Temenos, a provider of integrated core banking systems, and software solutions provider Microsoft have announced an alliance for delivering core banking solutions with TEMENOS T24 and Microsoft SQL Server to increase operational efficiencies of large-scale banks worldwide.

Earlier, the two companies worked with North Shore Credit Union (NSCU), a financial institution in Canada, to deliver a new core banking solution with a data management platform based on TEMENOS T24 and Microsoft SQL Server.

Microsoft believes the new agreement will see both parties collaborate more closely and commit technical, marketing and sales resources to bringing a flexible core banking solution to market, which optimises the use of the Microsoft platform with T24.

Vocaltec Communications, a provider of multimedia and voice-over-IP solutions for communication service providers, has acquired substantially all of the assets of Outsmart, a provider of telecommunications convergence solutions.

The Outsmart assets acquired by Vocaltec includes Outsmart’s technology and intellectual property, as well as its primary customer and partner contracts.

Vocaltec plans to engage certain Outsmart personnel in a bid to enable the development and support and an uninterrupted transition to all Outsmart customers and partners.

The company believes the combined portfolio will position Vocaltec as a provider of VoIP solution and applications to both fixed line and mobile service providers.

Ericsson has completed its acquisition of substantially all of Nortel’s CDMA business and LTE assets in North America.

The acquisition includes the transfer of important CDMA contracts with North American operators including Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular, Bell Canada, Telus and Leap, as well as LTE assets, certain patents and patent licences relating to CDMA and LTE.

The former Nortel staff will be integrated into the Ericsson group over the coming months and the entity will work under the Ericsson brand.

In terms of sales, North America will now be Ericsson’s largest region.

In addition to the people Ericsson gains through the combination, the company also hopes to benefit from knowledge of Nortel’s CDMA customers and their networks.

ITC DeltaCom, a provider of integrated communications services to customers in the southeastern United States, has named Mike DeGraw as Senior Vice President of Wholesale Sales.

DeGraw was previously president and co-owner of Huntington Telecom, an international wholesale voice operator.

DeGraw brings over seventeen years of sales strategy, business development and corporate leadership experience in the telecommunications industry.

DeltaCom has a fibre optic network, and offers a suite of voice and data communications services, including local, long distance, broadband data, internet connectivity, wireless voice and data services, and customer premise equipment.

Artificial Life recently announced its strategic decision to expand its business activities in China.

All iPhone and iPod touch games and applications of Artificial Life will be translated into simplified Chinese and launched in China as soon as possible, the company informed.

In addition, the company will create new and specially tailored iPhone & iPod applications for the Chinese market.

Falconstor Software, a player in disk-based data protection, and Avnet Technology Solutions (Avnet), an IT distributor, have entered into an agreement for the distribution of Falconstor software products by Avnet UK.

Avnet will be distributing the full range of Falconstor solutions, including Falconstor Continuous Data Protector (CDP), Falconstor Network Storage Server (NSS), Falconstor Virtual Tape Library (VTL) with deduplication and Falconstor File-interface Deduplication System (FDS).

The products, which are already being distributed by Avnet in the Benelux, will be taken to market immediately by Avnet in the UK with other European countries following suit as and when appropriate.

Alcatel-Lucent has launched a new IP Transformation Centre (IPTC) in Chennai, India. First centre of its kind in the sub-continent, the IPTC is aimed at developing, integrating and testing end-to-end IP networking solutions for Alcatel-Lucent’s Indian and global customers as they migrate to next generation architectures.

The centre will enable service providers to design, test and integrate their solutions in a ‘risk-free environment’, the company said. It will reportedly help them shorten the IP transformation trajectory and their time to market.

The IPTC is networked with Alcatel-Lucent’s existing IPTCs and network integration centres located in Antwerp, Belgium; Singapore; Murray Hill, Naperville and Plano in the USA, as well as with multiple R&D labs world-wide, including India.

Ericsson has been selected as one of two suppliers for AT&T’s Wireline Access products and services. The company will now be eligible to provide full system solutions within AT&T’s wireline access network.

AT&T’s strategy is to shorten technology introduction cycles, increase supplier collaboration and focus spending on future technologies.

Ericsson will offer AT&T full end-to-end system solutions, and hopes to allow AT&T to accelerate time-to-market for new products and services. Additionally, by closely collaborating with AT&T, Ericsson is expected to focus its research and development, strengthen relationships with third-parties, and streamline relevant business practices.

Sanyo, a manufacturer of projectors, has formed a distribution partnership with Synnex, a business process services company, in an effort to expand its reach into the IT market. Synnex is expected to provide Sanyo a base of customers within the Retail, PC Resellers, and VAR distribution channels.

Synnex serves resellers, retailers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in multiple regions around the world. The company provides services in IT distribution, contract assembly and global business services (GBS). Synnex distributes technology products from IT OEM suppliers to more than 15,000 resellers throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Sanyo manufacturers a full line of projectors from entry-level models with full feature sets, to high-end models for large installations in addition to rental and staging use.

Microsoft has announced that Windows phones will be widely available at retail stores worldwide on 6 October 2009.

The company said the new phones will be the first to feature Windows Mobile 6.5, the latest version of Microsoft’s mobile phone software, and will seek to deliver new customer experiences through an improved user interface and browsing capabilities and access to services, including Windows Marketplace for Mobile and Microsoft My Phone.

The company also informed that a variety of approved and certified applications will be available for direct download to Windows phones from Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Windows Mobile 6.5 provides access to third-party applications such as Facebook, Netflix and Zagat. With the new version, users can change the look and feel of their phones with designer themes or a personal background and customise their home screen with widgets so the information they need is always easy to find, the company added.