BriefingRoom on Connected Planet Online

Companies to Offer Integrated Testing Solution that Boosts Productivity in Current Economic Conditions

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—March 10, 2009— Fanfare, delivering innovative testing solutions to network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) and service providers (SPs), today announced it is partnering with Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A) to offer joint customers the ability to seamlessly integrate their test assets and automate complex system testing. Fanfare’s test automation solution, iTest® will be more tightly integrated with Agilent’s N2X multi-services test solution, accelerating the configuration and automation of test scenarios.

The Agilent N2X is widely used by NEMs and SPs to validate the performance and scalability characteristics of next-generation network equipment, and is designed to test IP-forwarding devices that deliver video, VoIP, data services and business VPNs. It is used in out-of-service lab environments to test at real-world scale with realistic traffic, ensuring quality of multiplay services. The N2X addresses the test challenges that multiplay services impose across the IP/MPLS core, carrier edge and broadband access networks.

Fanfare’s iTest orchestrates system testing by executing simultaneous commands to a multitude of different devices in a network to simulate real-world network testing. This enhances the quality of services that SPs offer, reduces time to market, and improves productivity across the entire service development and product development life cycle. Integrating Agilent’s N2X with iTest will ease the process of automating test assets for existing and prospective SP customers, providing a comprehensive solution for their system testing needs.

“Our customers have been telling us that they want to use Fanfare’s iTest to automate the Agilent N2X in their labs to ultimately get the best of both worlds ,” said Toni Piwonka-Corle, general manager of Agilent’s Data Networks Operation. “We’re pleased to announce that the current version of Fanfare’s iTest supports the latest Agilent N2X software release, and that we will continue the integration of our two products to boost our customers’ productivity.”

“In today’s uncertain economic conditions, productivity-enhancement tools such as iTest can play a critical role in helping carriers maintain their competitive edge,” said Tom Ryan, president and CEO of Fanfare. “Fanfare will continue to work with leading companies like Agilent to meet the market demand for integration between test equipment and test automation software, contributing to overall improvements in the quality chain.”

About Fanfare
Fanfare provides automated testing solutions that enable service providers, network equipment manufacturers, and enterprises to enhance productivity throughout the quality workflow by streamlining system and device testing, reducing product cycles, and lowering costs. Using Fanfare, quality assurance teams and developers can leverage a common testing platform to deliver quality services and products to market faster and more efficiently. For more information, please visit www.fanfaresoftware.com.

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Media Contact:
Marisa Marzano
Big Sky Communications
(705) 484-5105
marisa@bigskypr.com

Contact: Louise Boyling
Tel: 1-613-688-8000 x2130
Email: louise.boyling@optelian.com

EMBARQ Logistics to Distribute Optelian Optical Transport Systems

Ottawa, ON/Marietta, GA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EMBARQ Logistics is building strength in its optical transport portfolio with Optelian’s LightGAIN optical transport and LightPRO optical test and turn-up products. EMBARQ Logistics has earned the trust and respect of a majority of telecom providers in North America through decades of dedicated service. Optelian will be working with EMBARQ Logistics to focus on promoting WDM, CWDM, FTTx and PON products into Tier 2, 3 and 4 telecommunications companies.

Optelian’s LightGAIN CWDM products are a perfect fit for smaller carriers facing fiber constraints in their networks. With this agreement, EMBARQ Logistics can now offer a CWDM optical transport platform that is intuitively designed for these companies. LightGAIN’s low cost and flexibility allow these carriers to address applications from inter-office to remote terminal cabinets.

EMBARQ Logistics also offers engineering, installation, and training services which will be useful for larger projects sold through either EMBARQ Logistics or Optelian’s direct sales force when additional project resources are required.

“Given their geographic coverage and broad range of relationships with target Tier 2, 3 and 4 customers, EMBARQ Logistics will be invaluable for expanding distribution of Optelian products,” said Charlie Hancock, Director of Business Development at Optelian.

About Optelian
Optelian designs and manufactures optical transport systems for telecom, multi-service operator (MSO), utility, and enterprise customers worldwide. Since 2002, many of the world’s largest telecommunications network operators have chosen Optelian for quick delivery, custom designs, and great service. Optelian’s carrier-grade system, LightGAIN, saves power and is easy to use. Compact LightGAIN systems support a full range of optical transport applications in all segments of the network.

Optelian sales, service, and marketing are based in Marietta, Georgia; development and manufacturing are based in Ottawa, Ontario. International headquarters are in London, UK, with offices, partners, and distributors worldwide. Optelian is TL 9000-H registered.
For additional information regarding Optelian, please go to www.optelian.com.

As part of the company’s strategic decision, these communication management applications will be demonstrated to potential partners at CeBit (Hall 13, Booth C86)

Petach Tikva, Israel, Port Washington, NY– March 05, 2009 - Tadiran Telecom^®, a leading global IP business telephony and communications supplier, today announced the launch of a new Softswitch application bundle including Sea Navigator, workgroup communication management tools, and the Coral Sea Softswitch. Tadiran Telecom declared that it has strategically chosen the European market to pioneer the assimilation of this new technology and will be negotiating new partnerships in the region. The softswitch application bundle will be demonstrated to potential partners at the CeBit Exhibition (Hall 13, Booth C86).

The Sea Softswitch has been successfully implemented and already delivers unified communications and multimedia over IP to enterprises in diverse vertical markets such as government, healthcare, energy, and education. In response to user feedback and market demand, Tadiran Telecom has developed the Sea Navigator and workgroup applications to supplement the Sea Softswitch. The Sea Navigator is a desktop communication management tool that allows full convergence and enhanced productivity through an intuitive Outlook-like user interface. The workgroup application allows organizations to be more attainable and communicative at all times, making the most of their human resources. This application offers a shared-line button functionality ideal for Support and Presales teams. Managers can depend on assistants to handle calls on their behalf, ensuring that incoming calls are always answered.

 ”We have positioned ourselves successfully to enjoy the shift in the European ICT (Information & Communication Technology) market from IP-PBX technology to Softswitch-based networks that allow unified communication as well as multimedia over IP,” says Zeev Aviv, VP of Sales and Marketing at Tadiran Telecom. “We have always seen our partners as an integral and invaluable extension of our services and products, and we wish to benefit together from this prevailing trend.”

The advanced Sea Softswitch software architecture provides organizations with a platform for more reliable and efficient business interactions. Bundled with the Sea Navigator and workgroup applications, the Softswitch allows users to intuitively and efficiently access and utilize unified messaging, voice and video conferencing, soft phones, dual-mode phones, IP phones -  regardless of the source, users will be able to receive information in real time, conduct consultations and correspondence with colleagues, and make timely well-founded decisions.

About Tadiran Telecom

Tadiran Telecom® has been an established innovator in telecommunications for more than 40 years. The company has initiated an organizational plan to increase environmental awareness in the telecom market while utilizing “green technology” in its products. A leading global IP business telephony and communications supplier, Tadiran serves businesses and organizations of all sizes with a comprehensive family of products, including IP PBXs, contact centers, IP telephones, and mobility and desktop applications. Tadiran distributes IP communications solutions to some of the world’s largest companies and organizations across 41 countries through authorized business partners. For more information, visit www.tadirantele.com

Advanced Subscriber Modeling Allows Real-World, Carrier Grade, Class 5 VoIP Switch Emulation to Deliver Full Performance Testing for Large Scale VoIP Devices and Networks 

Calabasas, California (March 4, 2009) Ixia, a leading supplier of IP test systems, today announced the next generation in residential and business VoIP testing. With its ultra-high performance, IxLoad™ Voice matches the capacity of modern media gateways with an unprecedented 1 million SIP- and RTP-based endpoints per chassis – five times the capacity of its nearest competing product. Ixia’s new Acceleron™-XP load module implements voice protocols with hardware to reach these major capacity milestones.

IxLoad tests VoIP network components, including IP-based PBXs, softswitches, call managers, session border controllers, and media gateways, using highly realistic scenarios involving multiple voice protocols, complex calling sequences, and triple-play mixes of voice, video and data traffic. IxLoad’s unique subscriber modeling emulates user communities that vary in service usage and timing. This approach yields performance results that accurately predict live-network capacity – allowing service providers to correctly provision their networks. Ixia supports all of the essential VoIP signaling and transmission protocols, including SIP, RTP, SCCP, MGCP, H.323, and H.248 – with complex call flows and Class 5 features.

After many years of isolated, small-scale consumer and business roll-outs, VoIP deployments have finally gone mainstream. Infonetics Research forecasts a 25% compound aggregate growth in residential and SOHO hosted VoIP subscribers through 2011, when they are expected to number over 187 million. To meet this growing demand, network equipment manufacturers must deliver VoIP devices that can handle more calls and a complex array of protocols and services. Both network equipment manufacturers and converged service providers of all sizes need to verify the performance and interoperability of new VoIP devices and networks, ensuring that they can handle complex, heavy VoIP traffic loads. 

“VoIP protocols and technology may be well understood, but there are a host of potential problems when a high number of calls are mixed with large volumes of data and video traffic,” said Anupam Sahai, vice president of marketing at Ixia. “We developed our Acceleron-XP, VQM modules and IxLoad test application to emulate city-scale communities of real-world users – allowing our customers to discover and solve their device and network problems before their customers do.”

IxLoad emulates and tests security and network infrastructure protocols, including IPSec, PPP, DHCP and multiple forms of authentication. Voice call security is also supported by SIP/TLS and SRTP. Ixia’s VQM support module delivers real-time evaluation of end-user quality of experience (QoE), such as PESQ scores for 300 simultaneous calls – making it unnecessary to wait for time-consuming, post-test analysis. IxLoad facilitates rapid testing, refinement, troubleshooting and automation to maximize testing productivity.

“VoIP services have already been widely adopted by consumers and SOHOs, but we expect the next growth in adoption to come from SMBs.” said Matthias Machowinski, analyst at Infonetics. “For them, service reliability and voice quality will be key buying criteria. With Ixia’s new IxLoad Voice, service providers can comprehensively test their networks before they ramp up these high value subscribers, so that there are no surprises when subscribers are turned up.”

Ixia’s single platform approach, with a range of interfaces and targeted test applications, allows network equipment manufacturers, service providers and enterprises to ensure the quality and performance for all of their devices – individually and in combination. Ixia’s test applications cover conformance, performance, automation and live-network maintenance. Ixia’s IxRave provides service verification of deployed VoIP and other networks with active testing; its unique testing and mapping facility ensures VoIP problems are quickly isolated to a geographical area or home.

With Ixia’s IxLoad Voice, NEMs bring their products to market faster, and service providers and enterprises can be sure that their deployments meet their capacity and responsiveness needs. IxLoad Voice allows service providers to evaluate components and provision their networks with confidence – eliminating expensive network degradation and down-time. IxLoad Voice is available immediately and will be demonstrated at IPTV World Forum in London from March 23^rd to the 25^th, in stand #34.

About Ixia Ixia is a leading supplier of test, measurement and service verification solutions to Internet equipment manufacturers, carriers, service providers, government agencies and enterprises. Ixia’s platform is used to test IP networking equipment of all types and sizes, with powerful and flexible test applications that handle the widest range of Internet usage – from routing and switching to converged applications traffic to validating the service quality of live networks and services. Ixia’s multiplay test solutions are acknowledged as the market leader – addressing the growing need to test voice, video, and data services and network capability under real-world conditions.

Ixia, IxLoad and the Ixia four-petal logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Ixia. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

This material is for informational purposes only and subject to change without notice. It describes Ixia’s present plans to develop and make available to its customers certain products, features and capabilities. Ixia is only obligated to provide those deliverables specifically included in a written agreement between Ixia and the customer.