France Telecom Selects Newbridge Networks for National Multiservice ATM Network: Newbridge Solution to Deliver a Broad Range of Services to France Telecom Customers - Newbridge Networks' MainStreetXpress 36170 Multiservices Switch - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, Oct 4, 1999

Newbridge Networks has announced that France Telecom, the world's fifth-largest telecommunications service provider, has selected the high-capacity Newbridge MainStreetXpress multiservice, multi-access asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) platform to build France's broadband multiservice ATM network. Many hundreds of the industry-leading MainStreetXpress 36170 Multiservices Switch will be deployed in the initial three years of the contract. Beginning in October, France Telecom will begin to offer an extensive range of ATM-embeded services to its customers within France and beyond its boarders over its global network.

The ATM network comprises the industry-leading MainStreetXpress 36170 Multiservices Switch - the largest selling ATM switch in the industry - and the MainStreetXpress 46020 Network Manager. The Newbridge solution enables France Telecom to deliver high-speed services with guaranteed quality of service (QoS). The network will support voice, data, Internet protocol (IP) and multimedia service offerings, including virtual private networks (VPNs), frame relay, permanent virtual circuit (PVC) and switched virtual circuit (SVC)-based native cell relay services. The network also supports Internet access, broadcast quality video and high-speed local area network (LAN) interconnection.

"Newbridge is delighted to be working with France Telecom on this global network," said Alan Lutz, president and chief operating officer, Newbridge Networks. "France Telecom's investment in the Newbridge solution confirms our position as the leading provider of broadband, multiservice, multi-access ATM networks throughout the world."

Installed in the networks of more than 350 service providers worldwide, the MainStreetXpress 36170 Multiservices Switch provides a broad range of interfaces and service offerings. These include native cell relay, circuit emulation for advanced private line services, voice-over-frame relay and ATM, IP-based virtual private line services, digital subscriber line (xDSL), and broadband wireless services.

The MainStreetXpress 46020 Network Manager provides end-to-end network and service management. It permits network and service management across multiple technologies including, IP, ATM, frame relay and time division multiplexing (TDM). It also enables service providers to adapt their networks as the needs of their customers evolve, allowing them to quickly introduce new services. The 46020 Network Manager's high scalability means it can support and manage more than 250,000 service connections and permit more than 255 operators to monitor and manage the network at the same time.

France Telecom, one of the world's leading telecommunications carriers, has operations in more than 50 countries and 24.6 billion euros in 1998 revenues. It provides businesses and consumers with a full range of services, including local, long-distance and international telephony, as well as data, wireless, Internet, cable-TV and value-added services. France Telecom is listed on the Paris Bourse and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: FTE).

Newbridge Networks designs, manufactures, markets and services wide area networking solutions for Internet service providers; local, long-distance, and wireless communications companies; cable television carriers; and corporate customers in more than 100 countries. The Company leverages its relationship with a growing family of Newbridge Affiliate companies and strategic alliances with numerous other networking companies to deliver complete, end-to-end solutions. Newbridge customers include the world's 350 largest telecommunications service providers and more than 10,000 corporations, government organizations and other institutions. Founded in 1986, the Company employs more than 6,000 people on six continents. News and information are available at www.newbridge.com.