• Syniverse gets Cox wireless deal
By Brian Santo
Cox Communications has contracted with Syniverse Technologies to support its CDMA mobile voice network with a suite of mobile messaging, roaming, and other network applications.
The deal extends an existing business relationship; Syniverse supports Cox’s SS7 class services.
A pair of Syniverse NEXT messaging solutions, SMS Interworking Gateway (SMS-IG) and MMS Interworking Gateway (MMS-IG), provide subscribers with seamless text and multimedia messaging to users on other networks.
For roaming, Syniverse’s Data Clearing House for CDMA – Access and Financial Settlement Services ensure a comprehensive, end-to-end clearing process. In addition, 1xRTT/EV-DO delivers high-speed mobile data roaming, while Visibility Services enable operators to work faster and smarter by providing near real-time data about inbound and outbound roamers, the vendor said.
Syniverse has been leveraging its entrenchment in the mobile market to attract other customers moving into the mobile market, including cable companies and VoIP carriers. The company recently signed a deal with Videotron.
“The Syniverse solutions provide the necessary tools to deliver a high-quality mobile experience for Cox customers,” said Stephen Bye, Cox’s vice president of wireless. “Syniverse’ industry leadership has been valuable as we continue to build Cox’s CDMA network.”
• VidePropulsion targets cable market
By Brian Santo
VideoPropulsion has arranged to have value-added reseller (VAR) Mega Hertz represent its products in the cable television and IPTV markets. The key thrust for VideoPropulsion is gaining greater penetration for its FloodGate products in the hospitality HDTV market.
Craig Snelgrove, VideoPropulsion vice president of sales, said “We also intend to introduce new products that capitalize on our core technology strengths in stream management, transcoding, encryption, and decryption. Mega Hertz is the ideal partner that is closely tuned to these markets to identify and promote strategic new opportunities.”
VideoPropulsion’s FloodGate line includes products for satellite and CATV transcription, as well as OEM computer modules for a variety of applications, including streaming, multiplexing, demultiplexing, modulation, demodulation, transcoding, encryption, and splicing MPEG formatted data.
• Red Bee hires HP exec as CTO
By Brian Santo
Red Bee Media has appointed Brian Levy as director and chief technology officer, effective February 1. Levy joins Red Bee from Hewlett Packard, where he was the worldwide vice president and CTO for the Communications and Media Solutions software business.
Prior to joining HP, Levy was group technology officer for service strategy and innovation at British Telecom, where he helped develop the service oriented architecture for the network and conceived and developed many new services such as BT Vision and BT FON, Red Bee said.
Red Bee specializes in media management. The company has expertise in video management systems, multi-platform delivery, localization, and metadata used for navigation, catalogs, guides and recommendation engines.
Levy replaces Bob Johnson as CTO.
• Airspan to enable LigTel’s WiMAX
By Brian Santo
LigTel Communications in Indiana is preparing to offer WiMAX service, using equipment purchased from Airspan Networks.
Airspan’s MicroMAXd and HiperMAX products will be the basis for a dual frequency network operating in the 700 MHz and 3.65 GHz frequency bands. The network will support high-speed data, carrier-class voice, Wi-Fi integration, advanced frequency reuse and true non-line-of-sight (NLOS) operation, Airspan said.
LigTel’s network serves residents and businesses of several counties in Northeastern Indiana.
• Iowa gets $6.6 million to expand broadband
By AP Staff
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Tom Harkin says about $6.6 million in federal funding is headed for Iowa to establish broadband internet access to businesses and residents in rural communities.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is distributing the money at the behest of Harkin, who is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee.
In announcing the funds, Harkin called broadband internet access a necessary utility for people conducting business and students to do their homework. The Democrat said for small towns to thrive and rural businesses to stay competitive, it is important that resources are provided to connect Iowans with a critical utility.
Most of the funding will be going to CMLTelephone Cooperative Association and F & B Communications, Inc., to provide services through a fiber optic network to their customers in rural Cherokee, O’Brien, Cedar and Clinton counties.
