Wave Issue 9809 4/19/98 Article 6-01

*** Communications

Two Iridium Telecommunications Satellite Launches in Three Days
from Two Continents
(March 20)

On March 22 at 10:41 p.m. Pacific Time, five additional Iridium
satellites will be carried into orbit on a Boeing Delta II
rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. On March 24 at 9:06
p.m. Pacific Time, another two satellites will be launched on a
Long March booster from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in
China, bringing the total orbiting Iridium satellites to 56.
These satellites from both launches will be part of the Iridium
66-satellite network.

Digital and Microsoft Announce a Joint Program for Internet-
Enhanced Intelligent Networks
(March 19)

Digital Equipment Corp. and Microsoft Corp. announced a new
program to address the evolving needs of the telecommunications
industry for delivering a wide array of services to their
customers. The program focuses on Internet-Enhanced Intelligent
Networks, which combine intelligent networks (IN) with the
power, flexibility and momentum of the Internet and the
Microsoft Windows NT Server operating system. This enables
telecom network operators to cost-effectively deliver a new
generation of services to their customers.

At the center of this program is the Windows NT Server
implementation of Digital's Signaling System Number 7 product,
DECss7. DECss7 on Windows NT provides high-performance telecom
servers that enable telecom service providers to deliver a wide
range of intelligent network services to their customers.
DECss7 for Windows NT Server is scheduled for delivery by
Digital in August 1998. The application programming interface
(API) of DECss7 for Windows NT Server is currently available
for use by applications providers to develop or port IN
applications. As part of the joint program, Digital and
Microsoft plan to identify and work with application providers
as they target DECss7 on Windows NT Server for enhanced network
solutions.

DECss7 for Windows NT Server will provide the level of nonstop
performance and reliability the telecom industry requires and
will be available for customer premise and central office
NEBS/ETSI-compliant configurations. The initial use of DECss7
for Windows NT Server is targeted for enhanced IN services such
as unified messaging and virtual call centers, and as the
cornerstone for integration of the Internet with intelligent
network solutions.

The main features of the DECss7 for Windows NT Server product
line will include the following:
- Compliance with worldwide SS7 standards
- APIs identical to UNIX and OpenVMS versions of DECss7,
enabling easy porting of applications from one operating system
to another and ensuring interoperability among each
- A full range of server configurations, from PC to very large
configurations capable of handling thousands of transactions
per second, and the ability to transparently migrate from low
to high end configurations
- Cost-effective high availability for mission-critical
applications, a feature embedded within the DECss7 family of
products

MicroTAC Available in United States, South Korea and Hong Kong
by Motorola
(February 23)

Motorola announced the commercial availability of the MicroTAC
SC-725 for the U.S., the MicroTAC SC-725CV for Hong Kong, and
the MicroTAC DMT-8000 phones for South Korea. These CDMA phones
utilize Motorola's own unique CDMA chipset, which plays a key
role in allowing Motorola to drive product and technology
toward future generations of CDMA products. These feature-rich
CDMA phones offer consumers advanced digital features and
performance in Motorola's award-winning MicroTAC phone
packages.

www.startac.com