Alcatel sees CrossKeys as strategic in new Carrier Internetworking Division plans for growth - Company Operations

Cambridge Telcom Report, Feb 28, 2000

CrossKeys Systems Corporation (NASDAQ:CKEY) (TSE:CKY.) president and CEO Ian McLaren endorses the assessment by senior Newbridge and Alcatel officials that the acquisition of Newbridge Networks by Alcatel presents tremendous opportunity for CrossKeys.

"Senior officials in both companies have stated that multi-vendor mediation and end-to-end service level management are integral to Alcatel's strategy for growth. This is CrossKeys strength," says Ian McLaren, President and CEO, CrossKeys. "We now have a business relationship with a technolf the world's top three architects of Internet infrastructure. I believe this is an incredible opportunity."

CrossKeys has existing relationships with Alcatel. It has won business with Alcatel by enabling Alcatel and Newbridge technology to work together in service provider networks. CrossKeys currently enables a selection of Alcatel switches to be managed by Newbridge. Going forward, the CrossKeys products for managing Internet quality of service and the broadband access technologies that take people to the Internet match Alcatel's market direction and strategy for growth.

"We look to CrossKeys expertise with enabling multi-vendor networks to integrate our companies' products as Alcatel's Carrier Internetworking Division wins new business," says Krish Prabhu, Chief Operating Officer of Alcatel Telecom. "We believe the Newbridge network management system is a competitive differentiator for us. CrossKeys products extend the value of that system to multiple vendors and technologies, addressing the most important challenge for the Internet-ensuring and demonstrating quality of service."

CrossKeys Systems Corporation (www.crosskeys.com) develops and supports carrier-scale software that enables the world's largest and most demanding service providers to manage the equipment and traffic on their telecom networks. CrossKeys has demonstrated experience with multi-vendor and multi-technology networks. This expertise enables service providers to offer business applications, such as eCommerce and VPNs, with the minimum of infrastructure investment and the competitive guarantees that enterprise end-customers require.

CrossKeys Systems Corporation is a public company whose common shares are listed for trading on Nasdaq (CKEY) in the United States and on The Toronto Stock Exchange (CKY) in Canada.