| This week's sponsor is Qualcomm. |  | Webinar: The 1000x challenge; More Spectrum - How, how much and from where?
Tuesday, September 18th, 12pm ET / 9am PT In our quest for solutions to the 1000x mobile data challenge, the next stop is to explore options for more spectrum. Join us to understand where you can get more of it, at which bands and what innovative methods are needed to unlock it. Register Today! |
Today's Top Stories
1. Firms turn to desktop videoconferencing to improve virtual meetings
2. Data center virtualization fuels security concerns
3. WAN optimization segment posts double digit recovery
4. Skype to improve VoIP call quality using new audio standard
5. Blue Jeans Network looks for snug fit with Salesforce.com customers Editor's Corner: Speed up the standards approval process Also Noted: EXFO
Spotlight On... Spotlight: Cisco, EMC cooperate to speed cloud adoption
Got2Voip Hosted iPBX: Residential and Business VoIP services now accessible; Unified communications gain ground with manufacturers, service providers, banks and much more...  Tying the data center and WAN worlds: Dennis Brouwer, Savvis
Dennis Brouwer, General Manager, Converged Cloud and Global Network Solutions for Savvis, admits he's still a relative newcomer to the cloud and hosted services game, having joined the company in May 2008. Following CenturyLink's acquisition of Savvis last year, Brouwer was tasked with tying together the data center world of Savvis with the WAN worlds that CenturyLink brings to bear from its own legacy operations and its acquisition of Qwest Communications. A key goal of Savvis is to move up the stack into managing applications for business customers. Sean Buckley, FierceTelecom's Senior Editor, caught up with Brouwer recently to talk about the integration of Savvis into CenturyLink's fold and the trends taking place in the data center and cloud services market segment. On the Hot Seat
 Follow @FierceEntComm on Twitter!
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Speed up the standards approval process
After two long years, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) finally approved an open standard that makes a major improvement in voice quality over the Internet. The Opus audio codec was designed and developed by a group of high-tech companies including Microsoft's Skype, Mozilla and Broadcom, to name a few (see related story). The group developed the standard more than two years ago and submitted it to the IETF in September 2010. And waited. After two years of deliberation, the IETF, which is a community of network designers, operators, vendors and researchers brought together by the Internet Society, finally approved it. Much of the delay stemmed from opposition from companies that already had proprietary standards, according to Jean-Marc Valin and Timothy Terriberry, two of the Opus developers. As they noted in a Mozilla blog, the work on Opus actually began over three years ago. Obviously, standards bodies have to include representatives from a broad range of companies, including those who have a vested interest in blocking progress. But there comes a time when reaching a consensus becomes less important than getting improvements to the market. The long-delayed Opus standard is a case in point. --Fred Read more about: Skype
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| Sponsor: ITEXPO FierceLive! Webinars > The 1000x challenge; More Spectrum - How, how much and from where? - Tuesday, September 18th, 12pm ET / 9am PT
> Implementing Connected Solutions: M2M and the Connected Life - Wednesday, September 19, 11am ET / 8am PT
> Telco-OTT: the Good, the Fast and the Nimble - Thursday, September 27, 11am ET / 8am PT
> Carrier Ethernet woes? Here's an economical approach to improving operational efficiency and network visibility - Wednesday, October 10, 11am ET / 8am PT / 3pm GMT
Events > ITEXPO 2012 - October 2-5 - Austin, TX
> Cloud Communications Expo 2012 - October 2-5 - Austin, TX
> Cloud4SMB Expo 2012 - October 2-5 - Austin, TX
> Video World Conference & Expo 2012 - October 3-5 - Austin, TX
> COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2012 Convention and EXPO - October 7-10, 2012 - Gaylord Texan, Dallas, Texas
Marketplace > Research: LTE: a real disruptive technology and business opportunity?
> Whitepaper: Online Video Publishing Buying Tips
> Whitepaper: How to Master the Art of Content Marketing
> Whitepaper: Leveraging Website Marketing: Top 10 Website Solution Capabilities
> EBook: Unified Communications, Where it is, Where it's Going
> Whitepaper: Improving Content Publishing Workflow Efficiency for Multi-Device Delivery
> Whitepaper: Case Study: 4G Operator Maximizes Revenue with Flexibile, and Discovery-driven Audit Capabilities
> EBook: The New Data Center
> Whitepaper: Save 30-50% on Telecom Costs ? Free IntelePeer White Paper Shows How
> Webinar: Save 30-50% on Telecom Costs - Free IntelePeer White Paper Shows How
> EBook: Finding New Gold in Copper
Jobs > Public Safety DAS Engineer - Houston, TX - Connectivity Wireless Solutions
> Project Manager - Washington, D.C. – IT WORKS!
> Project Coordinator Job - Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ, USA – Yoh
> Project / Construction Coordinator Job - St. Louis, MO, USA – Yoh
> Telecommunications Project Coordinator Job - Overland Park, KS, USA – Yoh
> Network Test Engineer Job - Overland Park, KS, USA – Yoh
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* General ad info: Click here | Today's Top News 1. Firms turn to desktop videoconferencing to improve virtual meetings
Firms are increasingly looking to desktop videoconferencing to improve the quality of their virtual meetings, observed Forrester analyst Philipp Karcher in a new report. A majority of the more than 1,000 firms surveyed by Forrester this year said they plan to adopt desktop videoconferencing, with more than 40 percent planning to adopt high definition room-based videoconferencing, and around 25 percent looking at immersive telepresence technology. "In a work culture dominated by virtual meetings, more firms are looking to videoconferencing to replicate the in-person experience that employees prefer--or at least make voice conversations more engaging by fostering the trust and improved communications that comes with being able to read the other person's body language," according to The Forrester Wave: Room-Based Videoconferencing, Q3 2012 report. "Mobile executives want video for better work-life balance, managers want it to see that their direct reports aren't distracted, and multicultural organizations want it to foster the trust and improved communication that comes with being able to read the body language of remote team members," said the report. The report noted that there has been a move from high-cost, high-definition videoconferencing and multiscreen immersive telepresence studios to cloud-based alternatives that use PCs, smartphones and tablets to connect employees. Karcher identified a number of videoconferencing market trends: - momentum toward desktop and mobile videoconferencing,
- less competition to provide immersive three-screen telepresence,
- a bifurcation of vendors along different flavors of the H.264 video codec,
- alternatives to expensive hard appliances on-premises,
- sourcing models that lower costs and skills barriers to using video
- and interest in integrating with unified communication environments.
Leaders in the videoconferencing market--Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), Polycom (NASDAQ: PLCM), LifeSize and Avaya's Radvision--have broad product portfolios with integration into unified communications (UC) infrastructure, while strong performers--Huawei, Teliris, Vidyo--are pursuing a more focused strategy, excelling in particular market niches or in particular regions, according to the Forrester report. The report added that Cisco and Polycom have the most options for immersive telepresence, room-based endpoints and desktop hardware units. The two firms, along with LifeSize, have comprehensive management platforms, recording and streaming capabilities, multiple deployment options, leading interoperability and options to integrate with UC platforms. For more:
- see Forrester's report Related articles:
Windstream, LifeSize partner to boost video conferencing for enterprises
Polycom launches new partner network, branding
Vidyo partners with GTS Central Europe, Microsoft, Barco Read more about: Polycom
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| This week's sponsor is ITEXPO. |  | | Join us this October at the world's largest communications & tech event... |
2. Data center virtualization fuels security concerns
As more organizations move their data centers into virtualized and cloud environments, security of that data has become an increasing concern. Once firms move data off-site, they have less control over who sees that data and how that data is protected. This security concern may fuel demand for data center security products. Infonetics Research predicts that the data center security appliance market will grow to $4.4 billion by 2016. This growth will set the stage for a market share battle among the leading data center security vendors: Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO)--with one-third of the global revenue in 2011--Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR), McAfee, HP (NYSE: HPQ) and Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT). Other vendors fighting for a piece of the pie include Trend Micro, Check Point (NASDAQ: CHKP), Arbor, Palo Alto (NYSE: PANW), SonicWall and F5 Networks (NASDAQ: FFIV), noted Jeff Wilson, principal analyst for security at Infonetics. Market leader Cisco is not content to rest on its laurels. The company this week launched a set of security products designed to protect high-capacity data centers in consolidated and virtualized environments. The new offerings include scalable software for the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) line, virtualized ASA for multitenant environments, a data-center-grade intrusion prevention system and improvements to the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client to meet the requirements of a mobile workforce. "There are big changes taking place in data centers right now… which are creating new security requirements," Jeff Aboud, marketing manager for enterprise network security at Cisco, told FierceEnterpriseCommunications. Aboud cited three broad changes taking place: - application traffic and network performance is increasing significantly, with a 3,000 percent increase expected by 2015,
- there is the accelerating movement to virtualization and cloud
- there is proliferation of devices in the enterprise, with each employee having an average of more than three devices.
"Data centers have to be able to deal with these changes. This is creating new security requirements," Aboud observed. To address these requirements, Cisco launched new products and updated existing products. "We are building solutions that integrate with the network fabric itself, as opposed to being a bolt-on as an afterthought," Aboud said. For more:
- see the Infonetics release
- see the Cisco release Related articles
Cisco's global enterprise chief Paul Mountford leaves company
Cisco posts $1.9 billion in net income in fiscal Q4 2012 Read more about: Cisco
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3. WAN optimization segment posts double digit recovery
The wide area network (WAN) optimization segment posted double digit revenue growth in the second quarter of 2012, bouncing back from a poor showing in the first quarter, according to market research firm Infonetics Research. Strong performances from Bluecoat, Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) and Riverbed Technology (NASDAQ: RVBD) fueled the growth in the WAN optimization segment, according to Infonetics' second quarter 2012 data center network equipment market report. Riverbed dominates the WAN optimization segment with more than half of worldwide revenues in the second quarter, while Cisco is firmly in second place in the market. "The WAN optimization segment bounced back nicely from its train wreck in the first quarter to double-digit growth. However, we believe that market saturation will hamper any meaningful long-term growth in this space, driving the major players to eye adjacent markets for new revenue opportunities within established and loyal account bases," observed Sam Barnett, directing analyst for data center and cloud at Infonetics Research. The report also found that the application delivery controller (ADC) segment grew three percent in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter, while the year-over-year growth slowed to 13 percent, down from much higher levels in previous quarters. F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) retained its No. 1 spot in the market, followed by Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTXS), which continues to gain market share. "Despite modest improvement from the previous quarter, growth in application delivery controllers (ADCs) is slowing from a year ago, due in large part to the lower average selling price of virtual-based solutions. Though on a positive note, Infonetics expects virtual solutions to open the door for the penetration of ADC technology into small- and medium-sized businesses—an area that historically has not been targeted by the leading vendors in this space," Barnett commented. For more:
- see the Infonetics Research release Related articles:
Riverbed buys Mazu Networks for $25M cash Read more about: wan
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4. Skype to improve VoIP call quality using new audio standard
Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Skype unit revealed plans this week to significantly improve its call quality now that the Opus open standard has received approval from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standards body. Opus is an audio codec standard designed to handle a range of interactive audio applications, including VoIP, videoconferencing, in-game chat and live music performances. It scales from low bitrate narrowband speech at six kilobits per second to very high quality stereo music at 510 kilobits per second. Skype has used its own SILK audio codec since January 2009, but it will now transition to the new Opus specification. Karlheinz Wurm, audio/video product engineering director for Skype, explained in a blog that Skype initiated the idea of developing and standardizing a codec built specifically for the Internet back in March 2009. The company submitted the new codec to the IETF in September 2010. It was approved two years later. "Opus will make a quiet but crystal clear entry into the world--most people will take for granted the high sound fidelity when it arrives in the Skype client, through browsers and gateways, and we hope on mobile phones, game consoles and conference rooms, too," explained Wurm. Because it was designed for the Internet, Opus can adjust seamlessly to any of its operating modes, whether moving from 3G to WiFi or competing with the house next door for broadband bandwidth. Opus has "multiple mechanisms to deal with and recover from packet loss plaguing the network, making for fewer annoying gaps in conversation and lost moments in your precious calls," Wurm said. In addition to Skype, Mozilla, Xiph.Org, Octasic, Broadcom (NASDAQ: BRCM) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) worked with IETF on the Opus codec, related Jean-Marc Valin and Timothy Terriberry in a Mozilla blog. "Opus is the first state of the art, free audio codec to be standardized. We think this will help us achieve wider adoption than prior royalty-free codecs like Speex and Vorbis," they explained. Opus "can adapt seamlessly within these operating points. Doing all of this with proprietary codecs would require at least six different codecs. Opus replaces all of them, with better quality," they added. For more:
- see the Skype blog
- see the Mozilla blog Related stories:
Skype to roll out direct operator billing
Skype for iOS introduces photo sharing, reduces battery drain Read more about: audio codec, mozilla
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5. Blue Jeans Network looks for snug fit with Salesforce.com customers
With $50 million in its pocket from two recent funding rounds, Blue Jeans Network is going after Salesforce.com customers with the launch of a cloud-based videoconferencing service that integrates with the Salesforce.com platform. With this latest offering, Blue Jeans Network is bringing videoconferencing directly into the Salesforce.com application. The startup will demonstrate the service next week at Dreamforce 2012. Blue Jeans Network is looking to expand its customer base by going after the more than 100,000 sales and service professionals who use Salesforce.com. Bret Starr, founding partner of marketing firm The Starr Conspiracy and Salesforce.com customer, commented: "It's hard to sell and implement big ideas without looking people straight in the eye, gauging their reaction, and asking them to trust you. We are actually able to conduct more sales meetings with Blue Jeans because of the time we save by avoiding air travel. Blue Jeans is an asset to us in the sales cycle." The Salesforce.com product launch follows the debut in June of a cloud-based software platform that bridges the video conferencing systems of Cisco, Polycom, LifeSize and others, as well as software-based systems Skype, Microsoft Lync and Google, said Blue Jeans Network CEO Krish Ramakrishnan. In a recent report, research firm Forrester noted that cloud-based videoconferencing systems are becoming more popular. Cloud-based service offer connectivity to PCs, smartphones and tablets, the report related. Other firms offering cloud-based videoconferencing services include LifeSize, Teliris and Vidyo, which recently introduced a cloud-based service for interoperability with non-Vidyo endpoints, according to the The Forrester Wave: Room-Based Videoconferencing, Q3 2012 report. For more:
- see the Blue Jeans Network release
- visit the Forrester website Related stories:
Blue Jeans aims to make telepresence bridging a comfortable fit
Blue Jeans Network's 'MCU killer' launches
Survey: Most Americans want video-calling interoperability Read more about: cloud-based
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Also Noted | This week's sponsor is EXFO. | 
| Webinar: Carrier Ethernet woes? Here's an economical approach to improving operational efficiency and network visibility.
Wednesday, October 10, 11am ET / 8am PT / 3pm GMT
This webinar introduces a centralized Ethernet service activation and monitoring solution that enables network operators to deploy cost-effectively, accelerate time to revenue and boost operational efficiency, while optimizing subscriber experience. Register Today! |
SPOTLIGHT ON... Spotlight: Cisco, EMC cooperate to speed cloud adoption Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) and EMC (NYSE: EMC) are collaborating to accelerate customers' adoption of cloud computing. They are offering three paths to the cloud: custom-designed productized infrastructure, validated reference architecture tools for SMB and mid-market customers and pre-integrated converged infrastructure supporting virtual computing environment Vblock systems, explained Paul Robinson with Unified Communications Strategies. Read more More news from around the World Wide Web... > Got2Voip Hosted iPBX launches residential and business VoIP services. Release > Unified communications find favor with manufacturing sector, banks in India. Article > Tango Networks announces availability of small cells solution for extending mobile unified communications. Release > Why choose Windows Phone 8? You have one VoIP reason. Article > Viber VoIP app hits 100 million users, new platforms coming. Article And finally… How pizza helped create the Apple iPhone. Article > The 1000x challenge; More Spectrum - How, how much and from where? - Tuesday, September 18th, 12pm ET / 9am PT In our quest for solutions to the 1000x mobile data challenge, the next stop is to explore options for more spectrum. Join us to understand where you can get more of it, at which bands and what innovative methods are needed to unlock it. Register Today! > Implementing Connected Solutions: M2M and the Connected Life - Wednesday, September 19, 11am ET / 8am PT Within the next decade, billions of new Connected Life and M2M devices will be connected to mobile networks, providing consumers and businesses with an expanding array of applications, services and experiences. This webinar will provide a practical, in-depth look at how businesses today are realizing the opportunity presented by M2M and the Connected Life. Register Today! > Telco-OTT: the Good, the Fast and the Nimble - Thursday, September 27, 11am ET / 8am PT Service providers have been in a perennial battle with "over-the-top" internet vendors who leverage bandwidth but often do not play by the same regulatory or financial rules. Does it need to be a battle of us vs. them? Register Today! > Carrier Ethernet woes? Here's an economical approach to improving operational efficiency and network visibility - Wednesday, October 10, 11am ET / 8am PT / 3pm GMT This webinar introduces a centralized Ethernet service activation and monitoring solution that enables network operators to deploy cost-effectively, accelerate time to revenue and boost operational efficiency, while optimizing subscriber experience. Register Today!
| > ITEXPO 2012 - October 2-5 - Austin, TX The world's largest communications & tech event - discover more new insights, new products and networking to keep you and your company ahead of the curve. Join industry powerhouses for a week of business-building and researching today’s most powerful communications solutions. Register today. > Cloud Communications Expo 2012 - October 2-5 - Austin, TX Your questions about cloud solutions answered in a collaborative, interactive setting. Businesses seeking to integrate and leverage cloud-based applications, process enhancement techniques, and network-based communications gather to learn and deliberate about the options available. Register today. > Cloud4SMB Expo 2012 - October 2-5 - Austin, TX The first event of its kind focused on unique needs & challenges facing SMBs seeking to leverage the benefits of cloud computing. Designed specifically to provide attendees with the knowledge and information SMBs need to compete and succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. Register today. > Video World Conference & Expo 2012 - October 3-5 - Austin, TX The first-of-its-kind event focuses on the identification of opportunities, creation of strategies and monetization of new & enhanced video products for business & consumers. We’ve assembled the best & brightest industry minds to provide attendees the knowledge to boost their video IQ. Register now. > COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2012 Convention and EXPO - October 7-10, 2012 - Gaylord Texan, Dallas, Texas COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2012 Convention and EXPO, October 7-10, 2012, Gaylord Texan, Dallas, Texas
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