Cache Deployments [282]: Telefonica Media Networks [Latam] Selected PeerApp

PeerApp announced that it has been "selected by Media Networks Latin America, a B2B unit of Telefonica Digital, to implement its UltraBand caching system across the company’s Latin America Satellite Broadband Internet access network".

Fernando Blácido [pictured], ISAT Technical Manager of Media Networks said: “We offer wholesale satellite residential broadband service to operators in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru .. With UltraBand we can ensure that the most popular content will be delivered at the advertised speed of our service. PeerApp caching is enabling us to fully leverage our larger infrastructure investments.

See "Telefónica Media Networks Selects PeerApp to Ensure Quality of Experience for Broadband Subscribers" - here.

US Army Needs Satellite Bandwidth Management Services W/Exinda DPI

 
The US Army is seeking sources to "Provide satellite bandwidth to multiple locations in Southwest Asia for a three month period (26 March 2013 - 25 June 2013) with global mobility capability on existing and provisioned Global Networks. Networks shall be operational with iDirect Version 2.0.1.0 or later and fully compatible with existing SNAP VSAT Terminals".

[including]: ".. Network Packet Shaping services shall provide QoS at the application level and ensure that all users of the service at an individual site are allocated equal portions of total available network bandwidth. The Contractor shall incorporates an Exinda (Unified Performance Management (UPM) solution) appliance at each teleport to perform deep packet inspection to ensure certain types of traffic is rate limited and prioritized in a way that provides the highest levels of QoS to the network".

See "D--Satellite Bandwidth Management Services Three Month Bridge" - here.

Gilat SatCom Adds DiViNetworks Technology to Optimize Satellite Service in MEA and Asia

Gilat Satcom has integrated DiViNetworks' DiViLink ".. to offer link optimization over satellite. ..DiViLink expands capacity of any IP link by 30-50% by eliminating repetitions at the bit-stream level.DiViLink is completely protocol agnostic and operates on any content, application or format. Operating at the bit-stream layer, DiViLink smoothly integrates with the network just like a switch".

DiViLink Architecture

See "Gilat Satcom expands satellite bandwidth with DiViNetworks technology" - here.

Optimization Vendor Expand Goes into Urgent Assets Sale

    

Shmulik Shelah reports to Globes that a receiver has been assigned to Expand Networks, an Israeli vendor of optimization equipment for enterprise and satellite networks (see "Expand Networks Enables Rural Broadband with Satellite Optimization" - here), by Haifa District Court.

"Expand Networks investor Plenus Venture Lending Fund petitioned the court to appoint the receiver. Expand has been unable to repay its $10 million debt to Plenus, which was due two years ago. The appointment brings Expand Networks to an end, 13 years after it was founded, raised over $100 million, underwent several restructurings and strategic changes, and made numerous attempts to find a buyer".

"The receiver will now try to sell Expand Networks' assets. It currently has 100 employees, including 60 in Israel, but layoffs are likely within weeks, along with a change in management. Potential buyers include equipment vendors Cisco, Juniper Networks  and Riverbed, which will want to improve their position in the field, or internet optimization solutions provides, such as Akamai Technologies and Limelight Networks or even Israeli companies".

 

I doubt if Cisco, Juniper or Riverbed will be interested in buying Expand's assets, as they all have competitive products and Expand customer base is relatively small.

If anyone interested, the company's CEO, Elie Barr (pictured), was assigned to search a buyer.

See "Court appoints receiver for Expand Networks" - here.

May Satellite Internet be Considered as Broadband Service?

      

A week ago we saw Australia's NBN selecting "Optus and Ipstar as interim satellite service providers in regional Australia as part of the National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout. The contracts with Optus and IPStar are worth $200 million and $100 million, respectively" (here).

The cons and pros of using 2-way satellite service as an access method for internet are well-known - the coverage advantages vs. the inherent delay and limited capacity.

A new document by Stephen Cobb (picture) analyzes these arguments, and reaches a conclusion that "Satellite Internet is not broadband". The document was prepared for RuMBA (Rural Mobile & Broadband Alliance), and therefore focuses on rural US.

 

See "Cobb’s Satellite Internet Whitepaper Published by Rural Mobile & Broadband Alliance" - here  and the document itself - "Satellite Internet Connection for Rural Broadband: Is it a viable alternative to wired and wireless connectivity for America’s rural communities?" - here.

Cobb lists 4 service gaps "disqualify satellite Internet connection from being classified as broadband": Latency, bandwidth, Price/Performance and Service Reliability (determined by weather and atmospheric conditions).

While Mr. Cobb experienced himself the good and bad in satellite service: "I’ve had a lot of experience using satellite Internet over the last 5 years. Until recently it was the only way to connect to the Internet from the cabin in Upstate New York where I live and work IF you wanted speeds above those of an old-fashioned dialup modem". Nevertheless, I must object to some of his arguments.

Bandwidth is indeed limited (therefore increasing price/performance - so 2 of the gaps are actually one) but modern traffic management systems can optimize the service, limiting the problem only to the latency issues (inherent). Assuming that bringing fixed service to remote locations will take time and huge investments, satellite remains as the only viable option.  Mr. Cobb does not suggest an alternative. 

DPI Opportunity: Gilat Wins $120M Contract From Optus for Australia's NBN

The Australian Government announced on 7 April 2009 it would establish a new company to build and operate a new high-speed National Broadband Network (NBN). The NBN will become the single largest infrastructure investment made by an Australian Government, accompanied by historic reforms to Australia's telecommunications sector (see "New National Broadband Network" - here)

In order to cover the whole continent, some of the broadband infrastructure will be based on satellite connectivity. NBN announced that "Optus and Ipstar as interim satellite service providers in regional Australia as part of the National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout. The contracts with Optus and IPStar are worth $200 million and $100 million, respectively" (see "NBN Co signs Optus and IPStar for $300m interim satellite service deal" - here).

 

Gilat VSAT

Gilat Satellite Networks announced that " ..it has been selected by Optus Networks Pty Limited to provide a SkyEdge II Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) network, installation, operation and maintenance for the Australian Government's National Broadband Network Company's (NBN Co) Interim Satellite Service ... The agreement with Optus provides for an initial network of 11 SkyEdge II hubs and 20,000 SkyEdge II VSATs expected to be deployed within up to three years. The agreement stipulates a possible expansion of the network to include hubs and up to 48,000 VSATs ..The agreement represents a potential value of up to $120 million, subject to final design and implementation of the fully expanded network".

See "Gilat to Provide Turnkey VSAT Network and Operations to Optus for NBN Co’s Interim Satellite Service in Australia" - here. Gilat revenues for 2010 were $233M.

Satellite communication was always a clear candidate for DPI based traffic management. Due to the nature of the service physics and the cost and availability of bandwidth, smart, application aware, fairness policies are required for proper QoE. See for example Allot's solution (here) - Optus is an Allot customer (here).

See below the current "Optus Broadband Satellite Offer" (here).