ICG Communications Replaces Network Backbone with Cisco IP+ATM Solutions

Business Wire, May 10, 1999

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 10, 1999--

New Infrastructure to Provide ISP and Business Customers with a

One-Stop Shop for Value-Added New World Services

ICG Packet Switch Technologies (formerly Netcom), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ICG Communications (NASDAQ: ICGX), announced today that it has deployed an IP ATM network backbone from Cisco Systems. The new infrastructure delivers carrier-class reliability and quality of service (QoS) capabilities, which enables ICG to meet growing customer demand for highly available, value-added data and voice services. ICG offers its ISP and business customers a wide range of voice and data services, including Frame Relay, ATM, IP, and voice over IP (VoIP) services. The new IP ATM network is based on Cisco MGX(TM) 8850 and Cisco BPX(R) 8650 wide-area switches. The award-winning MGX 8850 enables ICG to roll out IP services based on the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) standard with unprecedented time to market. The Cisco IP ATM network also includes the Cisco BPX 8650 wide-area MPLS switch--the first ATM WAN switch in production with a carrier-class implementation of MPLS.

MGX High-Density Frame Relay Provides a Competitive Edge

in the New Networking World

"To stay competitive, we have to do everything right," says Mike Kallet, senior vice president and general manager of ICG PST. "We conducted an exhaustive search for a carrier-class platform that will help us do just that-reliably deliver value-added services as our dynamic market evolves. It's asking a lot, but Cisco delivered what we asked for. With the Cisco MGX 8850, Cisco is exceeding our expectations."

In this first phase of deployment, ICG is installing up to 50 Cisco MGX 8850 and BPX 8650 wide-area switches to build a robust, fault-tolerant IP ATM 6 backbone. The MPLS-compliant switches provide end-to-end QoS support for IP and ATM traffic. These platfX 8850 platform aggregates ICG's IP and Frame Re the previous backbone with the MGX 8850 platform."

ICG's VoIP network is built upon the proven Cisco 7206 series router and AS5300 universal access servers for diQoS via MPLS.

"ICG represents an excellentions, Inc. (NASDAQ: ICGX) is a competitive telecommunications provider of high-quality, integrated communica.

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