Satellite provider Intelsat has announced an agreement with DIRECTV Latin America, an operating unit of Digital TV provider DIRECTV, to increase its capacity services across the region. Intelsat will provide the company with Ku-band capacity for DTH services on two new hybrid satellites; expanding its existing entertainment facilities and provide backup and restoration services. The two satellites, named Intelsat 30 and Intelsat 31, are scheduled to launch in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
In a bid to address the growing bandwidth requirement s in the metro environment, ADVA Optical Networking has launched a 100Gbps metro solution. The company cites a rising demand from service providers and enterprise customers as a cause of the upgrade. The solution will have the capacity for data transport across distances of up to 500km and the company expects 100Gbps capabilities will increase the capacity of its DWDM networks and increase cost efficiency.
Russian backbone provider TTK has announced a direct connection to the IP-transit network of IP solutions provider Global Crossing. Established through TTK’s node in London, the company expects the interconnection will improve network connectivity and provide TTK’s customers with lower latency internet access. TTK confirmed it was in the market to establish direct connections with other Tier 1 global-IP network service providers.
Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, Huawei, Solana Networks and Spirent Communications have announced the completion of the industry’s first large-scale, multi-vendor interoperability test leveraging Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) technology. Alcatel Lucent said SPB technology allows customers to simplify how they create and configure networks across the cloud and enterprise space. The technology requires service provisioning at the edge of the network. The test was carried out to showcase SPB’s capabilities for multi-site data centres and hybrid clouds, and was conducted across a large network of almost 200 nodes, with 400 links.
Local media reports have claimed Azerbaijan’s state communications unit, the Baku Telephone Communications company, is expanding its wireless CDMA network. By late 2011, it is expected the operator will deploy three additional base stations in the capital of Baku and other suburbs that are subject to low signal. The company has signed a deal with Huawei to implement the infrastructure.
Managed technology provider Velocity Networks has announced a deal with IP-based network solutions company Sonus Networks to enable an expanded services offering and improve end-to-end user experience for its customers. Using Sonus’s NBS5200 Network Border Switch software, the company has taken the step to replace its first-generation legacy solution because of additional onboard transcoding requirements. Velocity networks provides hosted PBX and SIP trunks in voice and data to small and medium enterprise businesses.
Japan-based global technology company Hitachi has acquired network storage company BlueArc Corp after a five-year OEM partnership came to an end. Reportedly, Hitachi spent between $500-$600 million to secure the acquisition. Japanese companies are increasingly making investments in the global market place as the Yen increases in value over the dollar. It is expected the acquisition will enable Hitachi to integrate its technologies, and the company said the deal provides broader capabilities and deeper expertise globally for its network.
IT solutions company IBM has reportedly signed an extended outsourcing contract worth $1 billion with Vodafone Essar. The companies originally struck a deal in 2007, when Vodafone secured a $400 million outsourcing contract with IBM spanning over five years and it appears the companies have now restructured its contract. IBM presently manages Vodafone’s IT systems in India.
Pac-West Telecomm has merged with service provider UniPoint Holdings to pool together the wholesale businesses of both companies and provide advanced network infrastructure. A joint statement declared the companies aim to fuse strengths together to better serve the wholesale marketplace. As part of the agreement, both Pac-West and UniPoint aim to launch new products, expand service locations and provide benefits in pricing considering a previous overlap between both operations.
