News
FREE Email Newsletter
Daily news and top headlines for broadband communications engineering and design professionals
Motorola lays off another 4,000
March 22, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsSchaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola Inc. will eliminate 4,000 more positions across its Commercial, Government and Industrial Solutions Sector; the Global Telecommunications Solutions Sector; and the Broadband Communications Sector. Last week, Motorola had announced 7,000 layoffs in its cellphone and pager divisions, and has announced 22,000 cut positions from its 147,000-worker force since December.
Philips/Sun team tech on streaming media
March 22, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsUnder a nonbinding agreement, Royal Philips Electronics and Sun Microsystems will develop streaming multimedia for emerging broadband media, VOD and mobile wireless markets. The deal allows the duo to combine technical resources on a turnkey reference solution for broadband media, based on MPEG-4 technology.
Starz veep touts 100% digital
March 22, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsGet with the program, a Starz Encore Group LLC senior VP tells the cable industry. On a "Premium Goes Digital" panel at the CTAM Digital and Pay-Per-View Conference in New Orleans, Senior VP for Marketing and Business Development Mike Hale said cable must change its mindset to win the digital war or risk being left behind.
Fastnet deploys fixed wireless
March 22, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsFastnet Corp. reports the connection of its first fixed wireless customer. Clark Media Inc., in Bethlehem, Pa., launches Fastnet's deployment of fixed wireless Internet access in two of Fastnet's eight core markets. Clark Media reports the speedier connections allow it to start using the Internet to interact with video production clients, including showing projects to remote clients in real time.
3Com reorganizing; halts Net appliances
March 21, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsAn overall market yawn over Net appliances took a solid turn with 3Com's decision to discontinue its Internet appliances, including the Audrey and a planned Kerbango Internet radio. The move comes as part of 3Com's reported third-quarter losses of 36 cents a share and subsequently announced restructuring.
Intel switch hits Proxim stock
March 21, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsIntel's decision yesterday to ditch HomeRF for WiFi (802.11B) standards in its home networking products shot down share prices on Proxim stock. Proxim, a licensor and supplier of HomeRF technology for other companies, saw prices fall $5.88 a share to $9 per. Undaunted, Proxim says it can weather the storm, partly through a new and expanded distribution strategy, and noted that Motorola, Compaq ...
Lucent stalls Agere IPO; signs European contracts
March 21, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsEven as it stalls a spinoff's IPO for the week amid slurs about its stocks, Lucent Technologies hit the headlines with news of overseas contracts and customers. Agere, Lucent's optical-components spinoff, was to issue a $6.5 billion IPO this week, but observers say debt problems - some $8.1 billion as of Dec.
Alcatel supplies China with DSL gear
March 21, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsAlcatel just signed a multiyear deal with China Telecommunications Corp. to deploy about 50 percent of the equipment CTC needs for DSL in China. Estimates differ, since the deal will depend on market growth and the equipment needed in various provinces, but some set the contract at between $70 million and $225 million in the first year.
Optical's mesh bypasses last-mile copper
March 21, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsOptical Access Inc. just released the Optical Access Mesh, a meshed, wireless optical solution that lets service providers and carriers deploy fast, inexpensive, high-speed broadband access in the last mile, Optical reports. The optical wireless system has a built-in radio frequency wireless backup system that designed to reduce the weather-related downtime of free-space optics.
Netgear's router filters home surfers
March 21, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsNetgear Inc. just launched its new RP114 Cable/DSL Web Safe Router. The router, part of a home-networking line that uses an Internet connection via DSL or cable modem and with hacker safeguards, has added a filtering capability that lets parents monitor and restrict their children's surfing. The RP114 also gives parents logs of those sites, NAT routing that hides users' IP addresses from hacker...
New VOD/ITV team to go global
March 20, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsConcurrent Computer Corp. and Pace Micro Technology plc are combining their technologies to deliver video-on-demand and interactive digital video services. Concurrent integrates its MediaHawk broadband VOD systems with Pace's digital home gateways to support such high-bandwidth digital broadband delivery systems as hybrid fiber coax (HFC), DSL and ATM transport networks.
Set-top gets ITV software
March 20, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsSilicon Valley-based EnReach Technology Inc. integrated its digital TV software on Broadcom Corp.'s set-top box reference platform. The combination blends EnReachTV interactive services, such as Web browsing, e-mail, personal video recording and enhanced TV, with Broadcom's BCM93710 set-top platform, and presumably will reduce manufacturing time and cost-to-market for cable set-top providers.
Intel drops HomeRF for Wi-Fi
March 20, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsJust as the HomeRF standard for wireless networking was preparing a major upgrade, chipmaker Intel switched its allegiance and will manufacture its networking products to the Wi-Fi standard, a.k.a. 802.11b. Intel uses Wi-Fi as its corporate standard and previously used HomeRF as the home standard. The home wireless networking market is expected to reach $7.
COMDEV sets sites on DSL/cable costs
March 20, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsCOM DEV Wireless, a division of COM DEV International Ltd., just launched the M/ERGY high-speed wireless data system. Hardware and software for the packet-switched data system let service providers provide high-speed wireless Internet access, including full mobility at speeds up to 120 mph and voice-over IP capability, at a lower cost than cable modem or DSL service, the company touts.
Optical/Corning promote FTTH
March 20, 2001 7:00 pm | by Anne Kerven | CommentsOptical Solutions Inc. has partnered with Corning Inc. to accelerate acceptance of fiber-to-the-home. Under the agreement, Corning will provide passive optical network (PON) infrastructure components and solutions, while Optical Solutions will reciprocate with FTTH system information. While deploying fiber and optical, the two will combine resources in marketing, training and support to develop...
