 |
|
Contents
SOMA Borrows ArrayComm’s Software| Analyst: Peter Jarich | Wireless Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 20, 2007 – SOMA Networks announced a joint development effort planned to integrate ArrayComm’s multi-antenna signal processing (MAS) software into SOMA’s FlexMAX mobile WiMAX solution. Supporting MIMO, AAS, and combined MIMO/AAS operations, ArrayComm’s MAS solution supports two and four antenna architectures, promising 50% to 200% performance gains in terms of coverage and/or capacity. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on SOMA’s decision to work with ArrayComm on adaptive antenna and beamforming solutions. Beamforming promises to improve the performance of mobile WiMAX solutions – including SOMA’s. What’s more, the deal speaks to the value of ArrayComm’s technology and provides a showcase for its expertise. SOMA’s position as a smaller vendor, however, limits the revenues or exposure ArrayComm can expect. • Vendor Importance: High to SOMA and ArrayComm because the move carries forward both business models. ArrayComm is focused on licensing its MIMO and beamforming technology to 3G and WiMAX vendors (system and device); SOMA stands out as its first customer and offers a potential endorsement of its technology as other system vendors judge the merit of developing their own beamforming solutions. Likewise, SOMA is focused on delivering wireless access for fixed applications. With coverage being key to fixed wireless business models, the value of beamforming is clear. • Market Impact: Low on the wireless infrastructure market as SOMA is ArrayComm’s first commercial endorsement. What’s more, SOMA is not even a major wireless vendor – unlike firms with deep wireless expertise (and resources), its decision to work with ArrayComm may not carry over to other vendors. Yet, if ArrayComm can boost the performance of SOMA’s solutions, bigger names that haven’t specialized in beamforming R&D could well follow suit – making this announcement the start of a bigger trend…particularly if the SOMA deal is accompanied by bigger names going forward. ADTRAN Delivers Access Versatility with New Form Factor, Deployment and Ethernet Migration Solutions| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber | Broadband Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 – ADTRAN made three related announcements at NXTcomm that expand its Total Access 5000 family. The Total Access 5006 offers all the functionality of the larger 5000 series in a smaller form-factor. The Total Access 1124P Outside Plant (OSP) gateway extends the delivery of broadband multimedia and POTS to any customer over a single phone line. ADTRAN’s FastBreak solution complements the Total Access 5000 Ethernet over Copper/TDM applications by enabling operators to leverage existing infrastructure to provide ubiquitous Ethernet service delivery. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on ADTRAN’s announcements at NXTcomm, because they address key service provider pain points such as migrating networks to Ethernet services and extending broadband coverage to enable triple play while leveraging existing infrastructure to optimize CapEx and OpEx savings. The NXTcomm announcements are also well timed with service provider CapEx inflection points, enabling ADTRAN to join rival first movers as a key supplier of next generation access technologies. • Vendor Importance: High to ADTRAN, because the company needs to build on the momentum of its Total Access 5000 Multi-Service Access and Aggregation Platform (MSAP) by further addressing service provider needs as they look to extend their broadband reach, migrate to Ethernet, and deploy advanced services over either existing copper and/or new fiber deployments. • Market Impact: Moderate to high on the North American telco access market where ADTRAN is already a well established supplier to telco operators but faces competition from smaller and independent rivals (i.e., Actelis, Aktino, Hatteras and Zhone) as well as larger ones (i.e., Alcatel-Lucent, Tellabs) that have already seeded the market with similar solutions. MetaSwitch Launches MetaSphere; How Suite It Is| Analyst: Steve Byars | Carrier IP Telephony | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 – MetaSwitch announced the introduction of the MetaSphere service delivery platform (SDP) and suite of applications. At the heart of MetaSphere is an SDP pre-integrated with MetaSwitch’s session control, PSTN emulation server and media gateway technologies. Building on core technology from MetaSwitch’s parent company Data Connection, the MetaSphere SDP includes a graphical service creation and personalization environment, a service execution environment, a service capability interaction manager (SCIM), and a library of common services providing access to media server, session control, “virtual home subscriber server” (HSS), provisioning, auditing/logging and billing functions. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on MetaSwitch and parent-company Data Connection’s MetaSphere service delivery proposition as the solution combines the telephony expertise and the IT/applications expertise from what are, in essence, two organizations from the same company into a cohesive service delivery platform (SDP). MetaSphere integrates a compelling set of applications, responding to service providers’ increasing expectation that SDPs come with a suite of pre-packaged applications. However, MetaSwitch does not have the resources, particularly the professional-service and field-support resources, to compete with the mega-vendors for mainstream applications. MetaSwitch will need to define niche applications to get a foothold in top-tier operator networks. • Vendor Importance: High to MetaSwitch, because it needs to expand its addressable market beyond the rural/independent LECs and second-tier CLECs. The company has already established a solid market presence with rural LECS and CLECS in North America, and also a growing presence in the CALA region. However, operators are increasingly concerned about decreasing revenues from legacy services and looking to new network-hosted applications that can generate higher-value services. By creating an SDP proposition that leverages IMS standards as well as its own TDM and NGN components, MetaSwitch can use value-added applications to target cable MSOs, broadband IP providers, as well as niche opportunities with top-tier operators. • Market Impact: Moderate on the IMS and alternative Class 5 market segments, because MetaSwitch is a small company that cannot afford a frontal assault on the mega-vendors’ end-to-end solution sets. However, service providers should take note of the innovative network-hosted application integrated within MetaSphere. The tight integration should allow them to create and deliver value-added services rapidly as they seek to increase their revenue streams. Calix Demonstrates Multi-vendor MPEG-4 Delivery to Address Telco Multi-play| Analyst: Yoav Schreiber | Broadband Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 -- Calix demonstrated production high-definition (HD) IPTV and Internet video using MPEG-4 advanced video encoding (AVC) in conjunction with its Calix Compatible interoperability program and partners ADB, Akimbo, Amino, Cisco/Scientific-Atlanta, Entone, Minerva Networks, Motorola/Modulus Video, and SES AMERICOM. The NXTcomm demonstration will be among the first exhibiting multi-vendor compatibility and interoperability-certified components for the delivery of MPEG-4-based HD video. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on the Calix demonstration of MPEG-4-based delivery, because the certified demonstration of multi-vendor interoperability to enable telco delivery of high-definition (HD) IPTV and Internet video over any access infrastructure (i.e., GPON, VDSL2, ADSL2+) addresses the multi-vendor compatibility concerns associated with many multi-play deployments. • Vendor Importance: High to Calix, because the IPTV demonstration from the Calix Compatible interoperability program provides the company with a feasibility proof-point to counter larger rivals’ single-vendor, multi-play integration packages with its own interoperability-certified, best-of-breed MPEG-4-based delivery solution. • Market Impact: Moderate to high on the IPTV market, because while the market is still relatively nascent, rivals will need to continue to bolster their own component interoperability and partnership efforts to demonstrate their market strategy benefits for advancing the delivery of high-definition IPTV and Internet video. Covad Launches Unified Messaging Platform from IP Unity Glenayre to Improve ClearEdge Voice Service| Analyst: David Hold | Business Network Services - U.S. | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 – Covad Communications Group, Inc. announced at the 2007 NXTcomm expo that it has deployed the Mereon Unified Messaging platform from IP Unity Glenayre, Inc. Covad is using the Mereon solution to enhance its award-winning Covad ClearEdge Voice Services by allowing users to manage all their messages – voice, fax, or e-mail – from a single mailbox. Covad will offer the Mereon Unified Messaging solution as a standard component with its ClearEdge Pro and ClearEdge Integrated Access voice services. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on the selection of IP Unity Glenayre as a platform from which to provide value added services for its hosted VolP office solutions, because the carrier appears to be still working out the details of how the service enhancements will be packaged and priced. Covad will be using the vendor’s Mereon Unified Messaging solution to enhance its ClearEdge Voice Services by allowing users to manage all their messages – voice, fax, or e-mail – from a single mailbox, which is a useful convenience tool for busy executives, and one that could provide the winning margin when responding to competitive bids from customers. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Covad, as the still fluid VoIP business market is characterized by numerous competitors both on the service provider and (managed) equipment provider side, and Covad needs to maintain an edge in feature functionality. The addition of unified messaging capabilities to its ClearEdge Pro and ClearEdge Integrated Access voice services will help distinguish these services in the highly diverse and competitive SMB market, especially as those capabilities are integrated into the Covad Dashboard. • Market Impact: Low on the broader market for hosted VoIP or managed IP telephony solutions, because the announcement of the IP Unity platform is just a single piece of the process to provide enhanced feature functionality, and it will be some time before the full capabilities of the system are rolled out to all of Covad’s VoIP customers. Cisco Services Cable with Mesh| Analyst: Peter Jarich | Wireless Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 18, 2007 -- Cisco launched the Cisco Cable ServiceMesh solution. The new solution delivers WiFi mesh products with components geared specifically for the cable operator market: Cisco Aironet 1520 mesh access point (two-radio mesh nodes with DOCSIS 2.0 interfaces that can be cable strand-mounted and powered), Cisco Wireless Modules, Cisco Wireless Control System software, Cisco Intelligent Services Gateway, Cisco Service Control Engine, and Cisco 7600 series routers. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on Cisco’s new Cable ServiceMesh solution, because cable operators represent a logical target market for mesh solutions… so logical that most competitors have already attacked the opportunity. Cable ServiceMesh, in turn, comes with features that should appeal to cable operators, and Cisco has reported customers, lending the features credibility. Unfortunately, the end-to-end nature of ServiceMesh leaves potentially attractive partner applications untouched. • Vendor Importance: High to Cisco, because the vendor’s mesh competitors have already deployed DOCSIS-based mesh solutions. To be sure, cable operators looking at mesh could deploy mesh nodes alongside DOCSIS modems. Such a solution, however, would lack the elegance – and the simple deployment– of solutions with DOCSIS-based backhaul and mounting options built-in. • Market Impact: Moderate on the WiFi mesh networking market, because to be sure, Cisco’s support for DOCSIS within the mesh node improves its ServiceMesh solution; just as clear, however, is the fact that Cisco’s competitors have already been addressing cable operators with similar capabilities for some time, highlighting a less-than-stellar track record with mesh innovation and market development. Verizon Business Officially Enters the FMC Fray with PBX Extension and Conferencing Services| Analyst: Cindy Whelan | Business Network Services - U.S.
| Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 20, 2007 - Verizon Business launches three FMC services: Wireless Office, a network-based solution for SMBs which extends common PBX calling to wireless devices; PBX Mobile Extension, targeted to a large corporate campus or large number of mobile workers, which works with a company’s existing PBX and provides extension to cellular devices; and Mobile Conference Connection which provides road warriors with the ability to initiate or join a conference call with a BlackBerry or Microsoft Windows Mobile smart phone/PDA. Future mobility services include satellite access, automatic wireless primary and backup access options, integrated VoIP services for mobile users and managed wireless backup to Verizon Business’ Private IP network. Wireless Office is currently available; PBX Mobile Extension and Mobile Conference Connection will be available from Verizon Business in July 2007. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Verizon Business’ new PBX extension services as they represent the first “FMC” services to be launched by the carrier that combine its wireline and wireless assets and services. While several cellular handset vendors and PBX vendors are already offering premises based solutions to extend PBX functionality to cellular devices, carrier-managed services offer another option, especially relevant to smaller companies without a PBX or without extensive internal support resources. The choice of whether to use a managed vs. unmanaged solution depends on the customer’s existing resources and infrastructure investments. The new mobile conferencing service doesn’t quite fit in with the other two offerings as an “FMC” solution, but offers some useful functionality for remote workers. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to Verizon Business as not only are PBX extension services necessary to be competitive, but the messaging regarding the carrier’s integration of Verizon Wireless services into its overall services portfolio is important. Mobility via cellular access is rapidly becoming one of the most important growth segments in the business telecommunications segment; remote workers can benefit significantly from a cost and ease-of-use perspective if their cell phone can be treated as an extension of their corporate PBX with one-number/single-mailbox access. Additionally, it is very important for Verizon Business to leverage its ownership of Verizon Wireless in terms of not only business bundles and discounts, but via actual service integration. • Market Impact: Moderate on the business services segment as the market for PBX extension has been heating up this year, and non-carrier enterprise-managed solutions from wireless device vendors (RIM and Nokia), as well as IP telephony vendors (Cisco, Avaya, Alcatel-Lucent, Siemens, etc.) are already seeding the market with do-it-yourself options. While Embarq, AT&T, and Sprint offer managed carrier services for PBX extension to cellular devices, other U.S. carriers have been noticeably silent. To complicate things further, 2007/2008 seems to be the time period in which dual-mode devices will become more widely available, and carriers have to decide whether it is in their best interest to support them. In-building signal boosters and zoned pricing options will help, but enterprise users may find VoWLAN/cellular combos to be more compelling. NEC Debuts Dual-core Switch, CWDM Access Platform| Analyst: Jason Marcheck | Optical Infrastructure | Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 -- NEC announced the North American availability of its SpectralWave MW0500-series, a CWDM service delivery platform for metropolitan access and cable networks. Prior to its North American launch, the product has been deployed in telco and cable networks around the world, primarily in Japan. The product is being launched in North America to target metro access networks where low-cost WDM solutions can help overcome bottlenecks that exist beyond the last mile. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on the news that NEC is unveiling a dual-core switch and a CWDM access platform for the North American market, because both products help NEC to address new areas of opportunity in the world’s largest telecom market: aggregation, mobile backhaul, and driving WDM capacity deep into the access network. Although new to North America, both products that NEC announced have been deployed in Japan for several years, lending immediate credibility to the offerings. At the same time, NEC is not nearly as well known as an optical vendor in North America as it is in Japan, meaning it will likely face hurdles as it tries to position its products against a number of competing solutions that already exist and promise many of the same benefits. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to NEC, because the new product introductions will almost certainly result in some pull-through sales in accounts where NEC already has a presence. However, the fact is that the Japanese vendor provides very little marketing support for its optical products in North America, arguing that widespread success in new accounts is rather unlikely. • Market Impact: Low on the optical infrastructure market, because much of what NEC announced can be found in the portfolios of many better-positioned competitors in the North American market. As such, while NEC should be able to mine sales through existing customer accounts, the vendor has not traditionally been an aggressive competitor in North America, thus minimizing the threat that NEC brings to bear in accounts where it does not already have a presence. Alcatel-Lucent Ups the FTTx Ante Again with 7330 and 7342 Enhancements for North American Platforms| Analyst: Erik Keith | Broadband Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 – Alcatel-Lucent announced its Release 3.4 of its 7330 ISAM Fiber-to-the-Node (FTTN) platform for the North American market; major enhancements include a 4eight-port VDSL2 line card with bonding and a POTS line termination card. The company also announced enhancements to its 7342 ISAM Fiber-to-the-User (FTTU) solution with the introduction of Release 4.4 (also for the North American market); among the new features on this gigabit passive optical network (GPON) solution are quad port line cards, which double system capacity, and a compact multiple dwelling unit (MDU) optical network terminal (ONT). Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on Alcatel-Lucent’s ISAM 7330 Release 3.4 and 7342 Release 4.4, respectively, as these latest ISAM releases provide throughput/density upgrades and expanded service capabilities to the existing Alcatel-Lucent ISAM series, which is already extensively deployed in operator networks worldwide. These particular releases address the important North American market, where Alcatel-Lucent’s ISAM customers include Tier 1 operators AT&T and Verizon, which are leveraging the 7330 and 7342 for FTTN and FTTP/GPON network upgrades as key enabling technologies for the U-verse and FiOS services, respectively. While Alcatel-Lucent is not lacking for customer validation in the access market, customer wins with U.S. operators Momentum and Connexion Technologies (announced today) further bolster the company’s position. • Vendor Importance: High to Alcatel-Lucent, as these enhancements to its ISAM 7330 and 7342 series address the evolving requirements of the company’s key operator customers for higher bandwidth per subscriber, higher subscriber port density/scalability and expanded multi-play service support, for both FTTN and FTTP networks. With the latest ISAM releases, Alcatel-Lucent has addressed both of these operator imperatives, i.e., with the 7330’s VDSL2 bonding capability, and with the new four-port GPON optical line terminal (OLT) cards for the 7342 FTTU platform. • Market Impact: High on the North American broadband access/FTTx market, as Alcatel-Lucent commands a very strong position in this geographic market, especially in terms of Tier 1 operator presence/incumbency. AT&T, which is deploying the 7330 series extensively as the primary FTTN access platform delivering advanced consumer multi-play services to >17 million customers under the U-verse banner, will certainly appreciate (and leverage) the 7330 enhancements; and both AT&T and Verizon will be better poised to address their respective GPON network build-outs with the new four-port GPON OLT card and the other 4.4 components (which include a new MDU ONT, expanded support for packet voice services and IGMPv3). UTStarcom Diversifies GEPON Dimension of FTTx Portfolio| Analyst: Ron Westfall | Broadband Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 - UTStarcom, a global equipment provider of IP-based, end-to-end networking solutions and services, announced an extension of its fiber-to-the-x (FTTx) product suite, a platform delivering a mix of revenue-generating applications for next-generation voice, video, and data services. The new products are making their debut at UTStarcom's booth at NXTcomm from June 18-21, 2007 in Chicago. The two new products are the iAN8K B1000, a unified multiservice access platform that supports various services including DSL and PON applications, and the BBS 4000, a high-density FTTx platform. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on UTStarcom’s unveiling of two new additions to its FTTx product mix, because the new products show that GEPON technology remains a viable option for carriers, such as international CLECs, to deploy as a cost-effective method for rapidly enabling multi-play interactive services that are differentiated from incumbent multi-play and video service offerings. • Vendor Importance: Moderate to UTStarcom, since the company needed to add the iAN8K B1000 multimedia network edge and BBS 4000 optical line terminal (OLT) products to complement the iAN8K B110 IP-DSLAM, iAN8K B120 ADSL2+ and VoIP combo, and BBS 1000+ OLT products to extend further the deployment versatility of its FTTx product suite and yield a more robust GEPON platform proposition. This enables UTStarcom to counter the numerous PON/FTTx product development and marketing initiatives that have saturated the market lately, including the NXTcomm trade show event. Equally importantly, however, it will help drive sales and marketing efforts on behalf of its RollingStream IPTV solution set. • Market Impact: Moderate on the FTTP market, as UTStarcom already unveiled the building blocks of its GEPON platform and related FTTx product offerings in 2005, and the latest GEPON-based FTTx product extensions to the overall FTTx product suite will not catch PON/FTTx rivals off guard. Still, the TvTel endorsement serves as a reminder that GEPON will remain relevant to the business cases and aspirations of carriers outside the top-tier seeking ways to deploy differentiated multi-play service offerings rapidly and cost-effectively. Nortel Enhances OME 6500; Debuts new MSPP; Creates PBT Incubator| Analyst: Jason Marcheck | Optical Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 – Nortel announced that it was releasing enhancements to its OME 6500 metro edge optical transport platform in the form of a new PDH interface and ROADM capabilities. The PDH capabilities are designed to allow operators to transport Ethernet over copper lines, rather requiring fiber optic plant. The ROADM capabilities, while an important addition to the OME 6500 could signal a shift away from the vendor’s previous CPL approach to implementing ROADM in metro networks. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on Nortel’s announcement that it is incorporating ROADM and a PDH gateway into the OME 6500 metro edge platform. As more operators seek to leverage Ethernet transport, the ability to leverage copper-based infrastructure provides valuable flexibility as carriers seek to migrate their networks, rather than cut over all at once. At the same time, ROADM capabilities are an undeniably important aspect of any next-generation optical transport offering, and adding it to the OME 6500 should bolster the product’s value in carriers’ eyes. • Vendor Importance: High to Nortel, because on the one hand, the move shows that Nortel is continuing to innovate with its optical portfolio – something that it has not been very active in doing over the past 12 months. Adding new capabilities designed to address evolving carrier needs is a good sign that Nortel still views the optical market as strategically important. On the other hand, the move to incorporate ROADM into a single platform seems to be a departure from its CPL approach, which was designed to enable ROADM throughout the network; possibly an admission that the CPL hasn’t been a hit with operators. • Market Impact: Low to moderate on the optical infrastructure market, because while Nortel isn’t announcing anything exactly novel, it is traditionally a strong optical competitor. As such, the news that Nortel is beefing up its portfolio to provide better support for Ethernet, and potentially a more cost effective approach to ROADM should make the OME 6500 a more attractive product; thereby making it easier for Nortel to push the product through a network of already established sales channels. GPON Landslide Continues - Ericsson Looks to Trump Rivals with AT&T Deployment and 320 Gbps| Analyst: Erik Keith | Broadband Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 – Ericsson announced the debut of its new 320 Gbps GPON solution at NXTComm 2007, several days after AT&T announced that Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson have been selected to provide equipment for the planned deployment of Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) in "new build" areas of AT&T affiliates' local service territories, as part of the overall U-verse network strategy. Ericsson’s status as a second supplier of GPON gear to AT&T, rumored for several quarters, is now confirmed. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Positive on AT&T’s announcement that its GPON supplier roster now includes Ericsson. Although Ericsson (and Entrisphere before it) was rumored to have won a portion of AT&T’s FTTP/GPON network upgrade, AT&T’s public disclosure that Ericsson has joined Alcatel-Lucent as a GPON supplier is a tremendous boost for Ericsson, representing its first Tier 1 win in the North American wireline access market. However, what remains to be defined is what portion of the AT&T GPON build will be Ericsson vis-ŕ-vis Alcatel-Lucent; at this point the odds are high that Alcatel-Lucent will own the lion’s share. • Vendor Importance: High to Ericsson, which needed the AT&T endorsement to establish both customer/market validation for its Entrisphere-sourced GPON solution set (which Ericsson acquired in February 2007 after several quarters of rumors to that effect), as well as to establish a strong beachhead in the still very high-potential North American market. In fact, AT&T’s selection of the Entrisphere solution was likely tied to Ericsson’s acquisition, per AT&T’s preference for a Tier 1 equipment vendor to provide the product development, manufacturing and professional services/integration resources. • Market Impact: High on the FTTP/GPON sector, as AT&T’s build-out effectively represents what will be the second-largest GPON network in North America (approximately 1 million homes, behind Verizon’s multi-million line FiOS network). Even if Ericsson’s GPON gear serves a fraction of the U-verse FTTP subscriber base (10% to 20%), this is still a critically important win for Ericsson, and establishes the company as a strong threat in this region, alongside Alcatel-Lucent, Tellabs and Motorola. ReefPoint Helps Samsung with Femtocells| Analyst: Peter Jarich | Wireless Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 18, 2007 – ReefPoint Systems announced a distribution agreement with Samsung Electronics: ReefPoint will supply its Universal Convergence Gateway (UCG) and IP-Base Station Gateway to be integrated into Samsung’s UbiCell femtocell solution. The gateways will enable operators to integrate femtocells into their existing mobile networks by delivering security functionality, user authorization, network and user policies, and traffic shaping. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on Samsung’s new distribution agreement with ReefPoint. Following the launch of its UbiCell femtocell solution, working with ReefPoint signals a deeper commitment to the market and rounds out its offer…all while pairing it with a seasoned FMC supporter. Given Samsung’s market reach, ReefPoint also benefits. Ultimately, however, ReefPoint does not deliver the Korean vendor a complete femtocell integration solution – leaving parts of its femtocell strategy yet undefined. • Vendor Importance: High to Samsung because, by themselves, the company’s femtocells do not deliver a complete FMC solution. Femtocells must be integrated into an operator’s mobile voice and data core. ReefPoint provides border gateway products supporting this integration…yet, largely limited to security functions. Therefore, ReefPoint still leaves part of Samsung’s solution lacking, limiting the ultimate importance of the partnership. • Market Impact: Moderate on the wireless infrastructure market because the deal signals that Samsung is truly interested in the femtocell opportunity and ready to build a complete solution and improves the company’s offer. What’s more, following UMA work with Kineto and Alcatel-Lucent, it positions ReefPoint as a credible FMC supporter. Yet, until Samsung pulls in additional partners, its femtocell solution will remain incomplete – and, even then, it will need to be proven with trials and deployments. ECI Increases Capacity and Reach of XDM Platform| Analyst: Jason Marcheck | Optical Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
June 19, 2007 – ECI Telecom enhanced the capacity and reach of its XDM multi-service optical transport platform by adding support for 80 DWDM channels and 2,000 km transmissions. Although both performance metrics are widely available in most competing long-haul platforms, support for the capabilities makes the XDM portfolio a more complete offering in the wake of new long-haul build-outs in emerging markets. The product enhancements are scheduled for general availability near the end of 2007. Analytical Summary • Current Perspective: Slightly positive on ECI’s announcement that it has increased the capacity and reach of the XDM platform to support 80 DWDM channels and 2,000 km, respectively. Although similar – and in most cases much more robust – capabilities have been available in competing long-haul platforms for years, ECI has mainly focused its XDM product line on metro networks in the past. This move opens up opportunities for the XDM to serve as an end-to-end optical transport solution, especially in emerging markets where the Israeli vendor is well positioned. • Vendor Importance: High to ECI, because typically not known as long-haul vendor, the improvements to the XDM platform now extends the applicability of ECI’s offer to meet requirements from access through long-haul implementations. Beyond opening up new opportunity in emerging markets where long-haul build-outs are ramping up, the new capabilities also make the XDM a more attractive option for carriers in mature markets that are looking to extend ROADM capabilities to regional networks. • Market Impact: Low on the optical infrastructure market, because on one hand, the improvements to the XDM platform make ECI a more competitive rival in market segments that it has traditionally not been a serious contender (i.e., regional and long-haul networks). On the other hand, the fact remains that most of ECI’s competitors have supported 80 channels and 2,000 km transmissions for years – meaning it should be pretty easy to make the argument that ECI is coming late to market with a solution that backbone operators have expected for years. Ciena Bulks Up the CN 4200 Platform, Releases Fourfold Capacity Increase| Analyst: Jason Marcheck | Optical Infrastructure | Client Access
Announcement Summary
|
