Telecom Ramblings

That’s what an article in Forbes says this morning, quoting a financial model put together by analysts critical of the effort. It seems crazy to think that Google has any intention of spending that much money on this demonstration, but the fact is that we still don’t really know how much skin they’re really putting into the game.  [Read more →]

This morning Level 3 Communications (NYSE:LVLT, news, filings) formally launched its CDN services across South and Central America. The Chilean online streaming company Grupo Z has already signed on for the delivery of its diet of [Read more →]

Colocation and cloud services provider Viawest (news) [a subsidiary of Shaw Communications (news)] isn’t kidding around with its expansion in Las Vegas. Today they announced the acquisition of CoreLink’s downtown Las Vegas data center, a move that reflects the company’s aggressive footing as described by CEO Roy Dimoff in an interview here on Ramblings last month. [Read more →]

I have updated my competitive telecom trends pages with both new data (for Q2 and a few additional companies) and several charts that I have been working on over time. Along with the Net-Debt/EBITDA plot, the collection now includes a Revenue/Employee and EBITDA/Employee plots, although the number of data points is relatively sparse still for both.  You can always find these pages in the Resources section, but here’s links to all eight: [Read more →]

The behavioral platform and gamification specialist Badgeville is now accessing its public cloud infrastructure via Equinix (NASDAQ:EQIX, news, filings). Deploying initially in the carrier neutral giant’s DC6 IBX in Ashburn, Badgeville is taking advantage of the direct fiber connectivity to the public cloud, which in this case means they’re using AWS Direct Connect. [Read more →]

In a sign of the company’s growing confidence in its cash flows, Level 3 Communications (NYSE:LVLT, news, filings) this morning announced the addition of a new data center facility to its London footprint. The new facility is located in Hayes, West London, strategically located to serve the financial vertical, amongst others.  [Read more →]

In this economy there’s no such thing as too many job listings, and we have another new one on the Ramblings’ Jobs board this week from Lightower Fiber Networks.  Lightower is looking for an [Read more →]

TGIF everybody. Before you go off to enjoy the weekend, here’s a few more quick looks at other news this week from across the sector: [Read more →]

While the media has been getting ahead of itself in places, Verizon Wireless does seem to have overcome the last hurdle to its $3.6B acquisition of AWS spectrum from the cable MSOs. The Department of Justice approved the deal yesterday, with a condition or two attached, and now they’re just waiting for the [Read more →]

This article was authored by John C. Tanner, and was originally posted on telecomasia.net.

Operators are increasingly enthusiastic about the prospects of Wi-Fi offload in their 4G roadmaps. But that’s going to be bad news for mobile advertising – at least until Facebook steps in to save the day. [Read more →]

In an M&A move that substantially expands the breadth of the company’s Southeastern footprint, Zayo finally cleaned up its relationship with US Carrier by agreeing to purchase the 50% they didn’t already own. The deal adds some 3,700 miles of regional fiber primarily in Georgia with connectivity into Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama.  [Read more →]

Here’s a quick roundup of news from the colo and cloud sector, including items from CoreSite, Interxion, Telx, Savvis, Level 3, and KDDI: [Read more →]

Networking equipment giant Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO, news, filings) cruised through its fiscal fourth quarter according to the company’s release this afternoon. Revenues of $11.7B and non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.47 were each one notch above analyst expectations. Guidance for their fiscal Q1 was [Read more →]

On Monday we learned that Carl Icahn made a bid for Broadview Networks, the northeastern CLEC with several hundred on-net buildings. The initial approach was rebuffed, although it could easily be followed up on. But if not, what other telecom assets might Icahn be interested in buying? [Read more →]

Lots to catch up on in the CDN sector this week, which has been relatively quiet lately otherwise: [Read more →]

Here’s a quick look at several interesting items from the metro space: a brand new build from Achelea, a victory in the firefighter vertical by Optimum Lightpath, and a hybrid fiber/microwave network for a school district by Conterra: [Read more →]

While the short term focus is always on the next generation of the technology we already know about, it’s the brand new stuff that is still at the ‘far out’ stage that could really change things someday. Recently NIST and collaborators at Stanford have been showing off a prototype device for splitting photon beams that some say is a big step that could help turn quantum fiberoptics into reality.  [Read more →]

Several interesting items from outside the US already this week that are worth a look: [Read more →]

In another move that belies the widespread expectation of a quick Icahn sale, XO Holdings (news, filings) this morning said it has taken the 100G plunge with a nationwide deployment. The company says it is the first network operator to deploy the technology nationally, as other early adopters have taken a more piecemeal approach. [Read more →]

Late last week, Vertical Systems Group put out its Mid-Year 2012 US Business Ethernet Leaderboard, measuring the marketshare by port for providers across the sector.  Rather than look at a single graphic, here’s the last three such leaderboards from VSG side by side: [Read more →]

Google may aim to do no evil, but it can certainly handle a few pink slips. The company has confirmed that it is cutting 20% of Motorola Mobility’s workforce, and closing as much as a third of its offices worldwide.  [Read more →]

Birch Communications (news) made its 16th acquisition in recent years this morning, announcing an agreement to purchase Daystar Communications.  The move follows a refinancing just last month that replenished the company’s coffers and paved the way for [Read more →]

Level 3 Communications (NYSE:LVLT, news, filings) says it has signed a multi-year agreement with Time Warner Cable (NYSE:TWC, news), expanding its relationship with the giant cable MSO. They will be helping to expand Time Warner Cable’s network as well as to deliver additional core infrastructure services.     [Read more →]