AFN Communications Lights Carrier-Class Mesh Network with CIENA's Optical Networking Systems

AFN Rolls Out Carrier-Class Network Services to Underserved Secondary and Tertiary Markets in North America

AFN Communications (AFN), a network service provider that supplies carrier-class broadband transport services to underserved, as well as primary markets, has selected Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN) as its primary optical networking partner. Ciena will supply intelligent optical networking equipment for AFN's dense, super-regional North American network.

Approximately 2,000 route miles of AFN's initial 8,000-route mile footprint are currently in operation and supporting customers. AFN will light the balance of its fiber with Ciena's LightWorks™ optical networking equipment, which will provide the scalability, flexibility and reliability to support AFN's service offerings, including private line (DS-3 up to OC-48) and optical wave (2.5 Gbps to 10 Gbps) services.

AFN will deploy Ciena's CoreDirector™ intelligent optical core switch, CoreStream™ DWDM transport solution and MetroDirector K2™ multi-service access and switching platform. Ciena also will provide AFN with professional services and support including network engineering and installation. Deployment of the Ciena equipment is expected to begin immediately.

Instead of pursuing a multiple vendor strategy, AFN selected Ciena as its primary optical partner. This strategy accelerates AFN's network integration while enabling greater service reliability and simplifying maintenance to facilitate AFN's objectives to achieve cost and operational efficiencies.

Ciena's carrier-class intelligent optical transport and switching solutions, combined with AFN's optical-mesh network architecture, achieve the capacity AFN requires to address the economic needs of its customers and provide innovative carrier-grade services. In a typical example, Ciena's LightWorks Architecture has been shown to save a carrier more than 40% in capital expenditures and operating costs, according to an analysis conducted by Ciena and an independent global consulting firm. In addition to the cost savings, LightWorks enables carriers to provide new services to their customers, thereby enhancing revenues.

"We view this transaction as much more than a simple equipment purchase. We consider Ciena our partner. AFN and Ciena share a common vision to deliver competitive optical services to the broader marketplace," said Brian Cantrell, president of AFN Communications. "Ciena provides AFN with field proven, carrier-class intelligent optical networking solutions that reliably and economically addresses today's optical services demand," added Cantrell.

"We are pleased that AFN will be utilizing the LightWorks architecture across thousands of miles of its network," said Gary Smith, Ciena's president and CEO. "The LightWorks architecture is designed to enable service providers to offer the most flexible and cost-effective services to their customers, and that is what AFN plans to accomplish."

AFN launched in 2000 with a network spanning 13 states in the Northeastern United States. This was derived from interconnecting the fiber and other network asset contributions of six utility and telecommunication companies that in return received equity in AFN. AFN's resulting footprint is unique in its density and connectivity to secondary and tertiary markets. This business model allowed AFN to enter the market without debt and thereby focus its resources on one of the greatest challenges facing the industry - service quality - rather than network construction. AFN's growth plan calls for contiguous expansion of its footprint using this same assets-for-equity model. To support its network growth plans, AFN recently completed its funding which includes a $180 million senior term credit facility arranged by Fleet National Bank and Fleet Securities, Inc.