Global Connections 12/11/12

U.K.-based infrastructure company MS3 is using gear from Sweden’s Transmode for its packet-optical networks, initially deploying a new business-access network in the city of Hull. The contract win is part of a major investment by MS3 to create a high-speed alternative communications provider for the city and the region. The Transmode TM-Series optical-networking system reportedly will enable MS3 to provide much services as enterprise 10-Gigabit Ethernet and Internet…KPN, a telecom/ICT service provider in the Netherlands, tapped Accenture to develop and maintain TV services based on the Accenture Video Solution. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal has Accenture improving service performance and delivering KPN’s interactive-TV service to multiple devices (TV, tablets and smartphones) along with adding features to the iTV and iTV Online services KPN already offers to Dutch retail and wholesale markets…In Japan, Fujitsu Limited, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) and NEC Corporation (NEC) started a joint R&D effort aimed at “making the world’s top-level, 400 Gbps/channel-class digital coherent optical transmissions technology.” The trio will work to further enhance the performance and functionality of the digital coherent optical transmissions method, a key technology in optical transmissions. This R&D initiative was commissioned and is sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) as part of the “Research and Development Project for the Ultra-high Speed and Green Photonic Networks” program…Costa Rican telecom regulator SUTEL will use Aircom’s Asset tool to analyze and benchmark the performance of the country’s mobile-network infrastructure in order to meet its aim of deploying mobile services to 95.42 percent of the country within five years. By using a common set of benchmarks, Asset compare measurements across all independent networks; those measurements then will be used to make policy decisions and to help ensure operators are meeting agreed quality standards.