Unimax Releases 2nd Nature Version 6.8

Latest Release Introduces Compatibility With AVST CallXpress and Cisco Unity Connection

Unimax Systems Corporation, a leading provider of telecommunications configuration management software and unified voice administration, today announced the availability of 2nd Nature Version 6.8. The latest version of 2nd Nature will introduce support for AVST’s CallXpress® and Cisco’s Unity Connection®. The new version will also enhance existing compatibility with PBX and Voice Mail systems from Avaya, Cisco, and Nortel. Compatibility with Microsoft Active Directory® and other critical business systems will also be enhanced in the new version.

With 2nd Nature’s new integration to CallXpress and Unity Connection, customers will be able to unify the management of important administrative functions such as moves, adds and changes, password resets, voice mail list management, transaction auditing, reporting, and more across their CallXpress, Unity Connection, and other telecommunications network systems.

“We are excited to add CallXpress and Unity Connection to the long list of systems we integrate with,” said Phil Moen, Unimax President and CEO. “Adding these systems was in direct response to industry demand and clearly illustrates our strong commitment to provide enterprises and managed service providers with significantly less expensive ways to unify and simplify the administration of complex multi-vendor voice systems.”

Other enhancements to 2nd Nature’s multi-vendor PBX and voice messaging interoperability include adding compatibility for Avaya’s Modular Messaging Version 5.0 and Cisco’s UCM Version 6.1.3 and 7.0.1. Support will also be added for Nortel’s 1200-series phone sets. The integration between 2nd Nature and Microsoft Active Directory will be enhanced in this version with a number of new workflow productivity enhancements.

About Unimax
Unimax is a leading provider of telecommunications configuration management software and unified voice administration applications. Our flagship product, 2nd Nature, and its extensions unify the management of important administrative functions such as MACs, password resets (assisted and self-service), automated provisioning, automated voice mail list management, transaction auditing, reporting, and many others. 2nd Nature also enables integration between voice networks and critical business systems such as Microsoft Active Directory, HR, call accounting, E-911, and others. Our single-point administration software enables organizations to substantially reduce operational costs, strengthen security, increase visibility and control, and improve internal customer service. Our technology is compatible with systems from Avaya, AVST, Cisco, Nortel, Microsoft, and others. Unimax Systems Corporation is a privately held corporation based in Minneapolis, MN.

For more information, please call (800) 886-0390 or visit www.unimax.com.

Carlson Wireless Launches Smart Grid and IEC 61850 Ready SwiftGridTM Radio Platform at ENTELEC Conference and Expo April 29th – 30th 2009, in Houston TX

Carlson Wireless Technologies, Inc. is launching their next generation SwiftGrid™ radio platform on April 29th at ENTELEC 2009 Conference and Expo in Houston, Texas. Designed to meet or exceed emerging Smart Grid and IEC 61850 standards, SwiftGrid™ will be available as a point-to-point backhaul radio as well as point-to-multipoint configurations for facility wide LAN coverage.

Real time communication with decisive and reliable timing is critical to vital switching requirements that protect substation and distributed generation infrastructure such as wind farms. SwiftGrid™ is the first cost effective synchronous radio platform that provides ultra-low and fixed latency of less than 4 milliseconds making it completely transparent and compatible with all legacy TDM and future IP protocols.

Multiple OFDM modulation rates, channel sizes and channel center tuning allow for unprecedented spectrum flexibility and non-line-of-sight operation providing up to 24 Mbps (full duplex) throughput at distances beyond 100 km. First generation SwiftGrid™ is currently available in unlicensed 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.2 GHz, 5.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands, and the public safety licensed 4.9 GHz band. Due to the flexible nature of the radio platform, 180 MHz to 280 MHz, 700 MHz as well as 6 GHz frequency bands will soon be available.

Carlson Wireless has been providing USA manufactured wireless broadband and telecommunications links for the utilities and telecom industries since 1999 with their popular Trailblazer™ radio line. SwiftGrid™ significantly expands their product offering to these sectors. “Synchronous low latency microwave has been our niche for over a decade. With the emerging Smart Grid market and IEC 61850 standards in need of a fast, cost effective solution, we are a great fit,” said Jim Carlson, CEO of Carlson Wireless. “We’ve designed these units for standard configurations; however, we’re seeing increased interest in OEM partnerships. It’s an exciting time for us.”

For over a decade Carlson Wireless has been providing wireless broadband and telephone solutions for utilities, industry and public safety agencies worldwide. Carlson Wireless’ TrueTDM™ and SWiFT™ solutions deliver perfect wireline quality for T1/E1, Ethernet, POTS, 4-wire E&M and SCADA for a variety of applications. For more information, visit www.carlsonwireless.com.

New VoIP Enterprise Service Kit From Fluke Networks Reduces Installation and Problem-Solving Time for VoIP Phone Systems

Combination of Three Crucial Test Tools Meets Growing Demand for Comprehensive, Affordable VoIP Installation Solution

Fluke Networks, provider of innovative Network SuperVision Solutions(TM) for the testing, monitoring and analysis of enterprise and telecommunications networks, announces the availability of the VoIP Enterprise Service Kit, designed to ensure successful deployment of VoIP phones over existing network infrastructure. By using the three vital test tools included in this kit — a cable qualification tester, an inline performance tester and a digital probe — technicians can quickly eliminate the most common problems plaguing VoIP installations.

VoIP Enterprise Service Kit
(Photo: Fluke Website)

The VoIP Enterprise Service Kit fills a void created by existing test tools that only check cable integrity — without looking at VoIP performance — and tools that only look at the VoIP phone, without testing the cabling’s ability to transmit voice traffic. The new kit reduces the risk of rework and call-backs by testing both infrastructure and phone performance while the technician is on site.

The VoIP Enterprise Service Kit is built around the CableIQ(TM) Qualification Tester. The CableIQ tester checks cable bandwidth to ensure it will support Voice Over IP requirements. This can prevent hours of downtime and troubleshooting when VoIP equipment is installed on cabling with insufficient bandwidth.

Also in the kit is the NetTool(TM) Series II inline tester with VoIP Testing Option. NetTool allows users to see into VoIP calls by placing NetTool between the IP phone and network. Users can now quickly diagnose phone boot-up and call control problems as well as measure key call quality metrics without the need of a costly, hard-to-use protocol analyzer.

The third fundamental tool in the VoIP Enterprise Service Kit is the IntelliTone(TM) probe. IntelliTone simplifies cable identification by responding to unique digital tones which are unaffected by sources of interference that hinder traditional tone-probe sets. Both the CableIQ Qualification Tester and NetTool Inline Tester generate digital tone that can be located by the IntelliTone probe, saving time during cable identification tasks.

The VoIP Enterprise Service Kit is one of several VoIP solutions offered by Fluke Networks. Earlier this week the company announced NetAlly VoIP Assessment and Troubleshooting Software, version 7.0. This new software package helps eliminate risk associated with deploying or expanding VoIP services by assessing the current state of the network and previewing the service before it is deployed on that network. Assessing the network, a requirement of many leading IP PBX manufacturers, makes VoIP deployments faster, more successful and less costly by reducing post-deployment troubleshooting.

Product availability
In addition to the CableIQ Qualification Tester, NetTool(TM) Series II inline tester and the IntelliTone probe, the VoIP Enterprise Service Kit includes six remote office IDs, used for identifying cable outlets at the far end of a link. The VoIP Enterprise Service Kit is available for immediate delivery through Fluke Networks sales partners worldwide.

About Fluke Networks
Fluke Networks provides innovative solutions for the installation and certification, testing, monitoring and analysis of copper, fiber and wireless networks used by enterprises and telecommunications carriers. The company’s comprehensive line of Network SuperVision(TM) Solutions provide network installers, owners, and maintainers with superior vision, combining speed, accuracy and ease of use to optimize network performance. Headquartered in Everett, Washington, the company distributes its products in more than 50 countries. More information can be found by visiting Fluke Networks’ Web site at www.flukenetworks.com or by calling (800) 283-5853.

Siren Telephone Launches FTTH Deployment with Clearfield

Siren Telephone Company (STC) announced that it is deploying a Fiber to the Home (FTTH) initiative in Siren, Wisconsin, with the help of Clearfield, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLFD – News). As part of the citywide, 3,000-access line deployment, STC has selected Clearfield’s FieldSmart Platform of Fiber Management featuring the FieldSmart Fiber Distribution System (FDS) in its Central Office. Clearfield FDS products include patch panels, interbay management panels and cable management troughs. Additionally, STC is using the Clearfield Fiber Scalability Center (FSC) in its Outside Plant (OSP) network. FSC products include OSP cross-connect cabinets, Clearview patch & splice cassettes, and OSP fiber pigtails.

“We like to use American-made products – particularly Midwestern-made,” explained General Manager Sid Sherstad. Beyond the high quality workmanship of the FieldSmart line, Sherstad applauds its timeliness. “This product is going to be very popular. I believe that every telecommunications company in the country is going to need to do what we did – that is direct fiber to the home.”

He explained that the fiber conversion is in response to its business and residential customers’ need for significantly more bandwidth to handle the demands of high definition television and high speed internet. “We can now bring them better service than they could ever get through satellite, wireless, copper wireline or coaxial. With this new bandwidth capacity, we can address future high definition needs that aren’t even available yet,” he said.

The new FTTH capability will provide STC with a competitive and sustainable edge. “Independent telephone companies can continue to use copper, which was designed for a narrow band voice network, and try to trick it to carry broadband for short distances,” he said. “But demand for broadband is going to go up and up. And there are limits to what we can put over the copper network. In today’s digital world, you need to grow with the technology, and that’s fiber.”

Sherstad appreciates the efficiency of Clearfield’s FieldSmart Platform. “Once we’ve hooked our customers up with fiber, we’re done. If they want additional features, we don’t have to physically return to the site to replace filters or traps. If they want to increase from 10 megabytes to 20, for example, we can just open up the throttle a little bit by hitting a couple keys. It’s all software-driven, and that is a beautiful thing.”

About Siren Telephone Company
Siren Telephone Company (STC) is a full-service telecommunications firm providing service to more than 3,000 access lines in northwestern Wisconsin. Established in 1910 to serve the Siren, Wisconsin, community, STC provides some of the most advanced communications products available in the marketplace, including wireless, high-definition digital television, high-speed DSL internet, long-distance, business communication systems and local service.

About Clearfield, Inc.
Clearfield, Inc. designs and manufactures the FieldSmart Fiber Management Platform, which includes its latest generation FieldSmart Fiber Distribution System (FDS), FieldSmart Fiber Scalability Center (FSC) and FieldSmart Fiber Delivery Point (FDP) series. The FDS, FSC and FDP product lines support a wide range of panel configurations, densities, connectors and adapter options, and are offered alongside an assortment of passive optical components. Clearfield provides a complete line of fiber and copper assemblies for inside plant, outside plant and access networks. Clearfield is a public company, traded on NASDAQ:CLFD.

More information about Clearfield, Inc., its products and its people can be found at www.ClearfieldConnection.com.

EXFO Simplifies Transition to IPv6 Networks with Comprehensive, Versatile Testing Portfolio

Implements extended IPv6 testing capability option across complete portfolio of transport and datacom test modules enabling efficient, rapid deployment of next generation Ethernet/IP Services

EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc. (NASDAQ: EXFO, TSX: EXF) announced today the incorporation of optional comprehensive IPv6 testing capabilities across its entire portfolio of transport and datacom testing modules. The continuing proliferation of IP-enabled, always-on mobile devices is rapidly exhausting the available pool of IPv4 addresses, forcing service providers to actively transition their core, metro and backhaul networks to IPv6 addressing schemes in order to support the adoption of premium-priced, advanced multimedia services. However, both addressing schemes will continue to co-exist in the network, and therefore service providers must find efficient, cost-effective and comprehensive methods of testing both implementations in the most efficient manner.

EXFO’s portfolio of transport and datacom modules, including the complete Packet Blazer series (FTB/IQS-8510B, FTB/IQS-8510G, FTB/IQS-8525 and FTB/IQS-8535), the Power Blazer series (FTB/IQS-8120NGE and FTB/IQS-8130NGE) and the AXS-200/850 Ethernet Test Set, offer service providers complete Ethernet testing for IPv4 and IPv6 deployments, including BERT, RFC 2544 and advanced layer 3 and 4 multistream traffic generation and analysis. Housed in either the field portable FTB-200 Compact Platform, the next generation multimodular FTB-500 Platform, or the stationary R&D IQS-600 Integration Qualification System, the Packet Blazer and Power Blazer modules provide comprehensive IPv4 and IPv6 test and measurement suites for validating service-level agreements (SLAs) between service providers and their customers. The AXS-200/850 is a handheld Ethernet and IP tester that dramatically simplifies the testing processes used by field technicians when turning-up metro Ethernet and IP services.

“The wireless industry has been instrumental in driving the wide-spread adoption of advanced multimedia services; but in order to sustain this growth, government bodies and service providers worldwide must rapidly convert their network infrastructures to support the greater routing and address translation demands of IPv6 addressing schemes,” said Etienne Gagnon, EXFO’s Vice-President of Product Management and Marketing. “The integration of comprehensive IPv6 testing capabilities across our entire portfolio of transport and datacom modules is a clear indication of EXFO’s unwavering focus on market dynamics and ensures service providers have the tools they need to ensure uninterrupted processing of IPv6 traffic.”

For further information on the Packet Blazer and Power Blazer transport and datacom modules, please visit www.EXFO.com.

About EXFO
EXFO is a leading provider of test and service assurance solutions for network service providers and equipment manufacturers in the global telecommunications industry. The Telecom Division offers a wide range of innovative solutions extending across the full technology lifecycle ? from design to technology deployment and onto service assurance ? and covering all layers on a network infrastructure to enable triple-play services and next-generation, converged IP networking. The Life Sciences and Industrial Division offers solutions in medical device and opto-electronics assembly, fluorescence microscopy and other life science sectors. For more information, visit www.EXFO.com.