Cisco Systems to Provide International IP Network for Carrier1

Business Wire, August 7, 1998

ZURICH, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 1998--Cisco Systems has been awarded a contract to provide an international IP network to European-based Carrier1.

Cisco will provide Carrier1 with a turnkey network solution, worth in excess of US$5 million. The new network will be ready to carry customer traffic from Sept. 1 and will span five European countries, with links to the United States.

The deal involves the rollout of the first European IP backbone based on a 155Mbps SDH ring. Carrier1 will utilize Cisco's latest backbone routing hardware and software to launch a wide range of services targeted at Internet Service Providers and other online service resellers. Cisco's turnkey offering includes the installation, commissioning, design, management and operations for the network.

Stig Johansson, CEO of Carrier1 said: "This deal, combined with the rollout of Cisco products into the backbone, allows Carrier1 to offer services and service levels not seen before in Europe. In close cooperation with Cisco, we have been able to progress from business plan and concept to a full network rollout in less than three months. The innovative design of Cisco's routing platform will enable Carrier1 to deliver services quickly and cost-effectively to customers throughout Europe."

Carrier1 intends to introduce a suite of carrier services, including wholesale voice and bandwidth connectivity, to customers such as fixed line second and third operators, GSM operators and multinational companies requiring wholesale bandwidth services.

Peter Lomas, Cisco's Vice President of Service Provider Operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa, adds: "Carrier1's decision to base its business on an IP-centric data network architecture is further evidence of the change that is starting to occur in Europe. More and more carriers now believe that as data and voice continue to converge in the New World, IP is the basis for building robust, scalable multiservice networks as a platform for new and profitable services."

About Cisco Systems

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

About Carrier1

Carrier1 is a new telecommunications carrier serving the rapidly growing market for wholesale long distance voice, IP, and data services to, from, via and within Europe. Carrier1's headquarters are in the heart of Europe in Zurich, Switzerland, with offices in London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and New York. (http://www.carrier1.com)

Note to Editors: Cisco, Cisco IOS, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

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