Tyco and Cisco Systems Achieve Record Undersea IP Transmission - Tyco Submarine Systems Ltd - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, June 5, 2000

Tyco Submarine Systems Ltd. ("TSSL"), a unit of Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC; LSE: TYI; BSX: TYC), and Cisco Systems have achieved another optical transmission technology first. The two companies recently demonstrated 10-Gb/s IP packet transport over a non-regenerative transoceanic system utilizing dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM). This was the first time 10-Gb/s IP traffic had been successfully tested over transoceanic distances, breaking the previous 2.5-Gb/s standard by 400%.

"We are pleased to have achieved this milestone in realizing IP router transmission over ultra-long distances at the all-important 10-Gb/s rate," said Peter Runge, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at TSSL. "This ability will be of great significance in allowing network services and configurations that were previously unattainable."

The test was carried out using Cisco's 12000 Gigabit Switch Router (GSR), TSSL's 10-Gb/s High Performance Optical Equipment (HPOE) and 6000 kilometers of TSSL transoceanic cable in a DWDM optical amplifier test bed. Cisco's 10-Gb/s Packet over SONET (POS) technology provided the high-speed connection between the GSR and TSSL's HPOE. Each 10-Gb/s signal carried a 2.5-Gb/s data stream consisting of four 622-Mb/s IP traffic signals generated by Netcom Systems SmartBits 6000.

The joint effort successfully demonstrated error-free transmission over multiple 10-Gb/s channels. System characterizations also demonstrated the dynamic range needed to support an optical networking layer utilizing optical (or electrical) switch fabrics. Utilizing such a high-speed optical networking layer to increase the efficiencies of IP transport over DWDM enables flexible, high performance global networks that better meet the demands of the world's Internet users.

Tyco International Ltd. is a diversified manufacturing and service company. Tyco is the world's largest manufacturer and servicer of electrical and electronic components and undersea telecommunications systems, and the world's largest manufacturer, installer, and provider of fire protection systems and electronic security services. It has strong leadership positions in disposable medical products, plastics, and adhesives, and is the largest manufacturer of flow control valves. The Company operates in more than 80 countries around the world and had 1999 revenues of $22.5 billion.

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. More information is available at http://www.cisco.com.