit the hosted IP Centrex business - which Level3 called its (3)Tone service - have continued to swell as competitors try to snag...

Report: IP Telephony Now Embraced By SMBs.(small and mid-sized businesses)(internet protocol)(small and mid-sized businesses)
February 17, 2005... According to a new study from research and consulting firm InfoTech, the IP telephony (IPT) market for small and mid-sized U.S. businesses (SMBs) --those firms employing between 20 and 499 workers -- is growing at a compound annual growth rate...

Nicer Canada Adds VoIP POPs In 23 Countries.(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... Vancouver-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) carrier Nicer Canada said it has signed international traffic distribution and interconnection agreements which add 23 countries to its offshore points of presence (POPS). The deals bring to...

Infonet Signs Vetco for International Managed IP VPN.(Infonet Services Corp.)(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... Infonet Services Corporation today disclosed a contract from oil and gas supplier Vetco International Ltd. for global managed services based on Internet Protocol/multiprotocol label switching (IP/MPLS) technologies. Infonet is rolling out...

Ericsson Licenses SPIRIT Software For Emergency Call Clarity.(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... Ericsson has licensed SPIRIT's embedded communications software for integration into the Swedish manufacturer's hardware/software solutions for emergency services, call handling, dispatch and command and control telecom systems. The first major...

Alcatel & Microsoft Team Up On IPTV.(Compagnie Financiere Alcatel)(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... Alcatel and Microsoft have signed a global IP Television collaboration agreement aimed at accelerating the availability of IPTV. The two called the deal a "precedent setting" agreement, under which they will developed an integrated IPTV...

New Startup Threatens The House That Gates Built.(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... With just $15 million in venture capital in hand so far - including a $7 million mezzanine round in December 2004 when it unveiled its first product - two-year-old Modulus Video is about to take on the mighty Microsoft and the venerable...

HP To Re-Enter Enterprise Router Market In Challenge To Cisco.(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... Hewlett Packard is about to re-enter the enterprise router market, which it dropped out of years ago, with a pair of routers from its ProCurve Networking unit, the first of what's expected to be a full product line that emerges over time. The...

Formula One Team Goes Wi-Fi.(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... Formula One racing team owner British American Racing (BAR) plans to implement a wireless LAN system developed by Airespace Inc. and best-of-breed supplier Matrix Communications Group Plc in its Brackley headquarters in Northants, U.K. The new...

Hutchison Moves Into Vietnam Mobile Market.(Brief Article)
February 24, 2005... Hutchison Telecom is entering the Vietnamese mobile market. The operator said that its wholly-owned subsidiary, 'Hutchison Vietnam', has received an investment license from Vietnam's Ministry of Planning and Investment which will enable it to...

FCC: AT&T Unlawfully Avoided USF, Access Fees.(Federal Communications Commission, universal service fund)
February 28, 2005... AT&T Corp.'s decision to avoid universal service fund (USF) contributions and intrastate access charges on its prepaid long-distance calling-card service backfired as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled the country's largest...

TIA Asks Congress To Set A DTV Conversion Date.(Telecommunications Industry Association)(digital television)(Brief Article)
February 28, 2005... The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) has asked Congress to finally set a date by which the nation's broadcasters must convert to digital television (DTV). TIA's suggesting December 31, 2006. The move to DTV is going to free up 108...

Wireless M2M Portends More Remote-Management Opps.(machine-to-machine)
February 28, 2005... Wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) communications in Europe already has been widely adopted in point-of-sale (POS) terminals and for on-street parking/ticketing applications, yet remote management of vending machines can take off on a large...

Huawei Ropes Colt.(Brief Article)
February 28, 2005... China's Huawei has landed the UK's COLT Telecom Group as a customer, with Huawei gear to be installed throughout Colt's huge network. Initially, COLT will deploy Huawei Quidway Router platforms into its Internet Access and IP VPN Corporate...

MCI/Qwest: It Ain't Over Until The Fat Money Sings.(Qwest Communications International Inc)
February 28, 2005... Qwest Communications International submitted a new bid to purchase MCI, reflecting the same $8 billion total value as its mid-February offer, yet ostensibly revised to make the cash and stock payout terms more attractive to the interexchange...

The Newest Flashing Blue-Light Special.(Brief Article)
February 28, 2005... Warning to California drivers: Starting in March, Los Angeles cops in cars will be able to issue your traffic citations even faster, thanks to 802.11 wireless LAN technology. California-based wireless solutions provider CalAmp inked a...

Liberty Deploys First In-Home IPTV Distribution System.(Liberty Communications Inc.)(Internet Protocol Television)(Brief Article)
February 28, 2005... Liberty Communications has become the first publicly announced company to deploy an in-home IPTV distribution product, turning to Coaxsys for its IPTV 7000 TVnet product line. The Coaxsys widget is more than just a set-top box. It takes IP...

10Gb Ethernet LX4 Trade Group Grows.(Brief Article)
February 28, 2005... Membership in the LX4 Trade Group (LX-4TG), has doubled. The group was set up last October with the goal of promoting interoperability and market awareness for the LX4 standard, which offers the ability to transmit 10 Gigabit Ethernet over...