Dueling router upgrades this morning from Juniper Networks (NASDAQ:JNPR, news, filings) and Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE:ALU, news, filings), both of which are boosting the raw capacity of their core systems. The equipment sector is a bit edgy right now, both from macroeconomic effects over in Europe and from stiffening [Read more →]
Pacnet, Infinera Demo 500Gbps Super Channels
May 22nd, 2012
The Pacific regional operator Pacnet (news) and the DWDM protagonist Infinera (NASDAQ:INFN, news, filings) have collaborated in a demonstration Infinera’s new flagship DTN-X gear in Asia. They tested the 500Gbps PICs on 4500km of the C2C undersea cable network, successfully transmitting more than [Read more →]
Valuations, Margins Steady in Q1, Except for Cogent, AboveNet, Level 3
May 22nd, 2012
I have updated my competitive telecom trends pages with all Q1 data, and also adding Inteliquent to the list of companies tracked. Except for companies with significant short term news driving their numbers in some way, both EBITDA margins and EV/EBITDA were relatively stable during the quarter. Here’s the current relative valuation chart: [Read more →]
Here Come the Russians, via Equinix
May 21st, 2012
For many years, when we talked of global fiber networks, it was the US, Europe, and then go to the oceans to get to Asia. But Russian network operators are finally becoming relevant outside of Russia, both by building viable trans-Asian connectivity and expanding internationally in their own right. Today Equinix (NASDAQ:EQIX, news, filings) helped Russia’s TTK add capacity in Asia and Europe and add new nodes in the US. [Read more →]
EMEA Roundup: Interoute, Alcatel-Lucent, Digital Realty, Eutelsat, NTT
May 21st, 2012
Monday’s early news comes from across the Atlantic from Interoute, Alcatel-Lucent, Digital Realty, NTT, and Eutelsat: [Read more →]
Infonetics: Backbone Optical Spending Takes a Big Dip
May 21st, 2012
What to make of the scary statistics put out by Infonetics Research last week? According to the outfit’s Optical Network Hardware report, spending on optical gear dropped 23% globally over the fourth quarter, mainly outside North America. Meanwhile, year over year European spending on WDM fell even faster than on legacy SDH. Yikes, so that’s why Cisco’s John Chambers was sounding the poor visibility alarm. [Read more →]
Friday Bytes 5/18: Earthlink, Optimum Lightpath, Cbeyond, SSE
May 18th, 2012
A quick look at a few more interesting items from competitive service providers to finish off the week: [Read more →]
Zayo Takes Fiber-to-the-Tower Campaign to Phoenix
May 18th, 2012
Yesterday, Zayo Group (news, filings) announced another expansion market for its fiber-to-the-tower initiatives. With an unnamed customer contract in hand, Zayo is planning to add an additional 165 route miles of fiber and 123 new towers to its network in Phoenix, Arizona. That will expand their route miles in Phoenix [Read more →]
When train engineers talk telco
May 18th, 2012
This article was authored by Don Sambandaraksa, and was originally posted on telecomasia.net.
Rail operators run their own communications networks for data signalling and for voice communications. There comes a point when the cost of maintaining these networks is such that [Read more →]
Comcast Lifts Caps In Favor of Usage-based Pricing
May 17th, 2012
Looks like the public pressure Comcast has been under over its exemption of Xfinity TV traffic from traffic caps has had an effect. Comcast said today that it was suspending enforcement of its cap and trialing a usage-based plan. Of course Comcast says this has nothing to do with the argument currently raging. [Read more →]
Poll: Is Comcast Playing By the Rules With Xfinity?
May 17th, 2012
Well, you’ve heard me ramble on in several directions on this subject already, so now it’s time to find out how readers feel. Comcast is excluding traffic generated by Xfinity TV for the Xbox from its bandwidth caps when it comes to internet service. Are they playing fair or aren’t they? The FCC and DOJ will weigh in someday, but in the meantime let’s try a poll: [Read more →]
tw telecom Advances in Hawaii, Pacific Northwest
May 17th, 2012
TW Telecom (NASDAQ:TWTC, news, filings) goes about its business in such an understated way that it’s too easy to miss the interesting bits. This week they had some luck to the west, picking up both a solid enterprise and federal wins. [Read more →]
Datacenter Bytes 5/17: IO, Telx, Terremark, Earthlink, Equinix
May 17th, 2012
Time to survey some news this week in the datacenter and cloud sector from IO, Telx, Terremark, Earthlink, and Equinix: [Read more →]
Words Fail the Comcast Prioritization Discussion
May 16th, 2012
Is Comcast prioritizing its packets? Are they running over a network separate from their internet service? Are they violating the terms agreed to as part of the NBCU purchase? Lots of stuff out there right now that contradicts itself, but the underlying problem is perhaps the that the industry’s vocabulary is just not up to the task. [Read more →]
euNetworks Joins 100G Club
May 16th, 2012
This is definitely looking like the year 100G goes mainstream, as operators large and small are starting to deploy it for real. This morning it was the independent European metro fiber operator euNetworks (news), which has taken the plunge for its intercity network. [Read more →]
Equinix Strikes Again, Buys ancotel
May 16th, 2012
If you thought Equinix (NASDAQ:EQIX, news, filings) had satisfied its appetite for inorganic expansion in favor of organic buildouts worldwide, you were wrong. The organic buildouts continue of course, but the giant of the carrier neutral colocation space said this morning that it would acquire Frankfurt-based ancotel, further strengthening its European presence. [Read more →]
Zayo Optimizes Chicago/Seattle Route For Latency
May 16th, 2012
Zayo Group (news, filings) is taking on the low latency challenge west of the Mississippi, building on the assets and services it acquired in the 360networks deal to bring Chicago closer to Seattle. They are deploying a newly optimized route, which cuts 100 [Read more →]
Int’l Roundup 5/15: Columbus, Orange, Level 3, Teliasonera, Sparkle
May 15th, 2012
With ITW now in full swing, it’s fitting that there’s a whole series of interesting news on the international front to take a quick look through: [Read more →]
Interoute Stretches to the East
May 15th, 2012
Interoute (news) is stepping further outside its usual haunts and adding overseas points of presence to its network. Today the pan-European fiber operator stretched far to the east and announced the addition of a new PoP in Hong Kong, giving it an [Read more →]
Cologix Acquires The Minneapolis Gateway
May 15th, 2012
Cologix has expanded its US presence via inorganic means by purchasing The Minneapolis Gateway, which lies within 511 11th Avenue South in, as you might have already guessed, Minneapolis MN. [Read more →]
Expansions On the Menu for Sidera, Lightower, Zayo, Level 3
May 14th, 2012
Organic expansions are the order of the day, here’s a quick look at where Sidera, Lightower, Level 3, and Zayo are putting capex to work this week. [Read more →]
Hibernia, Eastlink, Tele Greenland Team Up For Icelandic Connectivity
May 14th, 2012
A trio of companies are working on a new low latency connection between New York City in Landeyajasandur, Iceland. We’re not talking about a new cable built from scratch, however, but rather a new use for infrastructure that each of the three companies can already bring to the table combined with some newly built enhancements. [Read more →]
Facebook Taps Teliasonera For Euro Network
May 14th, 2012
Teliasonera International Carrier added a big, gaudy feather to its cap this morning. Facebook, the social networking giant that will soon go public, has selected the company to build and operate a new pan-European managed optical network. [Read more →]