DECEMBER ARCHIVE: GT's Telecom Technology News Digest
December 2000: GT's Telecom Technology News Digest
Deployments, Deals, and More
Portugal Telecom Picks UMTS Suppliers 28 December 2000
Israel Cable TV Operator Deploys New Management System
Golden Channels, Israel’s largest cable television operator, has picked a new system from Tampa, Florida-based Hal-Tec Corp. to manage the company’s high-speed data and multimedia network serving 470,000 subscribers in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and settlements south of Israel. Hal-Tec’s CADDStar v6.0 is designed to integrate coaxial cable and fiber information on the same software platform for mapping, documentation and facilities management. The system includes a “detail drawing” function that can link multiple dwelling unit designs and high-rise floor plans to the cable operator’s outside network.
Hal-Tec Corp. 26 December 2000
Portugal Telecom Picks UMTS Suppliers
Portugal Telecom’s mobile subsidiary TMN expects to launch universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) service by December 1, 2001, after selecting Siemens, Alcatel and Ericsson as main suppliers for its UMTS network. Siemens will supply and install the core network while the UMTS terrestrial radio access network will be supplied and installed by the three vendors. The agreement expands existing relationships between TMN and the companies.
Portugal Telecom Siemens Alcatel Ericsson 21 December 2000
T-Mobile International Prepares for UMTS in Europe
T-Mobile International, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, is lining up vendors to help build out its third generation (3G) universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) networks across Europe. Nortel Networks has joined in the effort by supplying wireless Internet infrastructure equipment and services as part of an estimated $320 million contract. Current plans involve Nortel deploying the core Internet protocol (IP) network and a portion of the radio access infrastructure for the UMTS networks, along with setting up UMTS field trials for T-Mobile. In addition, Nokia will supply 3G network infrastructure and related services in another estimated $300 million deal. The network will enable the introduction of seamless multimedia services for T-Mobile subsidiaries throughout Europe. T-Mobile expects to offer commercial UMTS service beginning in 2002.
T-Mobilea Nokia Nortel Networks Bouygues Telecom to Offer Wireless Internet Services
Bouygues Telecom, the third national mobile network operator in France, is preparing to make wireless Internet services available to its five million subscribers after completing a deal with Comverse Technology Inc. for the vendor’s mobile Internet router. Comverse will supply Bouygues with a suite of network platforms to deliver Internet-based services to wireless devices independent of the operator’s communications protocol.
Bouygues Telecom Comverse Technology Inc. Telia Leases Fiber Optic Capacity Site Space
Telia International Carrier has signed a 12-year, 17 million Euros agreement with U.K.-based operator FirstMark, allowing FirstMark to lease fiber optic capacity site space and maintenance from Telia. FirstMark would lease fiber in Europe for its German subsidiary LambdaNet Communications, and Telia would provide LambdaNet fiber to connect the Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Austria. Under the contract, Telia also purchased a 10 Gb/s (gigabits per second) network connecting 12 German cities.
Telia International Carrier FirstMark 20 December 2000
RACSA of Costa Rica Pursues Internet Satellite Service
Global One has made a $5.1 million deal to provide RACSA, the national carrier of Costa Rica, 30 Mb/s (megabits per second) of Internet access service via satellite. Global One is providing RACSA with a turnkey solution that includes installation of an Earth station and related hardware and software in San Jose, Costa Rica; three asymmetric circuits on the Columbia satellite; and monitoring and maintenance of the global Internet protocol service. Global One also has expanded its frame relay coverage in Ecuador and Panama through a network interconnection agreement with Latinet, a provider of integrated broadband and Internet access solutions throughout Latin America.
Global One Latinet Orange to Launch Location-based Services in Switzerland
Orange Switzerland has added location-based services, giving customers access to information about restaurants, hotels, parking, art galleries, cinema listings and more. The mobile operator is using Webraska’s Personal Navigation application programming interface (API) to allow subscribers to locate the nearest facility based on actual time-to-destination information. The mobile phone’s location is automatically determined by the network and then mediated by SignalSoft Corp.’s Location Manager platform. Webraska’s Global Navigation Server open architecture interfaces with databases from Orange partners to make the information available to users.
Orange Switzerland Webraska SignalSoft Corp. 19 December 2000
Enitel to Build Offshore Network in the North Sea
Tellabs and Enitel will team up to build an optical network off the Norwegian coast that will provide high-speed, high-capacity offshore communications services between oil and gas platforms and the mainland. Tellabs will supply its optical networking solutions for a cable system that interconnects inland sites with four offshore installations in the North Sea. Enitel’s existing offshore infrastructure incorporates fiber optic and microwave elements. The new network will enable Enitel to transmit data at speeds of 2.5 Gb/s (gigabits per second) so that offshore maintenance monitoring can be handled remotely from land-based maintenance centers.
Tellabs Enitel China Mobile Communication Corp. has awarded Motorola Inc.’s Global Telecom Solutions Sector two contracts by China Mobile Communication Corp. to build the first GSM 1800 network in Sichuan Province and expand its existing GSM 900/1800 network in Fujian Province. The two contracts are valued at $102 million. The new GSM 1800 network, being built for Sichuan Mobile Communication Corp., will deliver cellular service to three major cities in Sichuan Province. When it is completed in the third quarter, the network will have a capacity for up to 531,160 subscribers. The GSM 900/1800 dual band network expansion in Fujian Province involves deploying Motorola’s Horizonmacro infrastructure solution and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter 2001. The network will be able to accommodate 1.31 million subscribers, as compared to 580,000 previously.
Motorola Shanghai Mobile’s GSM Network to Grow
Shanghai Mobile Communications Corp. has signed a $40 million agreement with Nokia to expand its GSM 1800 network in China. Nokia will supply and install GSM 1800 base stations, allowing the mobile network capacity to increase by a million subscribers. This phase of the network is expected to be operational in 2001.
Nokia Korea Telecom Finds Way to Test DSL
Sunrise Telecom Inc. will supply Korea Telecom with digital subscriber line (DSL) field test equipment for its nationwide asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) deployment. Korea Telecom said Sunrise’s equipment offered systems compatibility and could easily be used by its technicians. “We feel that test equipment is an important part in achieving our goal of three million ADSL subscribers by the end of 2001,” says Seo Won Ohk, manager of Korea Telecom’s Network Planning and Coordination Group.
Korea Telecom Sunrise Telecom 18 December 2000
Brazilian Mobile Operators to add Wireless Prepaid Services
Comverse Network Systems, a division of Comverse Technology Inc., was awarded a deal to enable wireless prepaid services to Brazilian mobile operators BCP S.A. Telecomunicacoes and BSE S.A. Telecomunicacoes. Comverse will install prepaid systems at BCP S.A. network sites in Sao Paulo and BSE S.A. network sites in the northeastern region of Brazil. The systems will serve more than 1 million subscribers.
Comverse Network Systems BCP S.A. Telecomunicacoes Colombia’s TeleBucaramanga Moving to Multi-service Network
Colombian operator TeleBucaramanga will migrate its existing network to a multi-service network by using Ericsson’s ENGINE solution. The solution also will function as the platform for the introduction of new data services and other Internet-related services on the Colombian market. The first part of the system should be up and running in late December 2000 and will be the beginning of TeleBucaramanga’s evolution toward a next-generation network. The contract also includes local services and support from Ericsson during the first months of the project. The networks’ size and services will be expanded in 2001 as part of the project’s second phase.
Ericsson Cable Connects United States, Venezuela
360networks has completed the 360americas cable near Caracas, Venezuela, making it the first direct fiber optic connection between the United States and Venezuela. The section of cable connects Venezuela with Boca Raton, Florida., and Tuckerton, New Jersey, via a 4,700 km (kilometer) undersea fiber optic cable. It is scheduled to enter commercial service by mid-March 2001. When the project is complete in early 2002, 360americas will span 29,000 km and provide direct connectivity between major cities in the United States, Bermuda, Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela. In addition, 360networks and Deutsche Telekom have signed a network services agreement worth $230 million. 360networks will provide multiple 2.5 Gb/s (gigabits per second) wavelengths throughout its North American network to Deutsche Telekom. Meanwhile, Deutsche Telekom will be able to purchase dark fiber infrastructure and equipment maintenance services from 360networks on the same network for 20 years, as well as colocation and other services.
360networks Deutsche Telekom Swisscom Mobile Prepares for UMTS
Swisscom Mobile, awarded a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) license on December 6, selected Ericsson on December 18 to supply its 3G network. The multi-year contract covers a complete, end-to-end solution, including all equipment and services. Swisscom Mobile’s license takes effect on January 1, 2002, and will be valid for 15 years. Meanwhile, Telenor in Norway has selected Ericsson as its main 3G supplier. In addition to UMTS infrastructure, the agreement covers areas such as terminals and applications. The contract is scheduled to run until December 31, 2004.
Ericsson Swisscom Mobile Telenor Wuhan Telecom to Deploy Broadband IP in Beijing
Wuhan Telecom will use Unisphere Networks Inc.’s ERX-1400 edge routing switch to deploy next-generation broadband Internet protocol (IP) services throughout Beijing, China. Unisphere also teamed up with Golden Tech Ltd., a Unisphere reseller, to meet requirements for the IP routing infrastructure. Wuhan will use the ERX to build out its broadband IP network to deliver next-generation services to business and residential subscribers.
Unisphere Networks Golden Tech. Ltd.
Israel Cable Operator Deploys New Management System
T-Mobile International Prepares for UMTS in Europe
Bouygues Telecom to Offer Wireless Internet Services
Telia Leases Fiber Optic Capacity Site Space
RACSA of Costa Rica Pursues Internet Satellite Service
Orange to Launch Location-based Services in Switzerland
Enitel to Build Offshore Network in the North Sea
China Mobile Expands Networks
Shanghai Mobile’s GSM Network to Grow
Korea Telecom Finds Way to Test DSL
Brazilian Mobile Operators to add Wireless Prepaid Services
Colombia’s TeleBucaramanga Moving to Multi-service Network
Cable Connects United States, Venezuela
Swisscom Mobile Prepares for UMTS
Wuhan Telecom to Deploy Broadband IP in Beijing
www.hal-tec.com
www.telecom.pt
www.siemens.de
www.alcatel.com
www.ericsson.com
www.tmobile.de
www.nokia.com
www.bouyguestelecom.fr
www.comverse.com
www.telia.com
www.firstmark.com
www.globalone.net
www.latinet.com
www.orange.ch
www.webraska.com
www.signalsoftcorp.com
www.tellabs.com
www.enitel.no
www.motorola.com
www.nokia.com
www.koreatelecom.com
www.sunrisetelecom.com
www.comversens.com
www.bcp.com.br/selecionarregiao.asp
www.ericsson.com
www.360.net
www.telekom.de/international
www.ericsson.com
www.swisscom.com
www.telenor.no
www.unispherenetworks.com
www.gthome.com
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