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By cableunion, February 3, 2012 11:10 pm

3M (News – Alert) announced new high-speed products from its 3M Twin Axial Cable Assembly lineup and they were demonstrated at the DesignCon 2012. The new solutions are supposed to offer design engineers with low-profile foldable cabling options for internal and external electronics applications and also enhance the airflow and cable management in them.

3M explained that the new cable assemblies are based on 3M’s SL8800 Series, a flat foldable and longitudinally shielded high-performance twin axial cable ribbon cable. Users who need high data-rate applications, including servers, storage, switches and data center networks, can employ the 3M Cable Assemblies for SFP+, 3M Cable Assemblies for QSFP+ and the 3M High- Routability External MiniSAS Cable Assembly 8G26 Series. The assemblies are also compatible with InfiniBand, Ethernet, Fiber Channel and SAS (News – Alert) protocols.

The company added that the 3M SL8800 Series Cable is an optimal solution for space constrained systems. This cable is unjacketed, extremely thin and can even be folded with minimal loss or performance impact. SL8000 Series Cable can route along the sides of cabinets and through narrow openings in densely packaged equipment.

3M Twin (News – Alert) Axial Cable assemblies feature unparalleled flexibility, unique mechanical capabilities and optimal performance for high-speed applications not found in other cables.

Officials with 3M claimed that the 3M Twin Axial Cable Solutions they have made available are some of the most versatile cables currently on the market – from both a design and capability perspective. They believe that this is truly the cable of the future and are excited to offer this cable with a variety of assembly options for their customers. The new products are based on 3M Twin Axial Ribbon Cable, a recipient of R&D Magazine’s 49th Annual R&D 100 Awards that recognizes technological products across a variety of industries. 

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, happening now, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration, click here.

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Nathesh is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Nathesh’s articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell

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By cableunion, February 2, 2012 5:24 pm

Clearfield (News – Alert), a provider of fiber management and connectivity platforms for communications providers, has unveiled two new products to address the communications industry’s need for increased fiber density.

The new multi-fiber push-on (MPO) which is equipped with the Clearview Cassette is expected to deliver 12 times the fiber connectivity than previously available solution. In addition, the second product, the Half-Wide LGX Blade, doubles optical component density for those requiring an LGX footprint.

“While today it may be difficult to imagine the application requirements that would require more than 20,000 ports of fiber connectivity on a single frame, that same thought was projected when the first high-count IFC cable was brought to market or the first 144-port fiber panel just ten years ago,” said Johnny Hill, chief operating officer for Clearfield, in a statement.

“Bandwidth requirements are driving the demand for fiber and forcing network managers to make room for more fiber everywhere in their networks,” Hill added. “A design principle of the FieldSmart product line is to lead the market in port density and access, and this new solution demonstrates our ongoing commitment.”

The company claims both the products are capable of reducing capital equipment costs by half when compared to a standard connector option for the identical port count.  Clearview Cassette, according to company officials, can deliver 12 units of self-contained fiber management within the device and provide the scalability and modularity of incremental fiber connectivity whenever it is required.

 Promising double optical component connectivity, the Half-Wide LGX Blade helps service providers address increasing bandwidth demands.

While the traditional LGX footprint is preferred, either due to standardization on a previous design or existing architecture, service providers have been limited in the number of ports they could deploy, Hill added. “The introduction of our Half-Wide LGX Blade allows our customers to double the number of optical components deployed in the identical space without impairing access.”

The half-wide LGX blades offer all of Clearfield’s optical component technologies, including WDM, DWDM and optical circulators. The solution is housed in Clearfield’s 19” or 23” Optical Component Chassis.

Recently, Clearfield announced that its FieldSmart platform was selected by West Kentucky and Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative (WK&T). The FieldSmart platform will be deployed in the central office of WK&T.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, happening right now from Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration click here.

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Rajani Baburajan is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Rajani’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jamie Epstein

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By cableunion, February 2, 2012 12:12 pm

To meet increasingly demanding business needs of U.K.’s enterprise community, ADVA Optical Networking and Openreach, the infrastructure division of BT Group (News – Alert), have jointly launched a new optical spectrum access (OSA) service. Part of Openreach’s optical spectrum service (OSS) portfolio, OSA provides new levels of network connectivity.

Built on ADVA (News – Alert) Optical’s scalable wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system FSP 3000, enterprises will now be able to transport enormous amounts of data throughout the U.K. with much improved latency and unparalleled encryption and security, said the partners.

In a statement, Jon Hurry, managing director, Strategy, Commercial, Portfolio & Policy, Openreach said, “The response to the FSP 3000 introduction has been exceptional.”

He added, “Since the pre-launch of this service we’ve collaborated with a range of communications providers, whose customers are expecting dramatically more from their networks. Scalability and protecting their investment is at the heart of our customers’ strategy; they need to transport increasing amounts of data across greater distances more securely and faster than ever before. OSA meets those criteria. Today’s launch marks a milestone for U.K. businesses seeking to position their networks as a competitive advantage.”

According to the collaborators, the OSA service provides dedicated single or resilient point-to-point optical fiber links throughout the U.K. With a route distance of up to 103 km, the service accommodates a range of interfaces and uses the same low-latency technology deployed extensively in many of the world’s leading financial trading networks.

Configured to specific networking demands and accommodating a full range of protocols and service interfaces, OSA has been built with the sole purpose of moving large amounts of data faster, farther and more securely, stated ADVA Optical Networking (News – Alert).

Alistair Swales, senior vice president, U.K. sales, ADVA Optical Networking, commented, “This is an incredible time to be involved in U.K. networks,”

“In less than one month we’ve seen over 200 design requests from customers interested in the new OSA service. This is simply unparalleled. Our R&D teams are working closely with Openreach to ensure this new service fulfills its promise and takes U.K. enterprise networking to previously unattainable heights. For today’s businesses and their mission-critical data, OSA is an imperative,” noted Swales.  

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, happening now, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration, click here.

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Ashok Bindra is a veteran writer and editor with more than 25 years of editorial experience covering RF/wireless technologies, semiconductors and power electronics. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell

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By cableunion, January 31, 2012 11:08 pm

LOROM has recently debuted three new high speed data center cable solutions for its portfolio of Fortune 500 companies within the technology, medical and automotive industries. Data center cabling if left unmonitored can add to heating within a data center, enhancing the loss of signal integrity. Data center cable products from LOROM address this challenge through delivering a low Insertion Loss Deviation (ILD) solution, along with an advanced Integrated Cross-talk Noise (ICN) via its E-MAXX cable technology.

In a press release, Henning Hansen,LOROM COO, said that, “The LOROM E-MAXX data center cable product line is a significant step forward in solving years of industry challenges. By providing ‘best in class’ signal integrity performance, increased densities enabling better airflow and improvement of cable management, LOROM is delivering peace of mind for data center managers.”

Additionally, the A patented paddle-card design of the cabling solutions have been enhanced for increasing signal quality and driving mechanical performance, while the controlled wire management and termination processes of the solution ensure regularity in high speed electrical performance. The new high data center cable solutions feature a low profile design which has been developed with low metal content to ensure that air flow is optimized allowing for faster heat dissipation.  

Moreover, the company is offering its customers the QSFP+ which is the Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Plus solution, along with the high-speed Serial Mini-SAS (News – Alert) and Mini-SATA and SFP+ 10 (Small Form Factor Pluggable Plus) line of products. Each of these products has been designed to incorporate LOROM’s patented E-MAXX technology and have been enhanced for use specifically in high speed data centers.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, happening now Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.

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Calvin Azuri is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Calvin’s articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Jamie Epstein

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By cableunion, January 27, 2012 6:45 pm

Belden announced the launch of its outdoor and direct burial analog audio, plenum jacketed and plenum Banana Peel snake cable lines.

It was revealed in a release that the new Brilliance Audio Snake Cables feature a robust construction which also has superior flexibility making it highly suitable for indoor and outdoor environmental conditions.

Belden, specializing in signal transmission solutions for mission-critical applications, provides the Brilliance Audio Snake Cables for in-the-field and permanent installation to connect multiple channels in low-level (microphone) and high-level componentry.

The applications where they can be used include console board equipment for recording, post production and sound system installations, said officials.

Most useful where ruggedness is imperative, the product line includes three cable series, namely waterblocked, plenum, and Banana Peel constructions. Featuring various benefits the cable series sports a foil shield that is bonded to the jacket. This construction enables them to maintain high performance with the ease of termination.

The waterblocked product series, used in direct burial and suitable for outdoor installations, features six standard product codes with constructions ranging from 1 to 12 pairs. This makes the product more advantageous when compared to gel installations.

Belden officials added that the plenum product series offers nine product codes including the recent additions of 4, 6, 8 and 12-pair constructions with an overall jacket. No heat shrink is needed as the pairs are individually jacketed facilitating field termination.

The patented Banana Peel construction offers 2, 4, and 6-pair audio snake cables forming easy-to-install composite cables. The component cables are bundled and affixed to a center spline, so overall jacket is not required. Easy to install, the Banana Peel design needs less effort and time compared to traditional jacketed products.

Belden announced the roll out of the GarrettCom brand’s enhanced IEC (News – Alert) 61850-compatible, substation-hardened managed switches targeted for data-intensive power utility applications such as Smart Grid. The Magnum 10KG Managed Switches offer up to eight Gb ports to support data-intensive Smart Grid applications. Magnum is a trademarked product line of Belden’s GarrettCom (News – Alert) brand.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration, click here.

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Shamila Janakiraman is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Shamila’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell

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By cableunion, January 25, 2012 10:37 pm

TeraXion recently announced that it has been chosen by Honeywell (News – Alert) to provide high-end laser solutions for the development of the company’s next generation of fiber optic gyroscopes. TeraXion is recognized for its design and manufacturing of high performance laser products.

In a release, Earl Benser, Director Advanced Sensors and Microsystems at Honeywell Advanced Technology said, “We have made significant progress in gyro performance since teaming with TeraXion through its customized laser systems, and we have great confidence that we will achieve the stringent target goals.”

TeraXion operates out of Quebec City, Canada and is responsible for designing, developing and manufacturing opto-electronic components and modules for high performance telecommunication, optical sensing and fiber laser applications.  

Ghislain Lafrance, vice-president of business development at TeraXion said, “TeraXion is applying its narrow linewidth laser and optical phase locking technology to the demanding requirements of fiber optic gyro systems. Our products and technologies have the potential of enhancing next generation gyroscope performance”.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration click here.

Calvin Azuri is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Calvin’s articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Stefanie Mosca

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By cableunion, January 23, 2012 9:28 am

zColo, a subsidiary of Louisville, Colo., based Zayo Group (News – Alert), recently announced another addition to its nationwide colocation portfolio. The company reported the opening of a downtown Chicago colocation center, zColo’s 13th colocation facility in the US.

Through this new carrier neutral colocation facility, the company plans to provide downtown connectivity option to customers in the media and financial sectors as well as others requiring Internet content.

The new data center signifies the Zayo Group’s market sensibility, as the company clearly seeks to capitalize on the current market trend that predicts a 50 percent surge in demand for data center services in Chicago in the upcoming years. The company also plans to partner with other carriers in the Chicago area to support this demand, president of zColo Chris Morley revealed in a press release.

Zayo Group is a national provider of fiber-based bandwidth infrastructure and network-neutral colocation and interconnection services. The new zColo facility is going to leverage Zayo’s bandwidth infrastructure, including its metro fiber network in Chicago as well its 44,000-mile national network.

The facility is going to offer 8,500 sellable square feet and support up to 200 watts per square foot for high-power density applications. Services are anticipated to be available by the end of Q2 2012.

Earlier this month, zColo announced its acquisition of MarquisNet. This expanded the company’s data center portfolio with the addition of a 28 thousand square foot Las Vegas data center facility.

Few months back zColo announced its support of PCCW (News – Alert) Global’s expanded Point-of-Presence (PoP) at its 111 Eighth Avenue colocation facility in New York City. PCCW Global is a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications provider PCCW Limited. The new  PoP enabled data center customers to take advantage of PCCW Global’s (News – Alert) fully meshed suite of products and services including video, IP, transmission and voice solutions.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration, click here.

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Madhubanti Rudra is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell

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By cableunion, January 19, 2012 8:14 pm

CALIENT Technologies, Inc., an expert in adaptive photonic switching technology, announced a software upgrade for its FiberConnect 320X (FC320X) switches. 

In a press release, the company explained that version 2.4 of the FC320X operating software will improve security in multi-tenant applications and add new configuration flexibility.

The FC320X operating software is used for port group management in multi-tenant applications where secure virtual networks must be built and managed independently.

The FiberConnect 320X, which features expanded virtualization, can be used to create port groups of any number of ports. It also allows specific user to manage and view traffic from that port group.

The port group management feature is especially relevant for government applications that involve multiple security clearance levels. According to Calient, the port group management feature of FC320X supports seven user classification levels by segregating the entire management into several security clearance levels.

“The FiberConnect 320X is the highest density photonic switch on the market and the expanded virtualization features provide the security needed to truly make the best use of that density in government applications,” director of product marketing at CALIENT Daniel Tardent noted in a statement.

CALIENT’s 3D microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology based FiberConnect 320X platform is equipped with 640 fiber terminations or 320 ports (transmit and receive). The technology makes use of silicon micro mirrors to switch incoming fiber-optic signals from port to port. Serving the industry for eight years, the product has an installed base of 80,000 fiber terminations, company officials said in a press release.

Another benefit of the software is its ease of installation. The software comes with a pre-configuration mode that allows the switch to be set up using dark fiber. Previously, the FiberConnect 320X needed lit fiber to be configured.

Version 2.4 of the software also features a new graphical user interface (GUI), which offers an improved snapshot of all the ports with color coordinated statuses and a simplified process of enabling cross-connections. With the upgraded software, it takes as little as three clicks to view the entire process.

Telecom users are expected to gain from the software’s expanded TL1 commands, which facilitate better switch information in telecom networks that leverage the TL1 management protocol.

Version 2.4 of the software is now shipping with all FiberConnect 320X switches and is available for field upgrades.

In separate news, CALIENT Technologies announced the deployment of FiberConnect 320X photonic switch by Southern Cross Cable Networks, a trans-Pacific bandwidth wholesaler. The installation is expected to give Southern Cross the capability to reconfigure its fiber network in seconds, adding further protection in the event of fiber breaks or repeater/transponder failures.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration click here.

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Madhubanti Rudra is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Rich Steeves

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By cableunion, January 18, 2012 12:35 am

To give wireline and wireless network operators accurate test results the first time, test services provider EXFO (News – Alert) Inc. has added wavelength-division-multiplexing-aware (WDM-Aware) capability to its FTB-5240S/B-P optical spectrum analyzers. In addition, WDM-Aware testing capabilities also provide features like on-graph peak detection level, referencing, and SCPI commands. According to EXFO, as a result of new enhancements to optical spectrum analyzers, network operators will be able to remove the uncertainty of test results. And, thereby, reduce operating expenditures (OPEX (News – Alert)), said the supplier.

OPEX is currently on the rise because users are demanding more data and bandwidth. Hence, accurate first test results become critical to keep the overall expenses low. Automatically generating precise test results all the time helps to keep the cost of testing networks down, said EXFO.

WDM-Aware (News – Alert) eliminates the insecurity about test results and other presumptions, said the test services provider. Consequently, added EXFO, it accelerates and mechanizes the tests, thereby minimizing OPEX.

WDM-Aware is an adaptive in-band method in the market. Higher network speeds up to 40G represent wider channels and longer distances, which deteriorates the channels, thereby raising the filtered noise. The new software addition to the optical spectrum analyzer FTB-5240S/B-P distinguishes noise from signals to improve the accuracy of analysis, said EXFO. In other words, the FTB-5240S/B-P is a powerful analysis tool that provides dependable test results.

Furthermore, the FTB-5240S/B-P OSA allows built-in referencing in WDM mode. Operators benefit by this essential troubleshooting tool, stated EXFO. Remote access to test tools is being facilitated through the FTB-5240S/B-P optical spectrum analyzer to meet the network equipment manufacturer’s requirements including constant testing, lab simulations, and remote control.

This novel SCPI command feature leverages all kinds of operation and facilitates remote construction of the OSA, according to EXFO.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration click here.

Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO. Follow us on Twitter.

Ashok Bindra is a veteran writer and editor with more than 25 years of editorial experience covering RF/wireless technologies, semiconductors and power electronics. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Carrie Schmelkin

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By cableunion, January 16, 2012 4:03 pm

Independent research organization, Pyramid Research has released its latest report entitled, “LTE (News – Alert) Devices and Applications: Next-generation mobile networks driven by video service,” which predicts that smartphones may be the largest segment by 2014, overtaking PCs.

This consequence may be because many operators worldwide are launching LTE networks and making way for users to use the LTE devices at a rate that has resulted in a tenfold increase since the end of 2010.

The Thematic Report by Jan ten Sythoff, offers an overview and background of the LTE market, operator approaches and the LTE value chain.

The key findings from the report are about LTE devices, including PC add-ons, hotspots, smartphones and tablets. It also looks at a number of mobile operator case studies around the world.

“The majority of products are currently aimed at PCs, with three out of five devices models being discrete modems, either routers or PC add-on devices,” he says. However, Verizon’s (News – Alert) Innovation Lab has been an important driver of machine (module) devices for LTE, providing technical resources to smaller companies looking to integrate LTE capabilities into a variety of different devices. The number of LTE modules has increased from none at the end of 2010 to 30 in October 2011,” says Jan ten Sythoff.

According to him, LTE smartphones are on the Android (News – Alert) platform with larger screens, front-facing cameras, and have broad video connectivity capabilities and by 2016, 57.3 percent of LTE subscriptions are expected to be smartphones, 33.4 percent PCs, 7.6 percent tablets and the remainder machine-to-machine devices.

Pyramid Research recently published another new report that speaks about fiber optic subscriptions that are expected to rise dramatically during the next few years. Pyramid Research, a provider of practical solutions to the complex demands its clients face in the global communications industry, states that Asia-Pacific’s total fiber subscriptions are expected to nearly triple from 73.5m in 2011 to reach 204.9m by 2016.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.

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Jyothi Shanbhag is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Jyothi’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Juliana Kenny