Fiber optic network enhancements increase CDOT network resiliency and capacity to provide travelers and transportation personnel with real-time roadway data

Ciena® Corporation (NYSE: CIEN), the network specialist, today announced that the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is deploying Ciena’s converged packet optical and packet networking solutions to improve resiliency, capacity and manageability of its private fiber optic network that spans nearly 560 highway miles across the state. This upgrade, being completed through Colorado’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program, will support an increased amount of intelligent communication devices that allow travelers and transportation agencies to be better informed about roadway conditions. For example, data generated by CDOT’s ITS can provide transportation operations centers with detailed, real-time data on traffic volume, speeds, transit schedule status, evolving weather conditions, and other roadway conditions. CDOT’s transportation agencies can also use the information collected to understand traffic patterns, and then use this data to predict and alleviate traffic issues moving forward.

Key Facts:

  • The ITS in      Colorado is a statewide network backbone that is managed by the Colorado      Department of Transportation. The network helps the state to improve      transportation safety and increase societal productivity by adding advanced      communications technology into the transportation infrastructure.
  • According to the U.S.      Department of Transportation, drivers across the U.S. spent an average of 42      hours, more than a week of full-time work, stuck in traffic in 2012.      This average was even higher for the Denver region in 2011 according to      the Urban Area      Report,      where commuters spent an average of 45 hours stuck in traffic.
  • The network      upgrade enables CDOT to connect more hardened and weatherproof devices –      up to 20 devices per fiber with complete diversity and resiliency, and      without any shared or constrained bandwidth. The devices will be linked by      an underground network of fiber optic cables to provide up-to-date roadway      conditions to travelers and transportation agencies. When the deployment      is complete, the ITS will support approximately 1,500 devices, which      include traffic cameras, traffic message signs, speed sensors and weather      monitoring devices. Adding more connected devices will enable CDOT to      better manage the transportation system, thereby reducing congestion and      crashes.
  • Ciena’s 6500      Packet-Optical Platform will allow CDOT to support the wide range of devices that sense and      optimize vehicular traffic flows, monitor weather and road conditions, and      warn operators of impending delays or dangers. Ciena’s 5100 and 3900      families of switches, part of its Packet Networking portfolio, will provide CDOT with a scalable and highly resilient network      that can quickly add new intelligent devices to the network.
  • CDOT      will also be able to better manage, monitor and control ITS network      performance using Ciena’s OneControl Unified Management System, which provides complete visibility and control of the      network that connects the roadside sensors and displays. An excellent      example of Ciena’s OPn network architecture, this network enhancement provides CDOT with a more scalable, intelligent and programmable communication      platform.

Executive Comments:

  • “Colorado residents and the traveling public      depend on the Colorado Department of Transportation for real-time traffic      and roadway information so that they can enjoy safer and more efficient travels.      With Ciena’s advanced fiber optic solutions, we will be able to better address safety, mobility and environmental impacts,      while also helping travelers manage their trips, improve operations of      transportation agencies, and increase business efficiencies.”
    - Ryan Rice, Director of Transportation Systems Management & Operations, Colorado Department of Transportation
  • “Traffic volumes are growing significantly on today’s      roadways. Innovative transportation authorities like CDOT recognize the      benefits of deploying a scalable and flexible network that supports road      sensors, variable message signs, CCTV cameras and other devices to keep      travelers and highway safety personnel informed. Ciena’s optical and      packet networking solutions help make this possible by creating a more      intelligent, programmable and reliable communications system that can      scale to support more devices and efficiently monitor activity and issues      on the transportation network.”
    - Jason Phipps, General Manager and Vice President North American Field Operations at Ciena

Technology Background:

  • Ciena is the pioneer and      market leader of coherent optical technology with 35,000 coherent 40G/100G      line interfaces shipped to over 150 customers across the globe, with more      than 35 million coherent kilometers deployed. Designed for network      modernization, Ciena’s 6500 converges Ethernet, TDM, and WDM capabilities      into one platform for cost-effective delivery of emerging and existing      services—from the access edge to the backbone core.
  • Used by more      than 150 providers worldwide, Ciena’s packet networking solutions improve      service agility, economically support higher densities and increases      overall network capacity.
  • OPn is Ciena’s approach for building open and programmable next-generation      networks with flexible architectures and service offerings, providing      differentiated network operator benefits for a myriad of applications,      including: wireless backhaul, data center connectivity, cloud networks and      private network builds.

Supporting Resources:

About the Colorado Department of TransportationThe Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is responsible for a 9,146 mile highway system, including 3,447 bridges. Each year, this system handles over 27.4 billion vehicle miles of travel. Although the Interstate system accounts for only about 10 percent (914 miles) of the total mileage on the state system, 40 percent of all travel takes place on our Interstate highways.

CDOT is more than roads and bridges. The Colorado Transportation Management Center (CTMC), which is located in Golden, Colorado utilizes two basic applications to provide transportation services: Advanced Traffic Management System and Advanced Traveler Information System.  The CTMC is operated 24 hours a day; 365 days a year by Public Information Officers (PIOs) and communication professionals, acting as CDOT's spokespersons providing road condition and weather related information to the public. The CTMC is an integral part of Incident Management Response Teams by collecting and disseminating enhanced traveler information.

The CTMC provides the traveling public with timely information about Colorado's Interstates, U.S. and state highway routes using internet, paging and telephony systems as well as providing the information on the roadway via VMS and HAR.  The CTMC also operates an incident notification system, working with the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local police agencies, county and local fire departments and emergency management agencies.

About Ciena
Ciena (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 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 7, 2014. 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.