Agilent Technologies to Supply Leading UK Service Provider With Optical Network Management System

Business Wire, July 9, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 9, 2001

Agilent accessFIBER to Help Thus plc Quickly Detect

and Resolve Optical Fiber Problems

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today announced that Thus plc, the UK's award-winning provider of voice, data, Internet and interactive services, has selected the Agilent accessFIBER optical network management system to maintain and improve its service quality.

Agilent accessFIBER will provide Thus with remote monitoring of its expanding optical network, thereby enabling Thus access to early warning of fiber degradation and reducing the time required to locate and repair either suspect or broken fiber cables. Since the system compiles and evaluates real-time data on the health of a fiber network, Thus will be able to determine the exact geographic location of a particular network fault as it occurs, often before it affects customers.

"Thus has built its reputation on delivering the highest standards of service quality," said Colin Whitbread, Group Operations Director of Thus. "The Agilent accessFIBER system provides us with an additional and important source of active fiber management information that will help us deliver outstanding levels of network and service reliability and availability while lowering ongoing operational costs."

In addition to proactively monitoring the base layer of their network platforms, accessFIBER enables Thus to integrate the system with key umbrella management systems and also allows automatic trace measurements when a potential network problem occurs. accessFIBER also will be integrated with Thus' existing fiber information system in order to provide the company with precise and accurate information on the geographic location of faults, further reducing the time it takes to locate a problem.

About accessFIBER

The Agilent accessFIBER system is a key component of Agilent's next-generation OSS product line. It is a physical network management system that combines physical optical network planning, documentation, and surveillance capabilities into a single solution.

About Thus PLC

Thus offers a wide range of data and telecommunication services, primarily to the UK business market. Customers can take advantage of its comprehensive national network, advanced data and service strategy, and leading quality of service. Thus's National Network is one of the most technologically advanced networks in the UK and has recently been extended to more than 8,100 km. The company offers a variety of Internet services, mainly under the Demon brand, in the UK and in the Netherlands. It is one of the UK's largest Internet Service Providers (ISPs), serving both the residential and business markets. More information about Thus can be found at www.thus.net.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare. The company's 48,000 employees serve customers in more than 120 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $9.4 billion in fiscal year 2000, as restated to reflect the pending sale of its healthcare business. Information about Agilent Technologies can be found on the Web at www.agilent.com.