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Canadian
regulators pave way for DSL competitors Canadian regulators pave way for DSL competitors Canadian telecommunications regulators greased the skids for providers of high-speed Internet access with a ruling Sept. 21st that orders incumbent telephone companies to open their networks to a broader range of competitors. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said that the phone companies would have to give providers of digital subscriber line (DSL) Internet connections the same access to unbundled local loops now afforded only to outfits registered as competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs). The fee schedule ILECs will now charge the DSL providers was originally drafted as a proposal by Bell. The CRTC's order approved that document with the proviso that it contain "the same rates, terms and conditions as ... provided to CLECs." The CRTC added, however that DSL providers who are not CLECs will be prohibited from providing switched local voice services over the lines they lease.
RealVision's Snap-On to enable call on Palm handhelds Next year Palm V and Vx users in European and Asian markets will be able to make and receive phone calls on their handhelds via a RealVision snap-on attachment, the companies said Sept. 22nd. The snapon will provide dual band GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) connectivity to handhelds, and includes an earphone jack to enable voice communications. The attachment, to be priced at $299 when purchased with a one-year wireless service plan, will be available early next year. No time frame for a US rollout of the product has been set. It will perform data functions including Palm Web-clipping applications and short message system (SMS) messaging, and provide voice features such as manual phone dialing, direct dialing from address book records, call forwarding, caller-ID and ear piece volume. Meantime, Handspring on Sept 25th introduced VisorPhone; a module that can transform Visor's personal digital assistant (PDA) into a cellular phone. Users speak into the PDA microphone and listen through an earpiece fixed on the module, can dial from a contact list and use caller ID. Cost: $299. Palm is the clear leader in the handheld market, but Handspring is making substantial gains with its Visor product line. Palm's 75 percent market share in June 1999 dropped to slightly less than 66 percent last month, according to research by NPD Intelect Market Tracking.
416 area in serious jeapardy Demand for new prefixes in Area Code 416 is running well ahead of forecasts. The 416 Relief Planning Committee will meet tomorrow to discuss conservation procedures for what the Canadian Numbering Administrator calls "a serious jeopardy condition," which means that the supply of prefixes is likely to run out before a new Area Code can be implemented.
Re-registration of .ca domain names begins Now effective, the 90,000 holders of .ca domain names have until the end of November to re-register with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority. Those who do not may lose their domains when the new .ca registry begins operation.
Start-up Zhone to unveil network access equipment Source: Cnet Zhone Technologies, a networking equipment start-up that raised $500 million in venture capital a year ago, plans to introduce its first product designed in-house. Zhone's Broadband Access Node can handle different types of network access that previously required separate devices, the company said. The new product, which can be modified by inserting different modules into the box's 17 slots, could be used by Internet or telephone companies to offer customers regular phone, cable TV and Internet access in one package, for example. Zhone said three potential customers will test the product in their laboratories: Qwest Communications International, PSINet and Focal Communications. The device will compete with offerings from companies such as Cisco Systems and Efficient Networks. The company plans to begin selling the Broadband Access Node, or BAN, in the fourth quarter. It expects to introduce related devices, such as corresponding home equipment, later this year, said David Markowitz, associate vice president of marketing. Zhone eventually plans to sell shares to the public, he said.
New mobile modem hits download speeds of 128
kbps Metricom's systems use shoe box-sized wireless transmitters typically placed on top of streetlights and other municipal utility poles to deliver data to wireless PC modem cards. The modems, typically installed in the PC card slot on a laptop computer, let customers access the Internet or transfer files between their computers and corporate networks, just as they would at the office. Overall, analysts believe Metricom has plenty of potential but also lots of work to do before it can seriously challenge the major names in the wireless arena, such as Sprint, Qualcomm and Nokia.
Intel warning
could portend PC slowdown The question is whether the PC market, which has thundered ahead regardless of what was happening in the rest of the world, will start to dip below its historical percentages because of shifts in the global economy, different customer buying patterns and other changes. Intel is universally viewed as a key barometer for entire industries ranging from hardware to software because its chips are used in the overwhelming majority of desktop computers. The chipmaker is saying that just one issue--sluggish sales in Europe--will cause it to miss expectations for the third quarter. Some analysts believe that the root of the problem could be much deeper, however. Analysts had held out hope that this year's sales could again reach historical norms, but they have grown increasingly pessimistic because of various factors. In particular, they are concerned about numbers in their most important regions
Hughes and ARMILLAIRE to develop switching software Hughes Software Systems (HSS), Indian communications software company, and ARMILLAIRE Technologies, are to jointly develop software for the next-gen switching infrastructure. The two will develop software for the switching-product line of ARMILLAIRE, which includes a Local Switch, Gateway Switch and an ATM Packet Switch, with a roadmap to include built-in VoIP capabilities. HSS' VoIP and 3G Wireless products will be integrated into the solutions. According to Jay Bakshi, Manager Corporate Communications at Hughes, 92 percent of HSS trade is export market. Over 50 percent is exported to the US market. "Armillaire is targetting a business segement which HSS considers as its potential market. Apart from Armillaire our solutions are used by Lucent, FCOM, and Teles," said Jay Bakshi. HSS offers communications-related software solutions to OEMs and service providers. The company offers VoIP solutions which includes media gateway, media gateway controller and gatekeeper built around MGCP/MEGACO, SIGTRAN, SIP and H.323 standards.
Canadian
media giants team up BCE, The Canadian telecom company, announced the formation of a partnership that will join its CTV television network and Sympatico Internet portal with the Toronto Globe and Mail and its Internet subsidiary, which are owned by Thomson Corp. Toronto, Ont. BCE, which owns Bell Canada, will have a 70.1 percent stake in the new US $2.7 billion multimedia conglomerate, with 20 percent going to Thomson. The remaining 9.9 percent will be directly held by the Thomson family, which has a controlling interest in the company that bears its name.
System
on a chip makes its debut National Semiconductor Corp., Santa Clara, Calif., announced on 18 September that its system on a silicon chip that combines the functions of 10 single-purpose chips, will begin showing up in as many as 120 different products by the end of the year. The chip, called Geode, includes Intel-compatible microprocessor circuitry as well as graphics, memory, audio, and networking functions that can be configured for various functions. One version, optimized for use in TV set top boxes, allows the boxes to send e-mail, view Web pages, and do instant messaging. Geode is but one of a new class of compact, low-cost, low-power chips expected to make computing devices smaller, cheaper, and less power hungry. Others are the soon-to-be-released Timna chip from Intel, Santa Clara, Calif., and a low-power processor from Transmeta Corp., Santa Clara, which has been designed into Sony Corp.’s Vaio laptop computers. Geode chips will cost between $30 and $50, less than a third of the cost of Pentium III chips, which sell for more than $180.
Motorola and Palm team up for smart phone Source: Teledotcom Motorola and Palm Computing have agreed to jointly develop cobranded mobile smart phones that provide access to e-mail and can store calendars and contact databases. The phones would allow users to check a text message, then click to pull up the sender's telephone number and call him or her, said Leis Soderberg, Motorola's senior vice president and general manager of strategy, business development and industry relations. The first phone under development is a triband global system for mobile communication (GSM) smart phone that can be used around the world. GSM is the digital cellular phone standard in most countries around the world. Triband capability allows phone users to take advantage of GSM networks around the world on different frequencies. The phone will also be compatible with current wireless networks as well as high-speed next-generation networks. Motorola said it will provide primary support for the product, including initial customer calls and warranty, while Palm will supply software and operating system support.
Researchers develop data-sharing network The Grid Physics Network, or GriPhyN, is funded through an $11.9 million research and development grant from the National Science Foundation, and the project's leaders plan to request an additional $70 million from the NSF. The network will "harness the aggregate computing resources of the whole community" instead of relying on supercomputers to perform complex calculations, says University of Chicago computer science professor Ian Foster. Beyond the scientific community, researchers say the network could allow businesses to study massive volumes of consumer data. Researchers involved in GriPhyN are discussing a potential partnership with a company called Entropia, which uses software that enables PCs to conduct research when their owners are not using them.
Powerline Telecom: old wires breed new possibilities
The next route to customers: Tele/Web integration Fred Fassman, vice president of IBM's global call centers, advises companies to actively promote their tele/Web channels, and to provide simple pricing models and currency values to encourage completed sales across the globe. In the tele/Web context, Fassman continues, representatives must not only focus on driving up volume and revenue, but also on encouraging customers to turn to the Web for their pre- and post-sales needs. Fassman also says that representatives must be particularly knowledgeable about the Web sites and products in question, as Web-generated calls tend to be more specialized than their toll-free counterparts. In addition, a successful tele/Web strategy demands seamless workflow and integration across call centers, Web management, and product departments, and can aid in creating a database full of valuable customer information.
Sony to ship Crusoe-powered notebooks Sony Corp. announced Monday, Sept. 25th, it will bring the first Crusoe-based notebook, a VAIO ultralight, to market in October. The VAIO PictureBook will feature a 600MHz Crusoe chip and retail for $2,299. While several major manufacturers have committed to using the new chip, which attracted heavy media coverage when it was unveiled in January, the processor has yet to become publicly available. Transmeta claims the Crusoe operates at lower power and at cooler temperatures than comparable chips produced by Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. In particular, the chip is targeted at mobile devices and Internet appliances, where its low-power consumption offers extended battery life and its cooler operating temperature eliminates the need for processor fans and large heat sinks, enabling it to be used in smaller form factors. Sony's VAIO PictureBook C1VN ultralight laptop, in addition to its 600MHz Crusoe chip, will feature 128MB of synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), a 12GB hard drive and a built-in progressive scan camera. Yet despite its many features, the notebook will weigh only 2.2 pounds.
Allied Telesyn's new standards-based router Allied Telesyn is expected to announce its AT-AR740 router. Based on the AT-AR720, the AT-AR740 has port density and connectivity in a customizable architecture. It includes basic router operating and management software. The AT-AR740's modular design is for corporate T1 access concentration, business ISP T1 access concentration, high-density ISDN access services and VPN (virtual private network) concentration. It supports from four to 500 WAN access clients with different combinations of basic and primary ISDN, frame relay, X.25, T1 and dial-up analog support. The unit is available as standard 19" rackmount in a compact 1U package. The AT-AR740 features two 10/100 Fast Ethernet ports, two asynchronous ports, two open PIC (port interface card) bays, one open NSM (network service module) bay which can accept 4 PICs and one internal MAC (mini accelerator card) slot. The router is shipped with AlliedWare -- operating system software with features for security, management and performance. The unit is available with an external redundant power supply (RPS). It's priced at $2,695 with a 1-year warranty and free technical support.
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