Caron Carlson

Even as the major telco vendors struggle to sell into large legacy networks, a growing interest in quick, easy and affordable advancements in IP telephony is fueling development at a number of startup companies. In the same week that Cisco Systems Inc. issued disappointing revenue and grim growth figures, two competing IP media server vendors […]

As networks become conduits for services more complex than simple transport, infrastructure manufacturers are increasing the stakes on the partnerships they forge with carrier customers. Long-accustomed to providing little more than dumb pipes, carriers rely on vendor expertise to demonstrate the value of smarter networks, but some vendors are beginning to require more expertise from […]

When Joe Russells broadband access provider suddenly shut off service this spring, he resorted to a wireless link connecting his offices to an access line in a neighboring suite. It was more than a month before he got a new high-speed connection of his own. “I cant afford extended downtime,” said Russell, president and CEO […]

Cisco systems inc.s decision to stop selling NetScout Systems Inc.s nGenius probe under its own private label has lit a fire under rival vendors eager to serve users looking for tools that monitor traffic and prioritize bandwidth. The San Jose, Calif., companys departure from the probe business last week came after NetScout balked at giving […]

Finding lemonade in the lemon that was BroadBand Office Inc., Yipes Communications Inc. last week bought the rights to serve more than 3,500 office buildings previously accessed by BBO. For enterprises seeking MAN (metropolitan area network) links in the buildings covered, Yipes new contract with the real estate owners should mean faster connectivity for less […]

For many road warriors, the workday does not end when the trade show floor closes, the meetings adjourn and the business dinners are over. Theres often more work waiting back at the hotel—e-mail to answer, memos to send and schedules to prepare. The hospitality industry is striving to make in-room business tasks convenient even while […]

As choices among telecommunications service providers dwindle with the tightening economy, incumbent telephone companies are in the best position to thrive. But studies are beginning to show that rival service providers are leaving a mark not only on the customers bottom line but also on deeper sentiments of business propriety. “Before we switched providers, if […]

Dell Computer Corp. will face stiff competition in a flagging market as it embarks on an effort to start selling its own line of low-end networking gear. The Austin, Texas, direct marketer announced last week it will start selling Taiwanese-made network switches under its own brand name in the fall. Dell will continue reselling switches […]

As enterprises continue to watch IT budgets closely, technology and telecommunications companies are turning their attention to providing services for Uncle Sam. But while many vendors wrap public sector wins in the rhetoric of promoting democracy through e-government, most citizens wont feel a direct impact because the lions share of federal technology procurement involves defense […]

NextWave Telecom Inc.s victory in the District of Columbia Circuit appeals court this month forces the newly installed Federal Communications Commission to re-examine a series of regulatory blunders and legal missteps—including the summary cancellation of NextWaves licenses—that began in 1994. But as the FCC ponders its next move, the company, formerly called NextWave Personal Communications […]