Utfors Selects Riverstone Routers for Metro Ethernet Services; Utfors Launches First Scandinavian MPLS Network for IP Service Delivery

Business Wire, Feb 4, 2002

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 4, 2002

Riverstone Networks, Inc., (Nasdaq:RSTN) today announced that Utfors AB of Sweden, Scandinavia's leading high-quality broadband service provider, will deploy Riverstone RS routers in an extensive metro MPLS Ethernet service rollout involving over 30 cities throughout Scandinavia.

"With more than 4,000 km of fiber in service, we operate one of the world's largest Ethernet networks," said Sten Nordell, chief technology officer at Utfors AB. "MPLS is the key to deploying successful Ethernet services. Therefore, we chose Riverstone Networks because it is the market leader in metro MPLS technology for delivering VPNs to corporate customers."

Utfors provides services in over 30 cities throughout Scandinavia, including Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmo, Oslo, Helsinki, Copenhagen, and Uppsala. Its optical fiber network stretches from Oslo in the west, to Helsinki in the east, with links to international centers in Germany and the United Kingdom. Riverstone will provide RS 8600 and RS 3000 metro routers as part of the multimillion-dollar contract to deliver VPN services at access rates of two, 10, 100 and 1000 Mb/s to business customers.

"Utfors is one of Europe's most innovative, up-and-coming carriers," said Camille Mendler, director of The Yankee Group Europe. "This Ethernet investment gives direct access to a lucrative IP VPN market that both incumbents and competitive operators must swiftly address."

The centerpiece of the Utfors network's service capabilities will be Riverstone's MPLS and Martini tunneling capabilities, which will be used for the creation and provisioning of IP VPNs, higher VLAN scalability, and new video services. MPLS backup capabilities will also be used to provide network resiliency on a label-switched-path basis, complementing the optical network's self-healing capabilities, for significantly enhanced reliability. The video services made possible by Riverstone MPLS technology are designed to power Utfors new "E-Meeting" service offering. The E-Meeting service is a videoconferencing application being made available to Utfors' business customers on a pay-per-use basis.

Riverstone's metro-optimized MPLS technology offers several unique, service-creation features critical to the development and scaling of metro area services. By enhancing Ethernet deployments and extending the capabilities of existing data networks, Riverstone's advanced MPLS implementation enables carriers to create and deliver profitable IP-based services, such as on-demand bandwidth provisioning, virtual leased lines, and LAN extension services, over multiple networks.

"As the leader in service-creation infrastructure technology, Riverstone is pleased that an innovative service provider like Utfors chose our technology to drive its new Etherport services," said David Bradshaw, European general manager for Riverstone Networks. "This further confirms Riverstone's leadership in metro service delivery and our undisputed claim to be the market leader for metro MPLS deployment."

In 2000 and 2001, Utfors completed construction of a broadband network with virtually unlimited capacity. On completion, the network will comprise approximately 7,000 km and link about 65 of the largest cities and towns in Sweden and other Nordic countries. Focusing primarily on the corporate market, Utfors aims to be one of the leading suppliers of broadband-based services based on the next generation of IP networks across the Nordic countries. All services are based on IP and Ethernet, with applications including e-meetings, corporate internal TV, ASP solutions, server hosting and server centralization.

About Utfors

Utfors is the first choice of Nordic partners for high-quality fixed and mobile broadband, Internet and telephony services. Utfors is launching a network at the cutting edge of global technology. Utfors offers companies, governments and private individuals revolutionary services that create new possibilities for progress and creativity. Utfors will be linking together the 75 largest cities in the Nordic region through a 7,100 km long broadband network. Utfors employs around 360 people in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland and is owned mainly by Norsk Vekst and Litorina Kapital as well as a number of institutional investors. See www.utfors.com for further information.

About Riverstone Networks

Riverstone Networks, Inc., (Nasdaq: RSTN) builds routers that convert raw bandwidth into profitable services for Metropolitan Area Networks. Riverstone's products enable the creation of profitable services and the delivery of these services over next-generation and legacy networks, including SONET/SDH, Gigabit Ethernet, T1/E1, T3/E3, ATM, and Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). Riverstone products bring together fourth-generation Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), battle-tested routing software, and unparalleled media versatility to deliver comprehensive solutions for Metropolitan Area Networks. Riverstone's products are deployed in more than 40 countries and in some of the world's largest networks, including British Telecom, Korea Telecom, Qwest Communications, Cox Communications, MAE West Ames, EarthLink, NTT, and Telefonica.