Hitachi intros 100G optical transport platform
By CED staff

Hitachi Communication Technologies America has debuted the AMN6400, a next-generation optical transport platform based on a 100 Gbps architecture.

The AMN6400 Advanced Packet/Optical Transport platform combines the functions of next-gen SONET, DWDM and packet-based systems into a single platform, offering network operators a smooth transition from legacy, circuit-switched networks to a packet-based environment.

According to Scott Wilkinson, Hitachi’s vice president of product management and system engineering: “The goal of the AMN6400 product development effort is to enable a ‘leap frog’ effect, in which the basic system architecture is optimized for native 100G and higher operation . This makes the AMN6400 the most advanced transport and switching platform available. The system offers the flexibility not only to accommodate the ever-increasing bandwidth requirements being generated by a wide variety of applications at all levels of the network, but also offers improved operational capabilities through increased integration of multiple functions into a single, centrally managed, packet-based platform.”

Rudder saves with new management software
By Brian Santo

Satellite and broadband services provider Rudder Capital Corp. said it installed Creative Vistas’ OSS-IM View field services and business intelligence (BI) software. Rudder said it installed the software six months ago, and since then it calculates it has saved $175,000 and projects overall savings of $400,000 for the full first year.

Rudder said its charge-backs and lost equipment costs have been reduced sharply from 14 percent of revenue to a range of 3 to 4 percent. Other benefits include improved resource and asset management, increased financial control, improved dispatch and risk management and higher customer satisfaction.

Creative Vistas’ OSS-IM View software is a business intelligence tool that manages data from more than 1 million multi-faceted transactions for large field-services customers.  Wireless and Web-enabled, the software provides automated intelligent decision-making for managing customer transactions, vehicles, technicians, supply chains, HR-related functions and other activities. It automates and reports on virtually every aspect throughout the supply/delivery chain, the company said.

Ad agencies urge DOJ to OK Yahoo, Microsoft deal
By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) – Major advertising and marketing agencies are urging antitrust reviewers to approve a proposed online search partnership between Yahoo and Microsoft.

The American Association of Advertising Agencies says the deal would enhance competition and benefit advertisers, Web sites and consumers. Joining the trade group in a letter to the Justice Department are four major ad agencies: Publicis Group, WPP, Interpublic Group and Omnicom Group.

Under the 10-year agreement announced in July, Microsoft Corp.'s Bing search engine would process all search requests and steer search-related ads on Yahoo Inc.'s Web site. The companies want to team up to compete with Google Inc., which dominates the online search marketplace.