TOP STORY

Liberty looking to expand overseas
Liberty Media International, the cable group led by John Malone, yesterday signalled it could use $6bn of its cash and liquid assets to pursue acquisitions and partnerships in its fast-growing Japanese and European cable TV operations.
Mr Malone, chairman of both LMI and its US sister company Liberty Media, said LMI was seeking deals to consolidate its position in Japan, where it recently floated a near 22 percent stake in Jupiter Telecommunications (J-Com), the largest cable TV company.
The acquisition strategy follows LMI's split-off last year from Liberty Media. The US group has been trying to simplify its structure to eradicate a trading discount applied to its holdings in other media companies including Time Warner and News Corp.



BUSINESS

Motorola wins a contract from Verizon
Motorola will supply Verizon with FTTx equipment for its FiOS fiber-to-the-premises project. The project is worth multibillion dollar and Motorola will be the second source supplier. AFC/Tellabs is the first source supplier to Verizon but according to sources Motorola can replace AFC/Tellabs as the primary source supplier. Hitachi and Alcatel had also applied for the contract. According to the vice president and general manager of Motorola, Verizon gave the contract to his company because it has the record of being stable over the years. However both Verizon and Motorola have refused to reveal the financial aspect of the deal saying that the contract is for five years and Motorola will start the delivery of the equipment later this year.

Colt takeover rumors 'unfounded' says boss
Colt Telecom dismissed speculation about its future as "unfounded rumors" as it unveiled its first quarter numbers.
Unveiling the figures, Chief exec Jean-Yves Charlier was quizzed about whether the alternative telco had been approached by potential bidders to buy-out the company, following a report two weeks ago that Danish telco TDC was sniffing around Colt. A spokesman confirmed Charlier rejected the rumors, describing them as "unfounded".
As part of plans to keep a lid on costs a further 71 jobs have been created in India with a corresponding loss of around 46 jobs in Europe.
In a statement Colt chairman Barry Bateman said the company maintained revenues against a backdrop of "continuing tough markets"

MCI enhances SLAs
US-based MCI, which has become a bone of contention between Verizon and Qwest Communications has put in additional clauses in its service level agreements (SLAs) with its customers. The agreements involve complete network offerings. According to the company the new SLAs will come into effect next month for its customers, which will also include customers of IP, ATM, frame relay and private IP. Under the new service agreements the company has promised a 3.5-hour time for carrying on repairs in US and a 4 hour time frame for managed services by third party within US and in strategic centers worldwide.

Verizon's to launch FiOS TV
Apart from providing wireless services, local and long-distance telephone services, Internet services, Verizon now intends to compete with cable & satellite companies in the content distribution arena. The company plans to launch the FiOS TV, which will have digital channels, video on demand etc that will be delivered through broadband to a subscriber. The company has entered into an agreement with GE's NBC Universal asset for content, which includes channels such as Telemundo, Bravo, CNBC, and MSNBC. This will help the Verizon to meet the diverse tastes of its prospective customers.

FINANCIAL NEWS

Cingular reports first-quarter loss
Cingular Wireless reported a loss of $240 million in the first quarter despite the fact that it cut approximately 1500 jobs and growth in subscribers and revenue. The company recorded revenue of $8.23 billion for the first quarter as compared to $3.97 billion for the same quarter last year. Cingular plans to continue with its cost cutting drive so as to maximize efficiency. The company has added 1.4 million net subscribers in the first quarter, which took the total number of subscribers to 50.4 million, which keeps it ahead of the No. 2 player- Verizon that had 43.8 million subscribers. The average revenue per user for the first quarter was $49.59, which is an increase of 2.7% as compared to the same quarter last year.

Sprint profits on the rise
The wireless business of Sprint Corp propelled its first quarter earnings to nearly double to reach $472 million. The company had earned a net income of $225 million for the same quarter last year. The company added 1.3 million net new customers for its wireless business, which boosted its revenues by 12.5% to $3.87 billion. This increase in the wireless business offset the decrease of 10.3% in Sprints long-distance business. The number of wireless customers of the company is expected to increase beyond 40 million from the current 26 million customers once the pending merger with Nextel goes through. The Average Monthly Revenue of the company fell by $1 to reach $61 as compared to the last three months of 2004.

Motorola announces quarterly result
Motorola has reported a 14 percent rise in the net profit of the company, for the first quarter of 2005. The company managed to increase its global market share to 17.1% which is the highest market share achieved by Motorola since 2002. The company increased its handset sales by 6% to reach $4.4 billion. Handset sales contribute nearly half of the total sales of the company. The company shipped nearly 28.7 million mobile phones in the current quarter and the total sales of the company have increased by 10% to $8.16 billion.

WIRELESS

Sprint aggressive on Wi-Fi
The recent agreement signed by Sprint will increase the number of Wi-Fi hotspots available to customers to more than 19000 and also provide international connectivity. The company has signed a deal with four broadband Internet service providers and a virtual network enabler for the same and this step will help Sprint to achieve a target of 25000 targeted venues by the year end. Sprint provides the Wi-Fi services in areas like the airports, hotels etc where people generally need it the most and the company has roaming agreements across the US, Europe & Canada.

ZTE introduces 3G to Vietnam
ZTE Corp. is to install Vietnam's first 3G network in Ho Chi Minh City. Under a contract announced with Vietnam Power Telecom (VP Telecom), ZTE will provide a network based on the Corporation's 450MHz EV-DO technology, which will bring 3G technology to the seven million inhabitants of Vietnam's largest city.
The contract follows the installation by ZTE of Vietnam's largest CDMA network, which covers 13 of the country's provinces, including the most densely-populated areas of Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta.
The 3G network will utilize ZTE's EV-DO, CDMA2000 1X and GoTa (Global Open Trunking Architecture) solutions to supply high-speed data, voice and trunking services.

Pakcom pays $291m as license fee
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Pakcom Limited have announced that the latter's subsidiary, Instacom, will renew its cellular license for 15 more years. Pakcom has paid a license fee of $291 million to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Instacom has nearly 10 million subscribers for its cellular services.

INTERNET

KPN popularizes ADSL
Netherlands-based KPN, which has nearly 1.5 million customers of broadband in the country, has announced that in terms of the number of subscribers it has overtaken the cable service providers. The company also claimed to have established ADSL as the preferred technology for broadband in the country. It has also decided to upgrade the ASDSL technology to ADSL2+ and hopes to complete the upgradation this year. According to the company after the upgrade the technology can easily support high speed broadband, IPTV and an advanced version of voice over internet protocol. The modernization of the technology will also help the company to compete effectively in the telecommunications sector.

BigPond signs 500,000 to broadband
Telstra Corp expects "explosive" growth in broadband services after its internet provider BigPond announced it had signed up 500,000 residential customers to broadband, an increase of 140 per cent from a year ago.
BigPond managing director Justin Milne said customer numbers would continue to grow strongly. "2004 saw the broadband market on fire, but I expect 2005 to leave it in the shade," he said.
BigPond has about 40 percent of the DSL broadband market in Australia.

 NEW PRODUCTS

Satellite Briefing proceeding now available!
For those who were unable to attend the Satellite Telecom Briefing, the proceedings are currently available for purchase as a pdf. Chaired by Dr. Joseph Pelton, the briefing highlighted the future market of the satellite industry.
Topics discussed include: "New Trends in Satellite Services," "New Satellite Standards for IP - Accelerators and IPoS," "Major Innovations in Satellite Broadcasting" and "Future Trends in Launch Services: Commercial and Defense."
For further information on ordering the proceedings, visit the website or contact Chris Danecek.

“R-OADMs - The Key to Upgrading the Newly Merged Networks”
Early 2005 has seen the telecommunications industry turned on its ear by the announcement of major acquisitions. These acquisitions, regardless of the final composition, will virtually eliminate the independent IXC industry. The merging of the RBOCs' metro and short-haul networks with the long-haul networks of the IXCs will be one of the main drivers of telecommunications infrastructure changes for the next few years. The emerging availability of R-OADMs is very good timing because the RBOC-IXC mergers of early 2005 will require a great deal of network consolidation, and R-OADMs will be key. The R-OADM device offers the promise of substantial savings in operations costs, and many operational benefits.
R-OADMs are planned to be systems that will allow the very flexible, remote selection of wavelengths transiting a given intermediate node on a fiber network for drop and/or adding. They will allow access to any of the wavelengths going through a node for use of the data on the chosen wavelength and the possibility of adding to, or modifying, the data on that wavelength for transmitting it on to the next node(s).
A number of technologies are involved in the R-OADM. At this point even the final architecture is unclear. The report presents three different architectures, with an emphasis on two of these - the 'small switch' version and the 'broadcast' version. Technologies involved in each approach are described. As more vendors are coming to market the broadcast version of the architecture, seems to be predominant.
There are many applications for the R-OADM. The applications of various degree nodes ('two degree nodes' for example have two fiber routes, three degree have three, etc.), that are common in the network are depicted. As will be noted some of these applications will have particular use in merging the long-haul networks of the IXCs and the metro networks of the RBOCs.
The main market driver for R-OADMs is the desire to save operating expenses by the carriers. In addition, the forecast increase (by some) in wavelength services is going to greatly facilitate the deployment of networks based on R-OADMs.
This newest report from the Lightwave Series, “R-OADMs - The Key to Upgrading the Newly Merged Networks” is the definitive report on Reconfigurable Optical Add Drop Multiplexers (R-OADMs). These devices are finally going to answer all carriers' desires to be able to control optical domain networks with the same flexibility and ease, as they are familiar with in SONET oriented networks.
To order this report, visit www.igigroup.com or contact Chris Danecek at chris@igigroup.com

Components for R-OADMs '05
While the telecom depression has eliminated (or at least dramatically postponed) a number of promised technologies and devices, the R-OADM is still clearly in the telecom future. It has the advantage of being an operations cost saver, and as such will endure when other enhancements may not. Indeed, the flexibility offered by the R-OADM is desire by all network operators. The only impediment is determining how to begin deployment.
The market forecasts included in the report are very comprehensive, including various types of R-OADMs, as well as forecasts for the major sub-systems and components of R-OADMs. Both US and Global forecasts are provided and units as well as market totals are included. All of theses forecasts are based on discussions with industry participants as well as on the author's extensive experience in the industry. A comprehensive model for development (a time schedule for significant events) of the R-OADM market is the prime driver of the forecasts. This model is explained in detail in the report.
This report covers all aspects of this rapidly developing product line. Included are:
o Full description of the R-OADM and its relationship to other network elements.
o Detailed analysis of the application possibilities for R-OADMs
o Discussion of how the R-OADM will facilitate merging RBOC metro networks with IXC long-haul
networks.
o Discussion of all the technologies and architectures considered for implementing R-OADMs.
(Switch based, Broadcast, and WSS)
o Discussion and analysis of the market drivers for R-OADMs.
o A detailed model for the market development of R-OADMs, with input from major carriers and
vendors.
o Detailed US and Global forecasts for R-OADM markets, both on a unit basis and a dollar basis.
o Forecasts for US and Global components resulting from R-OADM development and deployment.
o Sensitivity analysis for market forecasts.
o Listing and discussion of the major vendors involved in R-OADMs both at the component and
system level.
o A compilation of which vendors are following each of the candidate architectures.
All sections are profusely illustrated with original drawings, tables, and charts. To order this report, contact Chris Danecek.

UPCOMING CONFERENCES

California IPv6 Technology Dinner & Conference
May 9 - 10, 2005
Sacramento, CA
This coming May the CAv6TF will host two events in an effort to further its goal of readiness. The first, Up Close and Personal an intimate dinner and discussion with Internet pioneer Vinton Cerf will take place on Monday, May 9th at The Firehouse Restaurant.
The second event, the California IPv6 Technology Conference, will take place the next day at the Sacramento Convention Center in conjunction with the Government Technology Conference (GTC) West. Both events will offer a unique opportunity to learn about IPv6 readiness and network with well known names from the field.
To learn more, contact Dr. Hui Pan or phone: 1-617-782-5033, toll free: 1-800-323-1088, fax: 1-617-782-5735. Sponsorship opportunities are available on the website

ChinaTel Forum @ SUPERCOMM
June 6, 2005
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL
Information Gatekeepers Inc. (IGI), in cooperation with the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), announce ChinaTel Forum @ SUPERCOMM®, a one-day conference addressing telecom market opportunities in China. Executives from leading Chinese telecom operators, equipment manufacturers and international telecom companies are expected to address the event’s attendees. The Forum will be held on June 6, 2005, and is conveniently co-located with SUPERCOMM, June 6-9, 2005, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill.
Attendees will learn about these exciting opportunities at the ChinaTel Forum @ SUPERCOMM:
- China’s Telecom Investment Plans and Regulations
- The New Broadband Markets and the Competitive Landscape
- Chinese Telecom Operators
- Broadband Technologies and Markets
- xDSL, FTTH (Fiber to the Home), Cable, and Ethernet
- 2G and 3G Mobile, WiMAX, WLAN, and Fixed Wireless
- Views on Market Strategies from Industry Players
For more information contact Dr. Hui Pan, Conference Chairman, IGI, phone 1-617-782-5033, toll free, 1-800-323-1088, fax 1-617-782-5735. Please visit the conference website www.chinatel.us for more information or to register for the event.

POFWorld 2005
Santa Clara, CA
June 21-23, 2005
Theme of POF WORLD 05 TRADE SHOW: "POF IN THE HOME AND AUTO"
A major attraction at his year's POF WORLD will be a focus on "WIRING HOMES WITH POF." Jozef Faller, an expert in "POF HOME WIRING," will present a tutorial and demonstration on "WIRING A HOME WITH POF." At this year's CES show, Jozef showed for the first time in the U.S. a "POF HOME Wiring System" that transmitted HDTV signals over a Step index POF system using ethernet over 1394 protocol. Since then, improvements have been made to the system which will be shown at POF World for the first time.
This year's POF World trade show will take place June 21-23, 05, at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA, USA. http://www.pofworld.com
As of 5:30pm Thursday, Feb. 24th - early web registration for POF World 2005 is open.
A 10% "Early Bird" discount will be applied to ALL POF World 2005 web registration orders until midnight March 31st.
For further information, visit www.pofworld.com

North American IPv6 Technology Conference 1
September 26-29 2005
San Jose, CA
This is a major yearly event of the North American IPv6 Task Force. The four day event will include:
- September 26, Tutorials on IPv6
- September 27, Technology Presentations I
- September 28, Panels and Vendor councils
- September 29, Technology Presentations II
Over 20 companies will be presenting live demonstrations of IPv6 equipment and software.
For further information, visit www.ipv6conference.com







To purchase advertising space on TodayinTelecom, contact Chris Danecek at chris@igigroup.com