The Latest Cisco News
Product and Solution Information, Press Releases, Announcements

High-End Router Boosts Scalability and Lowers Total Cost of Ownership.

June 10, 2010 - Cisco announced today that EastLink is deploying Cisco® ASR 9000 Series Aggregation Services Routers as the broadband aggregation platform to deliver ultra-high-speed Internet access throughout its Atlantic Canada footprint.

The use of video, collaboration tools and cloud-based services is driving increased adoption of EastLink's faster-service tiers, including its recently announced service offering 100 megabits per second. When completed, the EastLink network will be one of the most advanced, highest-capacity broadband networks in the country to support its growing customer base.

Highlights/Key Facts:

* Cisco provided a clear technology Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) road map to meet EastLink's future bandwidth requirements, including 100 Gigabit Ethernet, protecting its infrastructure investment and readying it for future video needs such as 3-D video and advanced business services.
* By deploying the Cisco ASR 9000, EastLink achieves significant reductions in network complexity to help lower the total cost of ownership.
* As a platform for Carrier Ethernet networks, the Cisco ASR 9000 is designed to deliver a per-slot capacity of up to 400 gigabits per second and to scale up to 6.4 terabits per second. It also provides rich-service capabilities, including nonstop video, while maintaining a reduced carbon footprint.
* Initial deployment of the Cisco ASR 9000 will occur in the Atlantic regional centers, which serve EastLink customers in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.
* EastLink's ASR 9000 deployment complements its existing Cisco optical infrastructure. Cisco's reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer, or ROADM, technology, a component of the Cisco ONS 15454 Multiservice Transport Platform (MSTP), brings SONET-like manageability to metro dense wavelength-division multiplexing. ROADMs enable EastLink to add, drop or pass through any combination of the available wavelengths by remote control without having to deploy DWDM experts on site to manually configure or adjust node configurations.

Direct One Prepares for a Market of 800,000 Simultaneous HD Video Connections by 2013

June 17, 2010 - Cisco today announced the completion of Direct One SA's IP next-generation network (IP NGN) based on Cisco technology. Direct One, a Romanian data carrier with extensive national coverage, is building the first content delivery network in Romania.

The new infrastructure helps enable Direct One to offer a full range of data carrier services, including Ethernet and IP connectivity for the wholesale telecommunications market, as well as video content management and delivery services for the media and broadcast industry.

Several television channels have already chosen Direct One's national distribution platform for streaming live or catch-up programs. With the high scalability and storage capacity of the Direct One platform, the path to interactive television is now open in Romania.
Key facts/highlights:

* Direct One offers video-content delivery and data-transport capabilities on a wholesale basis at more than 50 points of presence across Romania.
* In December 2009, MediaDirect, a Direct One subsidiary, launched www.mediadirect.ro the first Romanian video-on-demand Web portal based on streaming technology. The portal offers on-demand movies for rental on a pay-per-view basis.
* Based on MediaDirect's video-management technology, Direct One has built a content delivery network, a reliable and complex services package for ingesting, encoding, aggregating and delivering video content over the IP NGN network. The content delivery network is able to bring the aggregated content of the publishers directly into operators' networks, even in remote areas. As a result, consumers can access content in a faster and more reliable way, be it as streaming television, catch-up TV or video on demand. The solution is optimized for both fixed and mobile broadband networks and provides high definition (HD)-equivalent video quality (1080p/720p).

Cisco Demonstrates the Power of Its Digital Media Suite at Musical Extravaganza

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 17, 2010 - Cisco announced today that it collaborated with Control Room, a leading producer of global music events, to showcase the Cisco® Digital Media Suite (DMS) solution at the FIFA World Cup™ Kick-Off Celebration Concert last week. The event took place on the eve of the first match on 10 June 2010, in the newly renovated Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg.

Topping the bill at the event were international superstars Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, John Legend, Shakira, and the Parlotones. All net proceeds from the event benefited "20 Centers for 2010", the official campaign of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, and the event also provided a communications platform for 1GOAL, a campaign to which Cisco already donates.
Highlights / Key Facts:

* For this musical extravaganza Cisco provided 42-inch high-definition screens, 25 in all, as well as the local area network and wireless access points to some sections of the stadium. This enabled broadcast to several other levels and hospitality areas in the stadium. After the concert Cisco donated portions of the wireless solution to Orlando Stadium.
* The Cisco Digital Media Suite is an integrated platform for video collaboration, digital signage, and live and on-demand IPTV applications. Cisco DMS streams broadcasts to entertainment venues to provide audiences with the flexibility to access live and on-demand content. It is designed to deliver compelling global communications as well as an improved user, marketing and branding experience.
* As an integral part of the Cisco DMS large format, professional-quality Cisco LCD Professional Series Displays provide complete end-to-end solutions for Cisco Digital Signs and Cisco Cast applications. Cisco LCD Professional Series Displays offer 32-, 40- and 52-inch models with full 1080p resolution as well as centralized, remote management through the Cisco Digital Media Manager to control on and off, volume, contrast, and brightness.
* Produced by the Emmy Award-winning producer Kevin Wall and his company Control Room, in partnership with local promoter Showtime Entertainment, the event featured musical performances by major international superstars and popular African artists collaborating together, along with special appearances by Patrick Vieira, Lucas Radebe and other football legends.