NanoOpto and SMM collaborate
NanoOpto (Somerset, NJ), which applies proprietary nanofabrication technology to produce optical components and systems, and Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM; Tokyo, Japan), manufacturer of optical isolators and related components for fiber-optic network applications, are collaborating on the development of integrated telecommunications components, primarily packaged optical isolators and custom wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) filters with small footprints. These new components enable triple-play (voice, data, and video) services through fiber infrastructure and end-user equipment. Products will be available during 2007.
Fox-Tek expands fiber-optic sensing capability
Fiber Optic Systems Technology (Fox-Tek; Toronto, ON, Canada), a developer of patented fiber-optic sensing products, announced the acquisition of PinPoint Corrosion Monitoring, a Canadian developer and manufacturer of pipeline wall-thickness monitoring technologies. Fox-Tek utilizes fiber-optic sensors, which are bonded to the outside of a pipeline or vessel to measure the effects of corrosion. PinPoint’s system features a removable sensor sleeve containing an array of electrodes to produce readings that correlate with the size of corrosion defects or “pits” inside a pipeline.
“We’ve conducted successful installations of our technology at sites in many locations, working with some of the biggest names in the oil and gas industry, but one of the keys to being a market leader is continued improvement,” said Essam Zaghloul, president and CEO. “Acquiring PinPoint adds to the depth of our corrosion monitoring solution, and allows us to become a true ‘one-stop shop’ for customers dedicated to maintaining pipeline integrity.”
Telecom tunable-laser agreement signed
Syntune (Stockholm, Sweden), a developer of single-chip tunable lasers and transmitters, and CyOptics (Lehigh Valley, PA), developer of indium phosphide optical chip and component technologies, announced a cooperative agreement to introduce a family of full-band tunable laser products for the telecommunications market.
The CyOptics manufacturing platform has provided more than 4 million lasers with over 120 billion service hours in telecommunications equipment deployed worldwide since 2000. The agreement will also enhance Syntune’s product distribution through the use of CyOptics’ worldwide sales channel.
In related news, CyOptics announced it has shipped more than 1 million laser and detector chips for fiber-to-the-home applications used in gigabit passive optical networks in 2006.
Alcatel-Lucent to partner with Agilent on IPTV
Alcatel-Lucent has chosen Agilent Technologies (Santa Clara, CA) as a formal test-and-measurement partner for its Internet-protocol-television ecosystem. The partnership is intended to ensure that new IP-based video deployments meet end-to-end service-quality expectations.
Agilent offers a portfolio of solutions for testing video service quality, from research and development through network installation and ongoing monitoring, which is critical given the complexity and ever-changing conditions within next-generation triple-play networks. These test solutions help network equipment manufacturers and service providers reduce time to market, lower development costs, and minimize risks for new IP-based service offerings.
Avanex revenue signals healthy telecom market
For its second quarter of fiscal 2007 ended Dec. 31, 2006, optical networks equipment provider Avanex (Fremont, CA) reported record revenue of $55.6 million, a 9% increase over the prior quarter revenue of $50.9 million and a 54% increase over revenue of $36.1 million in the second quarter of the previous year. Gross margin in the second quarter of fiscal 2007 increased to 19%, compared with 10% in the previous quarter and 8% in the second quarter of fiscal 2006. “The second quarter was exceptionally strong and we are very pleased to report the highest revenue and gross margin in the history of Avanex,” said Jo Major, chairman, president, and CEO of Avanex.
Also in the news . . .
Paul Polishuk, president of the IGI Group (Brighton, MA), announced that IGI Consulting (IGIC) and Frank Murawski, president of FTM Consulting (FTM), have joined forces to develop and market reports for the telecommunications and data communications industries . . . Agilent Technologies and Xilinx (San Jose, CA) announced a collaborative solution for testing and optimizing high-speed serial links implemented with Xilinx RocketIO multigigabit transceivers. . . . MRV Communications (Chatsworth, CA) announced that its OptiSwitch 9000 and its Fiber Driver metro Ethernet systems successfully passed compliance tests of Ethernet in the First Mile Operations, Administration & Maintenance, a part of the overall IEEE “Ethernet in the First Mile” standard.