FLAG TELECOM SELECTS CIENA’S INTELLIGENT OPTICAL SYSTEMS FOR ASIAN AND EUROPEAN NETWORK BUILDS
CIENA’s CoreDirector and CoreStream Systems To Be Deployed in FLAG’s North Asia Loop; CoreStream Also Supporting FLAG’s European Network
LINTHICUM, Md. and LONDON, U.K. — 05/30/2001Ciena Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN) and FLAG Telecom (NASDAQ: FTHL; LSE: FTL) today announced that FLAG has awarded Ciena a contract to support FLAG’s North Asia Loop network with Ciena’s market-leading intelligent optical transport and switching systems.
FLAG Telecom, a leading, independent, global carrier’s carrier and network services provider, will deploy Ciena’s MultiWave CoreStream™ and MultiWave CoreDirector™ systems for the FLAG North Asia Loop project – a submarine network that spans Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea. CoreStream provides reliable, high-capacity optical transmission, and CoreDirector, with its embedded software intelligence, enables FLAG Telecom to efficiently manage bandwidth services across the North Asia region.
In addition, Ciena will supply its MultiWave CoreStream platform on the FLAG Europe-Asia cable system, which connects Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Ciena is providing FLAG Telecom with an advanced optical transport solution that includes technologies such as forward error correction (FEC) and Raman amplification to support ultra-long network routes.
“Ciena has the proven ability to deliver next-generation optical networking solutions that provide the scalability, reliability and cost-efficiency required for our customers’ mission-critical applications,” said Ed McCormack, chief operating officer, FLAG Telecom. “We are confident that the performance and functionality of Ciena’s market-leading systems will add business value to the FLAG network and to our carrier customers, and we look forward to beginning a strategic relationship with Ciena.”
CoreDirector distributes software-based intelligence across the network so service providers are able to leverage the capital and operational savings associated with next-generation networking. CoreDirector is designed to consolidate multiple racks of static network equipment with a highly scalable and flexible switch for automated service provisioning, protection and restoration. In addition, Ciena’s unique approach to integrated long-haul and ultra long-haul transport networking means CoreStream further simplifies network architectures while enhancing the capacity and cost-efficiency of next-generation networks.
“As FLAG Telecom evolves from a cable developer to a global provider of advanced network services for a global economy, the need for next-generation network solutions becomes increasingly important,” said Gary Smith, president and chief executive officer of Ciena. “CoreStream and CoreDirector lay a scalable foundation for next-generation intelligent optical networks ideally suited to help service providers grow their business, increase revenue and profit, and improve network performance for next-generation optical services.”
Ciena Corporation’s market-leading optical networking systems form the core for the new era of networks and services worldwide. Ciena’s LightWorks™ architecture enables next-generation optical services and changes the fundamental economics of service-provider networks by simplifying the network and reducing the cost to operate it. Additional information about Ciena can be found at http://www.ciena.com.
FLAG Telecom is a leading global network services provider and independent carriers' carrier providing an innovative range of products and services to the international carrier community, ASPs and ISPs across an international network platform designed to support the next generation of IP over optical data networks. The FLAG Europe-Asia cable stretches from the UK to Japan and entered commercial service in November 1997. FLAG Atlantic-1, the world's first transoceanic terabit cable system linking London and Paris to New York, is currently at an advanced stage of construction and is scheduled to enter service as a fully restored loop system in early H2 2001. FLAG North Asian Loop is a multi-terabit intra-Asia system scheduled to enter service in Q2 2001. The FLAG Pacific-1 cable is expected to enter service in Q2 2002. Leveraging this unique network FLAG Telecom's rapidly growing Network Services business markets a range of managed bandwidth and value added services targeted at carriers, ISPs, and ASPs worldwide. Principal shareholders are: Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) (USA) and Dallah Al Barakah Group (Saudi Arabia). For further information, visit www.flagtelecom.com.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions of Ciena (the Company) that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this release, including, but not limited to, the Company’s belief that CoreStream provides reliable, high-capacity optical transmission, and CoreDirector, with its embedded software intelligence, enables FLAG Telecom to efficiently manage bandwidth services across the North Asia region, the ability of CoreDirector to allow service providers to be able to leverage the capital and operational savings associated with next-generation networking, CoreDirector’s ability to replace multiple racks of static network equipment with a highly scalable switch for automated service provisioning, protection and restoration, CoreStream’s ability to enhance the capacity and cost-efficiency of next-generation networks, the ability of CoreStream and CoreDirector to help service providers grow their business, increase revenue and profit, and improve network performance for next-generation optical services, and the cost savings, deployment timing and network management benefits of the Company’s products, are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in such forward-looking statements, due to risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, which include the risk factors disclosed in the Company’s Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 17, 2001. Forward looking statements include statements regarding the Company’s expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “should,” “will,” and “would” or similar words. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Nicole Anderson
Ciena Corporation
(877) 857 -7377
pr@ciena.com Ben Banta
FLAG Telecom
+44 20 7478 9745
bbanta@flagtelecom.com
Marie Downing
Ciena Corporation
(888) 243-6223
ir@ciena.com
Catherine Nash
FLAG Telecom
+44 20 7317 0894
cnash@flagtelecom.com
