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CIENA PROVIDES ENRON COMMUNICATIONS WITH DWDM EQUIPMENT IN NEW NATIONWIDE NETWORK BUILD

Enron, CIENA and Cisco Create First High-Speed, IP-Only Backbone Network

Ciena Corporation (Nasdaq: CIEN) today announced that Enron Communications, Inc. (NYSE: ENE) has chosen Ciena's Multiwave® Sentry 4000 dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) equipment for immediate deployment in Enron's new Pure Internet Protocolsm (IP) backbone network. Ciena already has shipped equipment for Enron Communications' Portland-to-Los Angeles fiber route valued at approximately $23 million.

"By directly connecting to our Cisco 12000 GSRs, Ciena's equipment made it possible for Enron Communications to create a network architecture that is elegantly simple yet hugely powerful with tremendous bandwidth capacity. No SONET, no ATM, and no Frame Relay components - just pure IP over DWDM fiber," said Stan Hanks, vice president of research and technology, Enron Communications, Inc. "As compared to previously deployed data-centric architectures, this approach eliminates intermediate protocols, simplifies the architecture, lowers costs, increases reliability and reduces errors, ultimately differentiating Enron Communications and enabling us to offer our customers better service."

"This kind of deployment validates our conception of the New Network Architecture," said Scott Clavenna, senior analyst, Pioneer Consulting, "which combines the technological benefits of DWDM with cost efficiencies of IP to create a flexible, scalable broadband network."

"Enron Communications is the first carrier to truly create an IP-to-the-glass via DWDM architecture on a network-wide basis and is poised to reap the rewards," said Patrick Nettles, Ciena's president and chief executive officer. "This deployment illustrates that Ciena's DirectConnect technology can be integral in creating a simplified network with massive capacity. Continued deployment of Ciena's MultiWave® DWDM systems will make it possible for Enron to keep pace with burgeoning traffic demands, offer its customers fast, reliable Internet backbone service, and hold down the cost of bandwidth."

In its present configuration, Enron Communications Pure IP network will transport data at speeds of 2.4 Gbps (OC48) on each DWDM channel. Enron will deploy this backbone through use of Ciena MultiWave® Sentry's DirectConnect functionality in conjunction with deployment of Cisco Systems 12000 series Gigabit Switch Routers (GSRs). The Cisco 12000 will interface directly into Ciena's DWDM system interfaces at 2.4 Gbps, without the need for additional intermediate network elements such as SONET terminal multiplexers.