product news June 2004

NEXTONE UNLEASHES FLEXCONTROL FOR IP NETWORKS

NexTone Communications, provider of session controller technologies for real-time IP traffic, has unveiled FlexControl, a suite of advanced session-control capabilities that enables carriers to route, manage and control real-time traffic over their IP networks. The capabilities are named FlexRoute, FlexPolicy and FlexPeer.

FlexRoute lets carriers develop facilities to govern the routing of real-time traffic over their IP networks. It abstracts route policy from call signaling and enables a singlepolicy database for use with all VoIP endpoints regardless of vendor. FlexRoute offers support for more than 1 million route entries.

FlexPolicy helps carriers manage real-time traffic by enforcing network policies, such as call rate limiting for incoming, outgoing and total calls, on a virtual basis. Session-control policies such as controlling call rate, bandwidth rate and call capacity, can be logically applied to any entity, regardless of who controls it.

NexTone says FlexPeer software provides carriers with VoIP interoperability by adapting signaling messaging and timing so every partner is quickly connected in the most cost-effective way.

NEXTONE COMMUNICATIONS
101 Orchard Ridge Drive, Suite 300
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
+1 240 912 1300
www.nextone.com

INFO DIRECTIONS, AI METRIX OFFER INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS FOR IP NETWORKS

Billing vendor Info Directions Inc. and network management software provider Ai Metrix Inc., have agreed to integrate their CostGuard .NET OSS/BSS and NeuralStar products.

Both Info Direction’s CostGuard.NET and Ai Metrix’s NeuralStar are built on the Microsoft .NET platform, providing speed, flexibility and open interfaces.

CostGuard.NET offers integrated communications providers in the local, long-distance, VoIP, wireless, ISP, data and content markets the workflow capabilities to automate repetitive processes in operations and billing.

NeuralStar allows companies to manage availability and performance and to deploy new services across networks that include IP, voice, VoIP, and transport devices. It also allows organizations to create a single view across multiple networks.

INFO DIRECTIONS INC.
833 Phillips road
Victor, NY 14564
+1 888 924 4110
www.infodir.com

CIRPACK CREATES NEW SOFTWARE MODULE

CIRPACK, a vendor of voice switches for operators’ infrastructures, is offering CIRPACK IPC, a software module running on top of CIRPACK’s Class-5 switches to deliver IP Centrex services. The company says CIRPACK IPC provides the flexibility, scalability and wide range of features that enterprise users need, without the capital expenditure and operational burdens of dedicated equipment such as key systems or PBXs.

CIRPACK IPC’s features include full key telephone system appearance, easy integration of remote offices and teleworkers, line supervision and call interception, multiline services and conferencing, hunting groups, automatic night services, customized music on hold, call logs and call restriction.

CIRPACK IPC also offers an advanced architecture to manage IP Centrex users and resellers. Operators and service providers can integrate CIRPACK IPC with their own provisioning platform or immediately use the CIRPACK’S Web-based Self-Provisioning tools. The company says users can easily manage the installation and services without outside assistance. Resellers also can provision new lines and activate new services.

CIRPACK
5-7 rue Salomon de Rothschild
92156 Suresnes Cedex, France
+ 33 (0)1 41 44 37 60
www.cirpack.com

NETRAKE HELPS CARRIERS OFFER RESIDENTIAL VOIP

Netrake Corp., a provider of session controllers, has added features to its nCite platforms that allow Tier 1 carriers to offer secure residential VoIP. The new features in the nCite session controller include a new Hosted Firewall/NAT Traversal and User Mobility service. With the Hosted Firewall/NAT Traversal service, carriers who already have the nCite session controller deployed for carrierto- carrier peering can now offer residential VoIP services on the same platform. The Hosted FW/NAT service recognizes registered residential end devices and conducts security measures to allow only authorized access to home VoIP networks. The solution does not require consumers to deploy new equipment or change settings on existing devices.

The User Mobility feature allows enterprise users to securely access work VPNs and/or VoIP services while traveling, working from home or from mobile devices. After performing deep packet inspection into the signaling and media, the Netrake nCite will recognize the user and securely authorize access back to the VoIP network.

Netrake’s session controllers support high call-processing volumes and over-subscription ratios required for a scalable residential voice service offering.

NETRAKE CORP.
3000 Technology Drive, Suite 100
Plano, TX 75074
+1 214 291 1000
www.netrake.com

VERAZ PRESENTS CONTROLSWITCH RELEASE 5.5

Veraz Networks Inc. has released ControlSwitch Release 5.5, an advanced softswitch solution for carriers and service providers to accelerate the migration to multimedia services. Veraz says the centrally managed, distributed ControlSwitch offers pretested building blocks, using XML scripting and a multitiered design, so service policies and logic can be customized independently without affecting system stability. Those policies and logic are then accessible to any network via a mediation tier.

The inclusion of a service introduction framework in ControlSwitch Release 5.5 combines the programmability potential of the mediation layer, such as for on-the-fly SS7 variant customization; programmability of the service logic for on-the-fly service logic creation; and programmability of the policy layer to enable on-the-fly “behavior” change as to how, when and who can use a service. Veraz says this programmability provides carriers with the ability to create and deliver complex services within weeks.

Release 5.5 can be used in advanced network services to incorporate features including two-stage dialing, IVR and in-switch network policies.

VERAZ NETWORKS INC.
926 Rock Ave., Suite 20
San Jose, CA 95131
+1 408 750 9400
www.veraznetworks.com

THOMSON, VCON AND MATERNA OFFER VOICE+ SOLUTION

Thomson, VCON Inc., and MATERNA Information & Communications have announced Voice+, a jointly developed initiative that connects PSTN and broadband. During a telephone conversation, one party presses the Voice+ button on a PSTN telephone, instantly establishing a connection between both parties’ PCs. Using fixed SMS, the Voice+ system enables the two parties to access their telcos’ advanced multimedia services through broadband. Services include remote assistance, sharing of digital images, remote surveillance and video conferencing.

Based on integrated technology components, the Voice+ system can be deployed without affecting an operator’s infrastructure. The companies say added value opportunities include new services implementation, low investment levels and increased ROI.

Thomson specializes in telephone and broadband equipment while VCON deploys video and data collaboration networks and MATERNA works with SMSC servers for mobile and fixed telcos.

THOMSON
46 quai A. Le Gallo
92648 Boulogne Cedex, France
www.thomson.net

VCON INC.
10535 Boyer Blvd., Suite 300
Austin, TX 78758
+1 512 583 7700
www.vcon.com

MATERNA
Vo7kuhle 37 44141
Dortmund, Germany
+ 49 2 31 5599 00
www.annyway.com

ALOPA NETWORKS LAUNCHES THIRD-GENERATION METASERV PLATFORM

Operating support system company Alopa Networks Inc. has introduced its thirdgeneration Alopa MetaServ platform for broadband service providers, calling it the industry’s first completely integrated highspeed data, VoIP and CableHome management system. MetaServ consolidates critical aspects of subscriber management, service and application activation, and device provisioning into one system.

MetaServs other new features include the ability to easily manage and maintain subscriber services, moves, adds and changes; remote interfacing for the modeling and development of new business workflows by organizational entities; a la carte provisioning of subscriber services such as data, e-mail and Web services; and advanced IP address-management and network-assurance services.

ALOPA NETWORKS INC.
435 Indio Way
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
+ 408 331 1750
www.alopa.com

INVENTEL UNVEILS NEW GENERATION HOME GATEWAYS

INVENTEL has introduced new-generation Wi-Fi/DECT/VoIP wireless ADSL gateways for the residential market that enable data and voice transmission and are platforms for multimedia services. INVENTELs home gateway features an ADSL modem router to share the highspeed broadband connection. It integrates wireless technologies including 802.11g and DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) for wireless voice and data communication. In addition to data transfer, INVENTEL’s home gateway offers all types of wireless services, using either VoIP or the switched network. VoIP wireless services are, in particular, available for standard analog telephones that can be connected to the gateway.

Depending on the version, the gateway can provide full connectivity to communicate with all current communication and entertainment devices including TVs, set-top boxes, hifi audio systems, and digital cameras.

The unit counts four Ethernet ports and one USB port for fixed connectivity, a PCMCIA port to easily add a video extension, as well as a master USB to connect a printer or digital camera directly without going through a PC.

INVENTEL
35 rue Tournefort 75005
Paris, France
www.inventel.com