GENUITY TO DEPLOY CIENA'S COREDIRECTOR IN ITS NATIONWIDE NETWORK
CoreDirector Will Enable Genuity To Support Expanded Service Offerings
Linthicum, MD — 11/30/2000Ciena Corporation, (CIEN), a global provider of intelligent optical networking systems, today announced that Genuity Inc., (NASDAQ: GENU) a Tier 1 provider of Internet infrastructure and eBusiness solutions, has selected Ciena's MultiWave CoreDirector™ intelligent optical core switching systems for deployment in its nationwide network.
With CoreDirector at the intelligent optical core of the network, Genuity will be able to use the system's dynamic optical switching, provisioning and protection capabilities to create and deliver customized services based on a variety of criteria. Leveraging this network intelligence, services such as OC-n/STM-n, virtual dedicated wavelengths and fractional gigabit Ethernet services can become a reality.
"The ability to offer services that customers can't get from other network operators in a timely manner - and often not at all - clearly is a significant competitive advantage for Genuity and its customers," said Steven Blumenthal, senior vice president, Engineering and Technology at Genuity. "We believe CoreDirector holds advantages over other switches in terms of functionality, density and granularity, which are critical in creating a true service-oriented network. CoreDirector's software-driven intelligence is an important element of Genuity's network architecture as we build the most flexible platform for the generation and delivery of new optical services."
With built-in networking intelligence, CoreDirector has the ability to improve the performance of service provider networks. The ability to increase operational efficiency to create an economic advantage is one of CoreDirector's value propositions.
CoreDirector's market-leading density, scalability, range of optical interfaces and software-definable switching granularity eliminate the need for additional SONET/SDH add/drop multiplexers, digital cross-connects and optical cross-connects in next-generation network architectures. As a result, service providers such as Genuity benefit from lower equipment costs and realize the operational savings associated with managing a simpler, automated network.
In addition to capital and operational savings, CoreDirector opens potentially new revenue streams for service providers by enabling new service options for their customers. Using software- and silicon-based technologies embedded in Ciena systems, Genuity has the ability to aggregate bandwidth across its network and deliver services in size increments that its customers demand.
"Since the inception of the company, Ciena's overall success has been based largely on our ability to offer service providers solutions to their specific network challenges. CoreDirector is a perfect example of how Ciena brings business value to service providers," said Patrick Nettles, Ciena chairman and CEO. "To most service providers, intelligent optical switches are much more than another network element purchase; they represent a strategic business decision. We're pleased that Genuity has the confidence in CoreDirector to include this intelligent switch in its network strategy."
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.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions of the Company that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this release, including, but not limited to, the anticipated deployment of Ciena's equipment in Genuity's network, the competitive advantage CoreDirector provides to Genuity, the belief that the density, scalability, range of optical interfaces and software definable switching granularity are market leading, the potentially new revenue streams for service providers enabled by CoreDirector, 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 August 17, 2000. 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
Marie Downing
Ciena Corporation
(888) 243-6223
ir@ciena.com
