Telecom News

Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) and Verizon Wireless have signed a 5-year agreement for Qwest to market and sell Verizon Wireless service beginning this summer. Financial terms of the agreement are not being disclosed.

Under the agreement, Qwest customers will have access to the full line of Verizon Wireless handsets, smartphones and BlackBerry devices, as well as high-speed broadband wireless services for e-mail, Internet access and multimedia services. Residential customers will be able to choose “wireless only” and be billed directly by Verizon Wireless, or include Verizon Wireless service as part of a Qwest bundle with their home phone, Internet and video services, and receive one bill from Qwest for all services.

“We are excited to be partnering with Verizon Wireless and believe this opportunity will enhance the Qwest customer experience,” said Ed Mueller, Qwest chairman and CEO. “Verizon Wireless’ strong reputation in innovation, network quality and reliability, and superior products and services was very attractive in our decision to deliver state-of-the-art mobile solutions to consumer, business and government customers. Qwest’s strategies for success certainly will benefit from this deal and we look forward to a solid relationship with Verizon Wireless.”

Qwest residential customers will be able to buy Verizon Wireless products and services via Qwest’s call centers, Qwest’s retail stores and kiosks, and online at Qwest.com. Once billing systems are coordinated, residential customers will be able to elect to have their Verizon Wireless service charges included on their Qwest bill. Qwest customers will receive information in the near future about the Verizon Wireless products and services that will soon be available to them.

In addition, the companies will work together on bidding for enterprise and government wireless contracts, and collaborate in the development of converged services, such as a unified voicemail box for mobile and landline as well as integration of Qwest’s IP networking solutions with Verizon Wireless’ mobile data network for business and government customers.

“We welcome the opportunity to provide Qwest customers with the best wireless service available,” said Lowell McAdam, president and CEO of Verizon Wireless. “The quality and reliability of our network, coupled with our broadband capabilities, leading line-up of advanced communications devices and reputation for customer satisfaction will make a huge difference in their wireless experience.”

Platinum Equity has completed the acquisition of Covad Communications Group on april 15th. The total value of the transaction is approximately $470 million. The acquisition was a public-to-private transaction in which an affiliate of Platinum Equity acquired all outstanding shares of Covad stock for $1.02 per share in cash. The company previously traded on the American Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DVW.

“Covad has been an innovator since the day it became the first enterprise to commercially deploy DSL in the United States,” said Johnny O. Lopez, partner for Platinum Equity. “We have high expectations for the company’s continued growth and market leadership.”

The companies announced the planned acquisition in October 2007 and have spent the last several months obtaining the required regulatory and stockholder approvals. Covad owns and operates the largest national broadband network and is the only national facilities-based provider of data, voice, and wireless telecommunications solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Covad is also a key supplier of high-bandwidth access for telecommunications services providers like EarthLink, AT&T, and Verizon Business. Covad services are currently available in 44 states and 235 major markets and can be purchased by more than 57 million homes and businesses.

The Mitel Communications Suite was selected by InformationWeek’s panel of expert judges and won against products from Cisco and Siemens. Each year, Best of Interop winners prove to be the key players in the continuing evolution of business technology.

Mitel Communications Suite delivers simplified system installation and management, business process improvement, and a reduction in operating costs by consolidating low-power consumption telephony and server hardware platforms for IT and unified communications applications. Mitel Communications Suite can be combined with the Sun Ray Unified IP Client powered by Mitel, which delivers a secure unified computing and communications environment fully integrated into the world-renowned Sun Ray solution. The combined solution is among the industry’s most energy efficient, providing ongoing capex and opex savings through the elimination of power-hungry desktop PCs and the reduced energy consumption of low power Mitel IP phones.

“With the increase in exhibitors this year, competition was especially tough for the Best of Interop Awards,” said Lenny Heymann, Interop general manager. “We congratulate Mitel for their contributions and demonstrating how Interop is the leading business technology event to see the exciting and latest advancements in the industry.”

The Mitel Communications Suite, a pre-integrated unified communications solution, allows Mitel’s flagship 3300 IP Communications Platform (ICP) software and other related unified communications applications (including mobility, unified messaging, teleworking, Mitel Live Business Gateway, and audio and web conferencing) to be integrated as a single seamless communications solution for business, resident on a standard Sun Fire X4150 server. This solution delivers the features and functionality of the advanced Mitel communications solution, while reducing deployment cost, improving the seamless integration of voice applications, and enabling organizations to roll out voice-based solutions on a Sun data infrastructure.

“The work between Sun Microsystems and Mitel blends proven technologies to create a unique value proposition for businesses looking to evolve to unified communications while reducing the number of servers; obtaining secure, centralized management; and lowering their total cost of ownership,” said Paul Butcher, president and chief operating officer, Mitel. “Sun and Mitel are planning a long and successful partnership, using unified communications applications to reshape business practices and to drive business process improvements in a collaborative, mobile world.”

About Mitel
Mitel delivers flexibility and simplicity in smart unified communications solutions and applications for organizations of all sizes. Combined with a full range of managed services that include voice and data network design and traffic provisioning, custom application development, and attractive financing options, Mitel is reinventing how successful organizations gain competitive advantage by easily collaborating and communicating over distance and time with customers, colleagues and partners. Mitel’s (www.mitel.com) US headquarters are in Phoenix, AZ. Global headquarters are in Ottawa, Canada, with offices, partners, and resellers worldwide.

Cisco is trying to do some ‘viral marketing’ and have developed a game where you can win a $35k Cisco router or $10k in Cash.“What could the winner do with a Cisco ASR 1002 router? The question is really more what can’t you do with it,” said Webster. “You could donate it to your local university or Cisco Networking Academy or use it to train for Cisco Networking Certifications; you could get in serious favor and become part of your company’s lore by giving it to the IT department; or you could use it to have unmatched bragging rights as owner of absolutely the most powerful, awe-inspiring home network in your city!”

Highlights / Key Facts:

• Cisco invites you to play, challenge a friend, and score high enough to compete in the Cisco® EDGE QUEST Tournament of Aces. It’s a winner-take-all format where the highest scorer receives US$10,000 and a Cisco Aggregation Services (ASR) 1002 Router, valued up to US$35,000.
• Cisco EDGE QUEST is an online game introducing the new Cisco ASR 1000 Series routers. Players a.k.a. “agents” maneuver a router craft through various levels to defend the network edge from a wide array of service demands. It’s fast, fun, and now potentially lucrative, in addition to being quite informative as to the platforms unique and innovative capabilities that can benefit service providers and enterprises alike.
• The Cisco EDGE QUEST Tournament of Aces qualifying round starts at 9 a.m. (PDT) on Monday, May 5. Qualifying ends on June 11, 2008. For official terms and conditions the Cisco EDGE QUEST Tournament of Aces, please visit: www.cisco.com/go/edgequest. And, the final, 24-hour “tournament round” starts June 16, 2008, for the top 100 qualifying scorers.
• You are also invited to design a new Cisco ASR craft that may be used in the Tournament of Aces “Tournament Round” and may also be featured on Cisco.com and other websites. Have fun and submit your craft design using one of the three Cisco ASR 1000 chassis as the baseline. You can submit your craft design in the “Cisco Support Group for Uber User Internet Addicts” community on Facebook. Designs must be submitted on or before May 26, 2008 to be featured in the Tournament Round.
• The Cisco EDGE QUEST Tournament of Aces” is sponsored by Cisco Systems, Inc. and is open to individuals eighteen (18) years old or older at time of entry and who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements in the terms and conditions. The design effort is not a contest and is intended to be a fun opportunity for anyone, 18 or older, to show off their design skills.