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Rich on Freedom to Connect

February 24, 2009 10:48 AM
Rich has a post about the upcoming Freedom to Connect conference being held in Washington, D.C. March 30 & 31, 2009.
 
There's even an offer for a discounted entry fee, but you'll have to read Rich's blog for that nugget.
 
Here's a marketing blurb on the show:
 
F2C 2009 will tell the story of:
·         on-line, network-enabled industry and culture, new jobs and sustainable growth
·         Burlington VT, where muni fiber enables business, artistic endeavor, and new telemedicine
·         how Lafayette LA's community came together as it built its muni fiber network
·         the twin cities of Cedar Falls and Waterloo, Iowa, where one twin has a muni net, and the other doesn't
·         how municipal CIOs are planning for Seattle, Portland and San Francisco municipal fiber networks
·         city nets, wired and wireless, that didn't work -- what went wrong and what that teaches
·         what Obama's infrastructure and economic recovery plans mean for tomorrow's network
·         and more ...
 

VocalTec Announces Customer Wins

February 24, 2009 8:51 AM
For those who have been around the VoIP industry for some time, the name VocalTec is synonymous with the industry's earliest days. VocalTec is a true VoIP pioneer and many even credit them for creating the first commercial products that put VoIP on the map. As with anything, origins are often debatable, but there is no denying that the company played a pivotal role in the first days of this industry.
 
Having gone through its own financial troubles, amid regional and more broad economic downturns through the years, in addition to the evolution from H.323 to SIP, VocalTec saw its star dim and went through a period of restructuring, but is slowly and steadily making its way back into the limelight of the IP communications space.
 
Just today the company announced that VMB, a carrier in St. Petersburg, Russia, has selected VocalTec solutions for its VoIP network rollout.
 
And, last week, VocalTec announced that Amatole Telecoms, a South African USAL (Under-Serviced Area License) service provider, had selected VocalTec's Essentra VoIP solutions in a VoIP deployment over Amatole Telecoms' WiMAX carrier-grade, converged IP network. 
 
According to the announcement, VocalTec's Essentra solution will support Amatole Telecoms' requirement to provide customers with innovative residential and enterprise services, over a next-generation network architecture, enabling the provision of subscriber services at reduced cost, while enhancing service flexibility as well as the rapid deployment of value-adding services and applications.
 
It's good to see the name of a one-time high-flier back in the news, announcing customer wins no less.
 
The company will be releasing its fourth quarter and full year 2008 results on Monday, March 2, 2009 at 10:00am ET. Mr. Ido Gur, the President & CEO of VocalTec will lead the call, and management will review and discuss the results, and will be available to answer questions.
 
Details, including dial-in information of the call can be found here.
 
Looking back to VocalTec's last reported numbers, for the third quarter (2008) we see that revenues for were $1.4 million. Revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 were $4.6 million. Operating expenses for the third quarter of 2008 and for the nine months ended September 30, 2008, include net income of $8.8 million from the sale of 11 out of the company's 22 patents.
 

Sipera, RSA in Secure VoIP Deal

February 23, 2009 11:39 AM
Sipera Systems says it's joined the RSA Secured Partner Program and RSA, The Security Division of EMC, said that it has certified interoperability between the Sipera IPCS UC security product family and the RSA SecurID two-factor authentication solution.
 
The result is a simple way for users to secure their VoIP phones without the need to use any special clients or phone configuration. All users need to do is enter the RSA SecurID one-time secure password and their PIN.
 
In an era where security and privacy compliance in industries such as healthcare, financial services and others is becoming critical, this solution helps an organization achieve its overall secure information goals.
 
Just today, TMCnet columnist Kevin Coleman published his most recent column, titled $1Trillion. In his note to me he wrote: "It's bigger than the bailout!" and when you stop to think about it, it's a scary thought.
 
The trillion that Coleman is referring to is not a US Government sponsored handout, it's the estimated dollar loss for intellectual property and data theft in 2008 for businesses globally. Coleman gets his numbers from Dennis C. Blair, the Director of National Intelligence, in his Annual Threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. To learn more, read the entire article.

Is This the Beginning of Nortel Sell-off?

February 20, 2009 1:41 PM
Radware is acquiring Nortel's Layer4-7 application delivery products, which were originally acquired by Nortel in 2000 by way of its purchase of Alteon.
 
It was not unexpected that Nortel would shed some assets as it strives to restructure itself while under bankruptcy protection. Radware, based in Israel, was earlier rumored to be interested in Nortel's Metro Ethernet products.
 
We'll see if this portends a bigger breakup of the once high-flying telecom gear maker.
 
Radware issued the following statement: (reprinted in full)
 
Radware (NASDAQ: RDWR), the leading provider of integrated application delivery solutions for business-smart networking, today announced that it has signed an asset purchase agreement with Nortel [TSX: NT, OTC: NRTLQ] to purchase certain assets related to Nortel's Layer 4-7 Application Delivery Business. Nortel added the application switch product line in October 2000 by way of its corporate acquisition of Alteon WebSystems, Inc.
 
"We believe acquiring Nortel's Application Delivery Business is a strategic move that will directly benefit Radware and Nortel's [Alteon] customers. Our ultimate goal is to provide them with a stronger, integrated product backed by world-class support and a globally-focused organization," stated Roy Zisapel, CEO, Radware. "We are committed to making this transaction seamless for existing Nortel [Alteon] customers and intend to take the necessary steps to ensure zero disruption to their business when the transfer occurs."
 
As part of the intended acquisition, Radware would take on Nortel's application delivery products, offering them under a merged brand, Radware Alteon. From the onset, Radware plans to significantly invest in service and support for the existing Nortel [Alteon] customer base as well as augment its current global support infrastructure with all of the necessary resources to guarantee world-class support for these customers.
 
Additionally, Radware intends to reinforce its commitment to all existing Nortel [Alteon] customers by offering a 5-year support product plan, thus securing the investment of these customers in Nortel [Alteon] technology. Radware also intends to invest in these products by continuing to sell them and invest in their development - leveraging mutual strengths of both Radware and Nortel [Alteon] technologies and experience - to provide customers with the next generation of more reliable, high-performance and feature-rich solutions.
 
"This move is a positive one for both companies and their respective customers and partners," offered Lucinda Borovick, Research Vice President, Datacenter Networks, IDC. "It will provide a stable path forward for existing Nortel application delivery customers with an established industry provider that specializes in this space and will continue to invest in the advancement of the product line."
 
The assets to be acquired under the agreement include Nortel's Layer 4-7 application delivery products, intellectual property, certain tangible assets and inventory and certain service contracts. Radware also plans to take on certain employees who will be integrated into the Radware team with a specific focus on products under the Radware Alteon brand.
 
Nortel has filed the asset purchase agreement with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware along with a motion seeking the establishment of bidding procedures for an auction that allows other qualified bidders to submit higher or otherwise better offers, as required under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. A similar motion for the approval of the bidding procedures has been scheduled with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Consummation of the transaction is subject to higher or otherwise better offers, approval by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the satisfaction of other conditions.
 

Call Recording for Skype

February 20, 2009 7:51 AM
is a hot topic these days, whether traditional TDM, or more frequently now, VoIP recording. There are many reasons to deploy a call recording solution, be it to improve your business' performance through monitoring and archiving important calls, to enhance training and employee development, or to comply with government mandates and regulations.Call recording
 
Today I received word of a new call recording solution designed specifically for Skype.
 
Developed by ExtraLabs Software, Skype Recorder is compatible with all versions of Windows (95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, NT, Vista) and supports all Skype versions.

 skype-recorder.jpg
 
According to the company:
 
Skype Recorder can record Skype calls automatically.
 
·         Skype Recorder has a range of efficient and advanced capabilities:
·         Manually start/stop/pause, or automatically record Skype calls
·         Convert your calls to MP3/OGG/WMA/WAV format
·         Built-in audio player, built-in FTP client
·         'Spy' mode
 
The software starts recording as soon as a users starts talking. At the end of the conversation, Skype Recorder encodes the recording to the specified format and saves the file on the user's hard drive.
  
Skype Recorder is available for a free 30-day trial period.
 
 

Keener on Obama's Broadband Stimulus

February 19, 2009 3:22 PM
Writing about President Obama's signing of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," TMCnet columnist Barlow Keener does a good job parsing the bill for its broadband communications related passages, from who will be doling out the funds (NTIA, RUS) to what the requirements are for getting those funds (jobs creation, shovel readiness...), and so on.

Rural highway.jpg
 
One thing I found interesting was the provision in the Bill for so-called "net neutrality obligations" contained in the legislation:
 
Grants provided must be subject to NTIA-determined "non-discrimination and network interconnection obligations" which "at a minimum" must follow the FCC's non-discrimination policy. Grants may be provided for a wide range of equipment and services including education of broadband subscribers.
 
It's an informative piece, one which I highly recommend.
 
 

PowerSquid Surge 3000 Calamari Review

February 18, 2009 10:44 PM
More often than not, there is a better way. Take that tangle of wires and bulky plugs under or behind your desk/computer workstation for example. Everybody knows what I mean. First of all even the most basic setup includes a PC/CPU, a monitor, a printer, a set of speakers... and so on. Add a modem nearby, a wireless router, perhaps a phone, fax machine, scanner, and we're talking a holy mess of wires, bulky plugs, inflexible power cords, maybe several power strips anchoring this all together. It's a recipe for organization disaster.
 
The creative folks at PowerSquid have come up with a series of surge protectors that will make sense of your mess, ranging from a basic $18 version (outlet multiplier only - no surge protection) to a $69 top of the line PowerSquid Surge3000 Calamari model. Get it? PowerSquid? Calamari?

surge3000_pc.jpg
 
The Calamari edition is designed to protect all sorts of electronic equipment from computers and accessories, to home theater electronics including TVs, DVD players, and more.
 
The device is truly something to look at -- living up to its "breakthrough cephalopod design." There are six "tentacles" of varying lengths (2 @ 6"; 2 @ 8"; and 2 @ 10") and an 8' cord to plug into the wall outlet. The tentacles accept standard three-prong plugs. The cord ends in a 360-degree swiveling flat profile plug. Very convenient indeed.
 
Once you plug it in three different LEDs light up showing you that the device is powered up, that it's protecting the equipment, and that the surge protector is grounded. Speaking of lighting up, the two 10-inch tentacles are illuminated, which makes them easier to find in the dark.
 surge3000_calamari_abstract.jpg
One unique feature of this top of the line model is an audible alarm that sounds when the device has been tripped, essentially letting you know when it's time to replace the unit.
 
As far as the speeds and feeds numbers the PowerSquid Surge3000 Calamari edition, here's the skinny, straight from the manufacturer's site:
 
·         3240Joules w/ Ultra-MOV™ technology
·         330V Clamping
·         58dB Purestream™ EMI/RFI power filtering
·         $500,000 Limited Connected Equipment Warranty
·         Tripwire™ Circuit
·         15 Amp Breaker
 
The Calamari also includes protection for cable and DSL lines.surge3000_calamari_front.jpg
 
From the moment I saw the unit to the moment I plugged in my six devices I was very pleased with the PowerSquid Surge3000 Calamari edition. At nearly 70 dollars it might be a bit pricey at first blush, however you certainly get your money's worth in style, convenience, practicality, and a half-million dollar warranty protecting your valued electronic gear.
 
If you are interested in your own PowerSquid, go to CableOrganizer.com for more on how to get your own Calamari.

Paving the Way for Voice over LTE

February 12, 2009 8:27 AM
Great. Another acronym.
 
I guess in the world of tech that we inhabit, that's to be expected.
 
This one's not so bad provided it's pronounced volt and not volt-EE.
 
What am I talking about? I'll tell you.
 
Nokia Siemens Networks has reportedly come up with an approach for providing voice service over LTE networks that:
 
...operators can implement with simple and cost-effective software and hardware upgrades* to their existing 3GPP circuit-switch core network. The "Fast Track VoLTE" approach provides a cost-efficient way to offer voice over LTE (VoLTE) in any mobile network architecture.
 
Note the asterisk. Here's what the press release had to say about that:
 
*Fast Track VoLTE is based on new functionality that can be added to existing MSC Server mobile softswitching equipment (MSS) that has been upgraded to support VoIP with Nokia Siemens Networks' Mobile VoIP Server (NVS) functionality. The solution requires only a simple software upgrade to an MSS/NVS system, plus the integration of an additional hardware unit. It provides all the functions and features required for carrier-grade voice service and interoperates to support seamless subscriber mobility between LTE and current 2G and 3G networks.
 
According to Michael Clever, Head of Next Generation Voice and Multimedia, Nokia Siemens Networks, the Fast Track Voice over LTE solution is a critical evolutionary stepping stone en route to IMS.
 
Said Clever:
 
Fast Track Voice over LTE supplies the missing link in the evolution of voice. It can provide a transitional step between traditional networks and the all-IP world of LTE. The solution allows our customers to exploit their investment in their existing circuit-switched mobile core network, while providing next-generation service. Later, they can proceed to a full IMS solution to provide converged multimedia services, in addition to VoLTE. This is cost-effective, sensible evolution.
 

Juniper, Nokia Siemens Networks in Carrier Ethernet Deal

February 12, 2009 7:49 AM
The Carrier Ethernet space got a bit more competitive today with the announcement from Juniper Networks and Nokia Siemens Networks that they are teaming up to offer their carrier customers an end-to end Carrier Ethernet solution designed to "provide resilient access and aggregation for service providers worldwide." According to both parties, the joint effort will "bring the vision of a unified Carrier Ethernet solution supporting all services on a single network."
 
Juniper MX Series low res.png 
The solution comprises Juniper's MX-series Ethernet Services Router, NSN's A-series Carrier Ethernet Switch and the ASPEN "single click" network management system. The companies hope to enable service providers to enhance their mobile backhaul, enterprise and residential services.
 
Juniper and NSN say the solution will be available in the second half of 2009.
 
Earlier this week, Alcatel-Lucent announced their own Carrier Ethernet solution in response to continued growing demand from the enterprise for more (and more affordable) bandwidth for richer services and applications over Carrier Ethernet, together with high levels of quality of service.
 
According to John Mazur, Ovum Principal Analyst for Switching and Routing:
 
The adoption of carrier Ethernet is accelerating, especially for mobile backhaul and enterprise access applications. Still, network and element management across systems manufactured by different vendors is a major concern for network operators. Integrated end to end management of Carrier Ethernet and IP is not only highly desirable but also a critical requirement for next generation networks.
 

Wireless Association Comments on Stimulus Plan

February 10, 2009 2:55 PM
President Obama's economic stimulus plan passed its first hurdle today, clearing the Senate, en route to the House.
 
Among the many elements of the bill, there is nearly $7billion in available funding for the delivery of wireless broadband to rural areas.
 
Fred Campbell, the President of the Wireless Communications Association International issued the following statement:
 
"WCAI is pleased that the Senate stimulus bill includes $6.65 billion in grants for broadband deployment. As the only broadband platform that is capable of providing access everywhere, all the time, and at affordable prices, wireless broadband is essential to broadband connectivity, especially in rural areas. Many WCAI members serving rural and underserved areas would be in a position to implement their business plans more quickly and broadly with the support of the government funding. This would create new jobs, strengthen our economy and ensure that America remains competitive globally."
 
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