Lightwave articles from July 2003

Lightwave archives from July 2003

Second time is the charm for FSO. (Applications).
July 1, 2003... Over the past three years in particular, vendors of free-space optics (FSO) equipment have found pioneering customers brave enough to give the technology a chance. The next step up the stairs to success occurs when those risk-takers return for...

Used test equipment market both a challenge and opportunity. (Markets).
July 1, 2003... Many test equipment vendors over the past 12-18 months have increased publicity for their trade-in/trade-up programs and refurbished equipment sales, even though some of these programs have been in place for years. While the used test equipment...

Hollow-waveguide technology cuts cost of integrated optical components. (Technology).
July 1, 2003... When he joined Qinetiq as product manager, telecommunications, in late 2001, James McQuillan was asked to develop the business potential of the company's R&D capability. Qinetiq is a Malvern, UK-based former Ministry of Defence R&D...

National Technical Systems. (Industry Update: North America).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... National Technical Systems' telecommunications lab in Fullerton, CA, received $1.7 million in new contracts from four major telecom equipment vendors under the Verizon Communications (New York City) Passive Fiber Optic Component Independent...

Fluke Networks. (Industry Update: North America).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Fluke Networks (Everett, WA), manufacturer of fiber test, inspection, and certification solutions, and Pearson Technologies (Acworth, GA), a fiber design and installation consulting company, have joined the Fiber Optics LAN section (FOLS) of...

Tele2 Sverige AB. (Industry Update: Europe).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Tele2 Sverige AB, the Swedish alternate telecommunications service provider, has chosen the next-generation SDH platform from Tellabs to expand its Internet and intranet services for enterprise customers. Offering Ethernet over SDH...

FLAG Telecom Group Limited. (Industry Update: Europe).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... FLAG Telecom Group Limited (Hamilton, Bermuda) announced it will enhance its European network through an agreement with Verizon Global Solutions. This agreement is a key element in FLAG's global network plan, since it will improve FLAG's...

Nortel Networks. (Industry Update: Europe).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Nortel Networks (Ottawa, Ontario) has supplied the necessary optical equipment to deploy and set up the Research Telematics Network of the Madrid Autonomous Region in Spain. Nortel Networks OPTera Metro 5200 multiservice platform, an...

Nortel Networks. (Industry Update: Europe).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Banverket Telenat, the Swedish carrier's carrier, is replacing its existing legacy backbone with DWDM equipment and an advanced bandwidth management system from Nortel Networks. In addition to leasing capacity on its network, the carrier...

Avalon Photonics. (Industry Update: Europe).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Component manufacturer Avalon Photonics (Zurich) completed its second round of financing, raising a total of $5.5 million in venture capital funding. Investors include Vision Capital, Viventures, Venture Incubator, innotech, and the Swiss...

China Telecom. (Industry Update: Asia).
July 1, 2003... Alcatel announced a multimillion-U.S-dollar contract with China Telecom (Beijing) to build a new DWDM transmission backbone network, linking western and southern China. The contract was won through Alcatel Shanghai Bell, the first...

Sonus Networks. (Industry Update: Asia).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Sonus Networks (Westford, MA), provider of packet-based voice technology, announced it has appointed telecommunications systems integrator IBIL as its partner in Malaysia. Sonus also announced the establishment of a regional office in Kuala...

Lucent Technologies. (Industry Update: Asia).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Lucent Technologies (Murray Hill, NJ) signed a contract with Zhejiang Telecom, a subsidiary of China Telecom, to build local optical transport networks in Hangzhou and Wenzhou, cities in Zhejiang province. Under the contract, Lucent will supply...

Uecomm Limited. (Industry Update: Africa/Middle East Australia).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Optical transport equipment provider Lumentis (Stockholm) announced an agreement with Uecomm Limited, a Melbourne-based broadband carrier, to deliver high-bandwidth and reliable SAN services to OM Australia, provider of transaction technology...

BroadLight. (Industry Update: Africa/Middle East Australia).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... BroadLight (Ramat Gan, Israel), supplier of communications semiconductors and optical transceivers, achieved three design wins for its end-to-end passive-optical-networking (PON) technology, which includes burst mode transceivers, PON...

Too good to be true? (Editorial).
July 1, 2003... Have you ever known someone who seemed to prefer depression? I'm beginning to wonder if the industry I cover (or at least the people paid to evaluate it) has such a personality. Just as this issue was leaving for the printer--and I was leaving...

Specialty fiber draws renewed interest. (WDM Solutions).
July 1, 2003... The days of booming demand for transmission fibers such as SMF-28, dispersion-shifted fiber, and nonzero dispersion-shifted fiber are a distant memory. New network builds are few. and large fiber production facilities have closed their doors....

New age of investment is dawning. (Wall Street & Finance).
July 1, 2003... The last year has seen Agere Systems, Nortel Networks, Alcatel, and Corning all make the decision to exit the optical-component business. All four companies had strategic reasons to be in the market, yet when the going got tough, they sold...

FTTx stimulates tri-speed Ethernet standard. (standards Watch).
July 1, 2003... A major reason for Ethernet's unparalleled success in customer-owned networks has been support of higher speeds as network traffic increases. Extending the performance of the original 10-Mbit/sec Ethernet are 100-Mbit/sec Fast Ethernet (FE),...

Better access: where no fiber has gone before; New fiber types support higher bandwidths and lower bend radiuses for greater flexibility in routing and component miniaturization. (Special Report).
July 1, 2003... The heyday of the 1990s driven by high valuations and "technology for technology's sake" are certainly over. The optical communications industry is refocusing its attention on meeting the demands of network end users-the source of revenues and...

Triple play is work: cable nets beyond analog too complex; multiple-system operators want relief from managing optical-network overlays dedicated to different services. (Business Intelligence).
July 1, 2003... With the first wave of upgrades that will enable cable networks to support services beyond analog video nearly completed, multiple-system operators (MSOs) find themselves with multiple infrastructures that have grown too complex. After...

'Industrial-hardened' GbE fiber converter. (System & Subsystems).(TC Communications TC3300)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... For extreme environments, the TC3300 Gigabit Ethernet fiber-optic media converter's "industrial-hardened" version supports distances up to 100 km in temperatures from -40[degrees] to +85[degrees]C and is available with a single-fiber option. It...

Vendors target the network edge. (Tech Trends).
July 1, 2003... A quartet of California-based companies--ANDA Networks (Sunnyvale), Atrica (Santa Clara), Larscom (Milipitas), and Luminous Networks (Cupertino)--recently unveiled compact, low-cost products targeted at the network edge. Different terminology...

Ixia intros portable 40-Gbit BERT. (Test Equipment).(Ixia LM40GBERT )
July 1, 2003... Despite relatively low demand for 40-Gbit/sec bit-error-rate testers (BERTs), the competition among BERT vendors has begun to heat up. In late 2002, Ixia and Ando joined market strongholds Agilent Technologies and Anritsu in the 40-Gbit/sec...

10/100/1,000-Mbit/sec copper-to-fiber converter. (Systems & Subsystems).(from Transition Networks)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... For network managers who want to migrate from 10/100-Mbit/sec networks to Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), the 10/100/1000 media converter converts the electrical signal of 10/100/1,000-Mbit/sec Ethernet from copper to fiber without needing to upgrade...

3.2-Gbit 12-channel pluggable module. (Components).(Molex Fiber Optics ParaLink 3.2)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The ParaLink 3.2-Gbit/sec pluggable 12-channel parallel optics module increases throughput by 25%, according to the company. Applications include aggregating three 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports to send 30 Gbits/sec of 8B/10B-encoded Ethernet...

Single/multichannel MEMS variable optical attenuator. (Components).(from OZ Optics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Featuring high dynamic range and flat wavelength response, the MEMS variable optical attenuator (VOA) comes as a single-channel unit or in a multichannel arrayed configuration with up to eight channels. The device is a fast, low insertion loss...

Next-generation optical power meters. (Test Equipment).(EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering IQS-1700 )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The IQS-1700 power meter series now includes three new models for optical system and component manufacturing applications. A suite of next-generation, high-performance optical power meters housed inside the IQS-500 intelligent test system is...

All-environment test set. (Test Equipment).(Terahertz Technologies HyperTest HPT-5000)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The HyperTest HPT-5000 high-performance loss test set comes in a heavy-duty, water-resistant case for field use in all environments. The handheld instrument provides dual-wavelength bidirectional capability; communications on fiber under test;...

Polishing/inspection workcell. (Manufacturing).(Krell Technologies Icon)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Icon workcell integrates optical-connector polishing with inspection in a multistage platform. It fully automates connector processing from air polish through final finishing and quality testing. In-line inspection includes surface-defect...

72 fibers in a smaller cable. (Installation).(Corning Cable Systems SST-Optimizer Cable)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The SST-Optimizer Cable's size has been reduced, meaning up to 72 fibers are now available in a cable with an outer diameter as small as 6 mm and a short-term tensile rating of 110 lbf. The small outer diameter makes it well-suited for...

Fiber optic: manufacturer. (Communications Directory).
July 1, 2003... ABLESTIK 20021 Susana Road, Rancho Dominguez, CA 90221 PH: 310-764-4600 FX: 310-764-2545 EMAIL: jilla.senkbeil@ablestik.com WEB: www.ablestik.com Ablestik offers the most complete line of adhesives for fiber optic...

Comsys Communications & Signal Processing. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Israel-based physical layer wireless integrator Comsys Communications & Signal Processing appointed Elkana Ben-Sinai chief executive, primarily responsible for extending the company's product range and directing R&D. Previously, BenSinai wore...

National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... President Bush announced his intention to nominate several telecom industry leaders as member of his National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. Nominees include Frank Lanna, AT&T; Patricia F. Russo, Lucent Technologies; Susan...

Tyndall Award. (People).
July 1, 2003... A pioneer in the development of high-capacity optical-fiber communications systems, Bell Labs scientist Andrew Chraplyvy received the Optical Society of America's 2003 John Tyndall Award. at OFC. Chraplyvy was honored for "pioneering research...

Mahi Networks. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Two RBOC veterans will be focusing on integrating Mahi Networks' metro core aggregation systems into incumbent networks and creating' new business among large incumbent carriers. Pieter Poll, who spent more than 15 years in 'senior technical,...

SBC's Technology Resources. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... High-speed singlemode pluggable transceiver manufacturer Ignis Optics has appointed. Steffen Koehier vice president of marketing. Koehler was previously marketing VP at Sparkolor, product marketing VP at Kymata, and product management director...

Artel Video Systems. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Piero Falci is the new Latin American and Caribbean sales 'director at Artel Video Systems, responsible for direct sales and establishing 'strategic partnerships for 'the company's networking product lines. Falci was previously director of...

Tyco Telecommunications. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... B. Scott Jackson joins 10-Gbit/sec optical-subsystem provider Kodeos Communications as vice president of engineering and product development. Over 'the last ig years, as managing director of 'Tyco Telecommunications (formerly TyCom) and AT&T...

Calendar.
July 1, 2003... July 6-9 OAA 2003: Optical Amplifiers and Their Applications Topical Meeting. In Otaru, Japan, by the Optical Society of America. Tel: 202-416-1907, e-mail: cust.serv(c)osa.org, Website: www.osa.org. 7-10 Fiber Optics 1-2-3...

MEMS market 'down but not out'; strong CAGR seen into '07. (Market Watch).( according to report from Instat/MDR)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
July 1, 2003... Despite tough near-term market conditions, the long-term prospects for suppliers of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) to the optical-networking market remain strong; revenues should see a 41.8% CAGR through 2007, contends a new report from...

Carriers must lower opex per bit to keep pace with declining revenue. (Market Watch).(according to RHK)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
July 1, 2003... Service providers must reduce their operational expenditures (opex) per bit by 32% per year to keep pace with declining revenue, reveals new research from RHK (San Francisco). RHK's forecasts for service-provider revenue, capital expenditures...

U.S. optical bandwidth services market to more than double in 3 years. (Market Watch).(according to report from Communications Industry Researchers)(Industry Overview)
July 1, 2003... The market opportunity for services provisioned over optically based circuits will grow from $2.08 billion this year to $4.62 billion by 2006, details a new report from analyst Communications Industry Researchers (CIR--Charlottesville, VA). ...

Juniper Networks and optical transport equipment provider Lucent Technologies. (Industry Update: North America).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Router provider Juniper Networks (Sunnyvale, CA) and optical transport equipment provider Lucent Technologies (Murray Hill, NJ) announced a partnership to deliver unified solutions dedicated to helping service providers evolve their networks to...

Tellabs plans to acquire privately held Vivace Networks. (Industry Update: North America).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Tellabs (Naperville, IL) plans to acquire privately held Vivace Networks (San Jose, CA), developer of multiservice IP edge switches, for $135 million in cash and employee stock options. The move brings two new products to Tellabs and enables...

Avanex. (Industry Update: North America).(acquiring Alcatel's optical-componet business and Corning's Photonic division)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Subsystem and module manufacturer Avanex (Fremont, CA) signed a definitive agreement to acquire Alcatel's optical-component business and most of Corning's Photonics Division in combined transactions valued at about $63.5 million. Avanex will...

Level(3) Communications is providing network services in the United States to financial exchange Euronext.liffe. (Industry Update: North America).
July 1, 2003... Level(3) Communications (Broomfield, CO) is providing network services in the United States to financial exchange Euronext.liffe (Amsterdam), one of the largest exchanges for equities, bonds, derivatives, and commodities in Europe. Euronext has...

Agility Communications and Princeton Optronics. (Industry Update: North America).(support Optical Internetworking Forum Tunable Laser Multisource Agreement )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Widely tunable-laser companies Agility Communications (Santa Barbara, CA) and Princeton Optronics (Princeton, NJ) announced their support of the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) Compliant Tunable Laser Multisource Agreement (MSA). Agility...

Global carrier Sprint. (Industry Update: North America).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Global carrier Sprint (Overland Park, KS) completed the deployment of three large MAN rings in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The rings connect the Sprint network to local telecom exchange facilities--a point of presence (PoP) and several end...