New Product Recap: January 2010New Product Recap: January 2010

Here's a handy guide to some of the more significant product announcements from last month

February 1, 2010

15 Min Read
Light Reading logo in a gray background | Light Reading

In this feature, we look back at a selection of new telecom products and services announced during the highlighted month, with perhaps a little overlap into the later part of the preceding month. Products are classified for easy reference by the following very broad terms:

  • Carrier Transport – includes optical networking, Ethernet, and packet optical

  • Fixed Access – includes DSL, GPON, WDM-PON, and CPEs

  • IP Applications – includes VoIP and IMS

  • Switching & Routing – includes IP/MPLS and Deep Packet Inspection

  • Telecom Software – includes OSS, BSS, SDPs, and policy control

  • Video Infrastructure – includes cable technology, IPTV, and home networking

  • Wireless Infrastructure – includes access, backhaul, towers, and radios

This month's feature follows the same format as the New Product Recaps for previous months. Please refer to those features for a full explanation on the classification choices and the overall aim of this monthly alert:

  • New Product Recap: October 2009

  • New Product Recap: November 2009

  • New Product Recap: December 2009

Unlike many of the old grumps in our business, we welcome release announcements from vendors for consideration for inclusion in the next New Product Recap. Please email a copy of the release to [email protected].

Here’s a hyperlinked contents list:

— Tim Hills is a freelance telecommunications writer and journalist. He's a regular author of Light Reading reports.

Next Page: Carrier Transport

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A)
N4876A
This 2:1 multiplexer extends the generator data rate of the J-BERT N4903B and ParBERT 81250A up to 28 Gbit/s, allowing design and test engineers in the semiconductor, communications, storage, and computing industries to characterize accurately the next generation of serial interfaces, the company says. The multiplexer has variable output amplitudes of up to 1.8Vpp, transition times of less than 20ps (20%-80%); and an intrinsic jitter of less than 1 ps rms.

EZchip Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: EZCH)
PNP-4
This 100-Gigabit network processor (NPU) has features and capabilities that include: (a) Integrated traffic management providing granular bandwidth control; (b) Enhanced support for video streams and IPTV; (c) On-chip control CPU for host CPU offload; (d) Power management for minimizing linecard and system power dissipation; (e) Operations Administration Maintenance (OAM) processing offload; (f) Synchronous Ethernet and IEEE1588v2 offload for circuit emulation services; (g) IP reassembly for advanced packet processing offload; (h) Integrated serial ports with support for 1, 10, 40, and 100 Gigabit Ethernet; and (i) On-chip Fabric Interface Controller for interfacing to Ethernet-based as well as proprietary switch-fabric solutions.

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
Backbone Network Synergy Planning Solution
This solution, which is backed by a multilayer network planning tool called iManager MDS6600, enables synergy between the IP and transport layers of the backbone network, offering highly efficient network resource utilization, greater reliability, and lower operations and maintenance (OM) costs, the company says. Enhanced network resource utilization is possible owing to the solution's management of bandwidth resources, which are assigned based on traffic in a unified manner, thus achieving synergistic traffic processing across the IP and transport layers. This interaction between the IP layer and transport layer eliminates repetitive protection when an issue occurs, reduces wasted resources, and offers highly efficient protection and enhanced network reliability.Inphi Corp.
2251TA
This is a high-sensitivity, linear TIA/VGA for 40G DQPSK (differential quadrature phase-shift keying) applications, designed to address the challenges of polarization mode dispersion (PMD). Less than 5 percent total harmonic distortion makes possible the use of electrical dispersion compensation (EDC) technology to combat distortion due to PMD.

2850TA
The company says this is the industry’s first OIF-compliant, 100G, coherent transimpedance/variable-gain amplifier (TIA/VGA). Features include: (a) Bandwidth greater than 25 GHz, offering customers more margin in 100G system design; (b) Superior linearity for coherent receivers, at less than 5 percent total harmonic distortion, exceeding OIF requirements; and (c) Low power dissipation (250mW/channel) to conserve energy.

Tpack A/S
TPO114
This 2.5-Gbit/s OTN add/drop mux on a single chip supports both ODU0 and ODU1 connectivity through a built-in lower ODU crossconnect.

u2t Photonics AG
CPRV1010A
This is a 100-Gbit/s coherent photoreceiver designed for long-haul 100-Gbit/s communication systems using the DP-QPSK modulation format. It offers balanced detection for best sensitivity. Used in a polarization diversity scheme it comprises two 90° hybrids, 8 photodiodes, and 4 linear amplifiers, all integrated into a compact surface mount package. It provides four differential 32GBaud output signals into an analog-to-digital converter via a co-planar electrical interface, covering FEC overhead. Automatic gain control and other control functions allow for a wide dynamic range of optical input signal powers between -18dBm and 0dBm.

Next Page: Fixed Access

JDSU (Nasdaq: JDSU; Toronto: JDU)
Class of Service (CoS) test suite
This software option for the HST-3000 Handheld Services Tester and T-BERD/MTS-4000 Multiple Services Test Platform allows field technicians to simulate real-world triple-play service use at the customer site, enabling analysis and troubleshooting of triple-play services running simultaneously. It tests multiple services running over multiple VLANs at the same time. During the test, technicians can view all services in use and also a graphical depiction of bandwidth across all of them, aiding troubleshooting of service interactions. The new features also enable on/off control of all services from one screen.

Optical SmartPocket
This family of optical test instruments and kits, which includes Optical SmartPocket Power Meters and Light Sources, is designed to deliver an easy-to-use interface, accurate performance, and other key features to make them suitable optical test tools for field technicians dealing with optical fiber. The Optical SmartPocket Power Meters (OLP-3x) offer fast and accurate measurements of optical power levels on singlemode and multimode optical networks, including facilities, telecom, and cable-TV fiber optic networks. The Optical SmartPocket Light Sources (OLS-3x) can measure insertion loss and test the continuity in multimode data communications and local area networks, as well as singlemode telecom and cable-TV/multimedia networks.

Opulan Technologies Corp.
OPL-06752
The 1G/10G EPON chipset upgrade adds the vPort Gateway (GW) embedded VoIP software from D2 Technologies. The chipset is compliant with TR-101/TR-156, powered by a 233MHz 32-bit MIPS4KEC CPU core, and includes standard EPON MAC for ONU. Features and interfaces supported include integrated 1.25G SerDes/CDR, 1 SerDes Differential interface per PON plant, 1GMII/MII interface for UNI, 1 MII for out-of-band management, MDIO interface, and other I/O interfaces (PCM/I2C/UART/GPIO/EJAG/JTAG).

Telco Systems (BATM)
Metrobility R861
Provides an intelligent optical Ethernet demarcation point for service providers that are deploying Ethernet in the First Mile. It is MEF 9 and 14 compliant, and has standards-based OAM capabilities which include IEEE 802.3ah, 802.1ag CFM, and ITU-T Y.1731 for link and connectivity fault management.

ZyXEL Communications Corp.
ZLR-2070S
This multiservice LTE gateway includes 50-Mbit/s 4G LTE broadband connectivity, VoIP ports, home networking via a four-port switch and 11n wireless, and a USB port (to share devices, such as printers and storage). The company says it is the industry’s first such all-in-one device.

Next Page: IP Applications / Switching & Routing

Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU)
1870 Transport Tera Switch
This OTN optical core switching platform has what the company says is an industry-first, proprietary chip that allows universal switching at 1 Tbit/s of any traffic mix on a single chip. It scales to 4 Tbit/s in its first release and is hardware ready to support 8 Tbit/s. It supports multiple transport networking options, including Carrier Ethernet and Sonet/SDH, and offers a Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching/Automatically Switched Optical Network (GMPLS/ASON) control plane. There is also a variable-rate virtual container (optical data unit flex -- ODUFlex), which allows universal traffic grooming between optical transport equipment and IP routers to efficiently address incremental bandwidth growth, in steps of 1 Gbit/s.

Allot Ltd. (Nasdaq: ALLT)
Service Gateway Sigma (SG-Sigma)
This DPI platform software upgrade improves the performance, steering, and traffic capabilities to a throughput of over 75 Gbit/s with less than 16 microsecond latency. According to the company, performance can scale to 360 Gbit/s with a clustered configuration of SG-Sigma platforms.

Bridgewater Systems Corp. (Toronto: BWC)
Policy Controller
Supports 3GPP PCRF Releases 7, 8, and 9 standards on the same platform, providing real-time network, application, and subscriber policies that allow operators to manage mobile data growth and deliver personalized services. It provides real-time, multiservice metering based on application usage and is fully interoperable with leading network equipment providers, the company says.

RAD Data Communications Ltd.
Vmux-2120
This carrier-class voice trunking and 3G media gateway is designed for DCME applications and provides compressed voice transmission over TDM and IP networks. It compress up to 16 full E1/T1 circuits over a single E1/T1 or IP uplink, and also features link protection, so that it can transmit over a channelized TDM or IP link while employing a second TDM or IP link as a backup. Cellular operators can use the Vmux-2120 to eliminate leased lines between MSCs or between MSCs and the PSTN by leveraging existing 2G backbone segments while introducing 3G next-generation MSCs, the company says.

Next Page: Telecom Software

Allot Ltd. (Nasdaq: ALLT)
NetEnforcer AC-1400 and AC-3000
These next-generation traffic managers for Tier 2 and 3 service providers and high-end enterprises are designed to optimize network efficiency by maximizing ROI on existing infrastructure, improving policy enforcement, and enhancing user experience. They facilitate the deployment of the company’s network and subscriber services, including QuotaManager, TierManager, WebSafe, and ServiceProtector.

Amdocs Ltd. (NYSE: DOX)
CES 8
This is the latest iteration of the company's BSS/OSS product portfolio -- the Customer Experience System. Enhancements enable operators to, for example, improve network planning with a mobile backhaul capacity management operational product pack; use a Java-based convergent service platform to synchronize network services across legacy and IP network elements; and enhance product lifecycle management by an information-driven approach that combines the company's Enterprise Product Catalog with a workflow engine to rapidly define and launch new products. Other enhancements help lower the service provider's costs, and support improved customer handling and personalization.

Celcite Management Solutions
Centralized Maintenance and Optimization Center (CMOC)
Enables mobile operators to remotely manage and optimize their networks on a day-to-day basis. Using the company's multi-suite, vendor-agnostic optimization solution, COPS, the system also provides the means for managed services providers to reduce opex, increase efficiencies, and provide centralized skills centers for multivendor networks, the company says.

Comptel Corp. (Nasdaq, Helsinki: CTL1V)
Control and Charge
Provides an integrated, modular solution that combines policy control with charging and mediation, allowing communications service providers both to charge for and control service usage. It offers comprehensive, flexible charging of services and integrated support for a variety of charging functions, including real-time charging and balance management; wholesale charging of partners and other operators; and also controlled access to services, varying QoS and dynamically limiting use for customers who are making excessive demands on network resources.

Subex Ltd.
NetProvision 6.1
This is a multiservice, multitechnology, multivendor fulfillment solution used to automate the provisioning and activation of wireline connectivity services for enterprise VPN and residential broadband services. It supports Metro Ethernet Forum's services including E-line, E-LAN, and E-Tree, as well as Layer 3 services such as Dedicated Internet Access and BGP/MPLS IP VPNs. It has a 64-bit architecture and supports service feature reuse and bundling, plus service consistency across different vendors (Junos, IOS XR, Huawei, and others).

Next Page: Video Infrastructure

Broadcom Corp. (Nasdaq: BRCM)
BCM7408
Provides a client high-definition (HD) set-top box (STB) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution. When paired with a media server or IP gateway solution enabled by the company's technology (such as the Broadcom BCM7420 video decoder SoC with integrated MoCA, and other software), the BCM7408 client SoC solution enables manufacturers to develop whole-home connected entertainment services such as multi-room HD DVR.

Cavium Inc. (Nasdaq: CAVM)
PureVuTM CNW5XXX
This family of full HD (1080p60) SoC H.264 video processors for consumer and enterprise applications combines the company’s Super-Low-Latency (SLL) H.264 video processor, high-performance Nitrox security technology, and intelligent networking and packet processing capabilities in a fully integrated SoC for video applications such as wireless display, HDMI cable replacement, home media distribution, and video conferencing.

D-Link Systems Inc.
Boxee Box
Delivers movies, TV shows, music, and photos from a user's computer, home network, and the Internet to an HDTV with no PC needed. Additionally, Boxee's core social features allow friends to discover new content from each other through social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Imagination Technologies Group plc
META AXD
This audio-processor IP platform provides a multi-standard and multi-stream audio solution for SoC designs. The company says that META AXD takes a new approach, applying multi-threaded processing in a shared memory, high-latency SoC environment. All audio processing in the SoC is offloaded to the META AXD core, freeing host processor resources for improving the user experience and delivering value-added applications. The AXD family, which includes AXD230 and AXD270, supports the latest audio standards, including MP3, HE AAC, WMA, and surround-sound up to 7.1. Firmware packs are organized to target specific market segments, covering application areas such as connected and mobile products (Internet radio, PMPs), STBs, HDTVs, DVD/Blu-ray, and Home Theatre.

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT)
Mediaroom 2.0
This new version of IPTV software supports whole-home digital video recording, on-demand capabilities, access to both operator-hosted content and Internet TV, and interactive applications. It combines client software with cloud-based services to provide viewers with access to a content on the big flat screens in their living rooms, the PCs in their offices, and even the smartphones in their pockets.

PeerApp Ltd.
UltraBand 5000
This media cache system enables network service providers to manage 20-Gbit/s traffic across multiple services such as BitTorrent, YouTube, MySpace, MegaUpload, and RapiShare. The company says that bandwidth savings of over 50 percent from traffic reduction and up to 10-times faster content delivery for video streams are possible.

SiliconDust USA Inc.
Network Attached TV tuner with CableCARD support
The device is intended for PCs with Windows7 Windows Media Center, so that computer network environments incorporating the HDHomeRun CableCARD will be able to support high-definition and other digital TV including premium cable channels, eliminating the need for a cable set-top box.

Synerchip Co. Ltd.
SCP1800, SCP1801and SCP1803
The SCP1800 is a DiiVA Receiver for digital televisions (DTVs), LCD monitors, and digital signage; SCP1801 is a DiiVA Endpoint Transmitter for set-top boxes, Blu-ray/DVD players, game consoles, and digital media adapters; and SCP1803 is a DiiVA Daisy Chain Transmitter for the above source devices configured in a cascaded configuration. The company says that these are the first ICs compliant with the Digital Interactive Interface for Video & Audio (DiiVA) specification, which enables consumer electronics devices to connect to one another in a network over a low-cost cable.

Next Page: Wireless Infrastructure

Anritsu Corp.
MS2712E and MS2713E Spectrum Master
These handheld spectrum analyzers have been enhanced to include signal analyzer capabilities. With the new 10MHz bandwidth demodulation option, they can test and verify the RF quality, modulation quality, and downlink coverage quality for all the major wireless standards, including LTE, WiMax, WCDMA/HSDPA, TD-SCDMA/HSDPA, CDMA, and GSM/GPRS/EDGE. The new option allows a full suite of RF, demodulation, and over-the-air (OTA) measurements to be made efficiently and accurately, the company says, and field technicians can troubleshoot down to the field replacement unit (FRU) in a base station's transmitter chain.

Celeno Communications
CL1800
A second-generation beam-forming 802.11n chipset that, according to the company, quadruples the video throughput/range combination of typical 802.11n systems, reaching over 120 Mbit/s of video throughput at the edge of the home with zero packet errors. It supports up to eight concurrent HD video streams and meets carrier-grade performance requirements while maintaining client silicon-agnostic operation.

Cradlepoint Inc.
CBA750
A wireless broadband adapter that gives businesses and branch offices the ability to add a secure wireless 3G/4G broadband connection for redundant or primary Internet access by bringing the strongest 3G/4G wireless broadband signal back to the server room. A Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) feature allows users to take advantage of existing CAT5 cabling.

GCT Semiconductor Inc.
GDM7221
This mobile WiMax single-chip solution integrates baseband and RF, while supporting 2.3, 2.5, and 3.5GHz frequency bands. Complying with WiMAX Forum standards, the chip is suited for multiband USB dongles, WiMax mini-cards, and embedded SDIO modules. It offers higher throughput to support HARQ categories 5 and 6, lower power consumption, and integrated USB 2.0 PHY, all in a single 65nm die.

Mindspeed Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: MSPD)
Transcede
Forms a wireless system-on-a-chip family, and comprises a highly integrated baseband device for 3G/4G/LTE base stations, from enterprise femtocells to macrocells. The family integrates 26 programmable processors into a single device, including two ARM Cortex A9 multicore symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processors, 10 CEVA DSPs, and 10 DSP accelerators. The company says that the solution fully supports the complete processing needs of single- and multi-sector base stations using W-CDMA, LTE, LTE time-division duplex (TD-LTE, in China), time-division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA, in China), and/or WiMax air-interface standards.

Quantenna Communications Inc.
Full-11n
These 802.11n chipsets have features that include 4x4 Multiple-Input/Multiple-Output (MIMO), dynamic digital beam forming, mesh networking, and channel monitoring and optimization. These full-11n features work together to deliver up to 25dB performance improvement compared to earlier WLAN technology, the company says, enabling five times the coverage of previous 802.11n solutions while still interoperating with them. The solutions support multiple concurrent video streams of ultra-low-latency H.264 for Blu-ray-quality video, across more than 200-foot distances, with near-zero packet error rates. They also minimize system latencies for real-time applications such as online bidirectional video-game controllers, and can operate in point-to-multipoint mode.Ralink Technology Corp.
RT3883 and RT3593
According to the company, the RT3883 SoC and RT3593 client chips are the industry’s first commercially available single-chip 450-Mbit/s 802.11n access point and station solutions with beam-forming technology. The RT3883 has three dual-band 2.4/5GHz radios, a 500MHz MIPS CPU, and a variety of connectivity interfaces, in a WiFi access point/router platform. The RT3593 is a highly integrated 450-Mbit/s client solution with an embedded media access controller, baseband processor, and three dual-band 2.4/5GHz radios on a single chip.

Spirent Communications plc
A-GLONASS Tester
The company has added the ability to test Assisted GLONASS (A-GLONASS) capability to its 8100 UMTS Location Technology Solution (ULTS). GLONASS is a Russian navigation satellite system with recently formalized open civilian access. Using both GPS and GLONASS offers a mobile device receiver nearly twice the number of usable satellites in the sky compared with GPS alone, and can significantly improve the performance of location-based applications in challenging environments such as urban streets, the company says.

— Tim Hills is a freelance telecommunications writer and journalist. He's a regular author of Light Reading reports.

Back to Introduction

Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry.
Join 62,000+ members. Yes it's completely free.

You May Also Like