High-speed, flexible and low latency 100G network will enable the roll-out of high bandwidth services

To support a new high-speed nationwide backbone network throughout the United Kingdom, O2, the commercial brand of Telefónica UK Limited, is deploying Ciena’s (NYSE:CIEN) converged packet optical solutions. With this scalable 100G network, O2 has more flexibility in how the network is controlled and configured and can satisfy growing unpredictable demands for high-bandwidth mobile, video and cloud services. This new backbone network will connect major UK cities, including London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Liverpool, and enable O2 to deliver web-scale services to support massive growth in data center and network virtualization demands.

Key Facts:

  • This new network, powered by Ciena’s 6500 Packet-Optical platform, and equipped with WaveLogic 3 Coherent Optical Processors, will accommodate several terabits of traffic in O2’s backbone and, at the same time, respond dynamically to any demand changes.  The ROADM-based network also provides flexible, low latency connectivity ensuring a superior end user experience.
  • Additionally, O2 is deploying the 6500 platform equipped with packet switch modules, which enable seamless integration of packet and optical technologies to reduce total cost of operation and time-to-market for new services.
  • Ciena’s OneControl      Unified Management System will provide O2 with comprehensive service visualization      and network diagnostics, resulting in the efficient use of critical      network assets and bandwidth optimization. O2 is also using a range of professional      services via Ciena Services, including network      planning, installation and turn-up services.

Executive Comments:

  • “This network enhancement is a great example of O2’s commitment to our mission to provide our customers with a superior user experience. By selecting Ciena’s 6500 Packet-Optical Platform and unified management solutions we will ensure that we have a high-speed and scalable network that can meet our customers’ demands and provide the foundation needed for high bandwidth consuming services.”
    – Brendan O’Reilly, CTO, O2
  • “In today’s evolving web-scale world, it is crucial for providers like O2 to be able to respond to unpredictable and growing needs in order to deliver an on-demand experience for their customers. By utilizing the latest advancements in our converged packet optical solutions O2 will have the bandwidth, efficiency and agility needed to deploy faster and more robust connectivity nationwide.”
    – Francois Locoh-Donou, Senior Vice President, Global Products Group, Ciena

Supporting Resources:

About TelefonicaO2 is the commercial brand of Telefónica UK Limited and is a leading digital communications company with the highest customer satisfaction for any mobile provider according to Ofcom. With over 24 million customers, O2 runs 2G, 3G and 4G networks across the UK, as well as operating O2 Wifi and owning half of Tesco Mobile. O2 has over 450 retail stores and sponsors The O2, O2 Academy venues and the England rugby team. Read more about O2 at www.o2.co.uk/news.

About CienaCiena (NYSE: CIEN) is the network specialist. We collaborate with customers worldwide to unlock the strategic potential of their networks and fundamentally change the way they perform and compete. Ciena leverages its deep expertise in packet and optical networking and distributed software automation to deliver solutions in alignment with its OPn architecture for next-generation networks. We enable a high-scale, programmable infrastructure that can be controlled and adapted by network-level applications, and provide open interfaces to coordinate computing, storage and network resources in a unified, virtualized environment. For updates on Ciena news, follow us on Twitter @Ciena or on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/company/ciena. Investors are encouraged to review the Investors section of our website at www.ciena.com/investors, where we routinely post press releases, SEC filings, recent news, financial results, and other announcements. From time to time we exclusively post material information to this website along with other disclosure channels that we use.

Note to Ciena Investors
Forward-looking statements. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof; and Ciena's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business, which include the risk factors disclosed in its Report on Form 10-Q, which Ciena filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2015 Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Ciena'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. Ciena assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.