Broadband Briefs for 12/10/07
* Juniper opens Junos application development
By Brian Santo
Juniper Networks announced the Partner Solution Development Platform (PSDP), which enables customers and partners to develop routing and service applications using the company’s Junos software. Customers can use the PSDP software development kit to develop applications such as event-optimized routing, customized bandwidth management, advanced security services and extended operations toolsets.
Access to the PSDP technology, as well as technical and business support, is through Juniper’s Open IP Solution Development Program for customers and partners. The PSDP will be available through an annual licensing program. The inaugural program members include Aricent and Avaya, among others.
* AT&T debuts U-verse in St. Louis
By Mike Robuck
Starting today, AT&T will be taking orders for its U-verse video service in parts of the St. Louis area.
Aside of St. Louis, the communities that will get the U-verse service include Ballwin, Bridgeton, Chesterfield, Clayton, Creve Coeur, Florissant, Kirkwood, Maryland Heights, Mehlville, Oakville, Olivette, Sappington, Shrewsbury, St. Charles, St. Peters, University City and Webster Groves. AT&T said it would continue to expand the availability of its fiber-to-the-curb service on an ongoing basis.
Aside of competing with satellite providers in the St. Louis area, AT&T will go head-to-head with Charter Communications. Charter recently announced it will increase its HD lineup and offer a lower-priced triple play bundle for $69.99 instead of its standard price of $99.99.
After a slower than expected start that was partially due to a lack of set-top boxes, AT&T announced in September that it has 126,000 U-verse customers in 18 markets nationwide.
* Comcast hires lobbyist for digital TV
By Mike Robuck
The Associated Press reported last week that Comcast has hired LeClair Ryan to lobby the federal government on its behalf. Citing Senate records posted online Nov. 15, Comcast will lobby for digital television and telecom issues and proposed legislation that prohibits states from imposing taxes on video programming services.
* JDSU bows new analyzer for fiber characterization
By Mike Robuck
JDSU rolled out its new Optical Dispersion Measurement (ODM) module for the T-BERD/MTS-6000 and T-BERD/MTS-8000.
Offering chromatic dispersion (CD), polarization mode dispersion (PMD) and attenuation profile test functions in a single plug-in module, the ODM is a compact and integrated dispersion product dedicated to field testing fiber optic networks, including access, metro and core networks. The module includes a patented solution for CD measurement.
“As cable and telecom network operators continue to deploy fiber networks to meet the world’s increasing broadband needs, they need the right tools to ensure fiber links operate as flawlessly as possible,” said Enzo di Luigi, general manager of JDSU’s fiber optics Communications Test and Measurement group, in a statement. “The ODM module meets this challenge by enabling efficiency through an integrated solution and offering the best dispersion performance available in a field test solution, which is needed to test most fiber networks, from short or long distance unrepeated networks to aerial and amplified networks.”
* Synacor names Kim VP of engineering
By Mike Robuck
Synacor, which builds Internet tools for digital media, announced today that Chung Kim was named vice president of engineering. Prior to joining Synacor, Kim was director of product development at Media Data Corp.