Telstra Selects Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System for Its Next Generation Network Core; Cisco CRS-1 Provides Carrier-Class Foundation for a Converged ''Triple Play'' Network and to Reinforce Australia's Productivity Growth

Business Wire, Nov 15, 2005

SYDNEY, Australia -- Cisco Systems(R) (NASDAQ:CSCO) today announced that it has been selected as the preferred vendor to upgrade Telstra's Internet Protocol (IP) core router network to provide an increased range of IP services and underpin Australia's place as a leader in global productivity.

Telstra will deploy the Cisco(R) carrier routing system (CRS-1) at the core of its next generation network, to support a full range of services to all sectors of the Australian market place, including supporting IP Core transit for Ethernet services for business customers and next-generation "Triple Play" (data, video, voice) over broadband services. The CRS-1 platform, including carrier-class Cisco IOS(R) XR software, will be deployed by Telstra at all core points of presence across Australia, interconnected by wide-area network links.

The announcement is a major element of the strategic review announced this week by Telstra chief executive officer, Mr Sol Trujillo. Telstra and Cisco have worked closely for many years to help Australians take advantage of the potential productivity and lifestyle benefits of IP networking.

Telstra's engineering team designed the implementation of the network transformation project with Cisco to meet Telstra's stringent technical and business requirements, focusing on customer satisfaction and the launch of triple-play services in 2006.

The new core network is designed to deliver increased capacity, performance, predictability and continuous operation to allow Telstra to rapidly bring to market a range of IP-based multimedia services for residential and business customers, such as advanced audio and video telephony services, home entertainment services and high-priority data services.

The CRS 1 platform will also allow Telstra to reduce the operational expenditures throughout its core network by collapsing disparate, stand-alone networks into a common, single core.

Telstra joins an extensive and growing list of first tier global telecommunications carriers who are deploying the Cisco CRS-1 to serve as a cost efficient, core networking platform technology.

Cisco Australia and New Zealand managing director, Ross Fowler said the deployment of the Cisco CRS-1 at the heart of Telstra's new national IP network will help the telecommunications leader to become one of the most efficient providers of advanced services in the world.

"Telstra and Cisco have worked closely for many years and Cisco is delighted to be expanding the business relationship to help Telstra reduce costs and provide its customers with world class IP networking services, based on the Cisco CRS-1. The built-in capacity of the CRS-1 will help enable Telstra to support the strong growth of broadband enabled services for years to come and help Australia become a leading player in the 21st century productivity race."

The Cisco CRS-1 provides Telstra with industry-leading multi-terabit capacity, as well as continuous operation and unparalleled scalability to underpin investment protection for next-generation services. Cisco CRS-1 is a new class of routing system designed to deliver continuous system operation, service flexibility and extended system longevity to telecommunications service providers and research organizations. This innovative routing system enables customers to scale network capacity to 92 terabits per second (Tbps) and deliver next-generation data, voice and video services over a converged IP network while protecting their investments in the system.

Information on deployments and trials can be found at http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2004/prod_120604b.html.> About Telstra

Telstra Corporation Limited is Australia's principal telecommunications company with a world class national telecommunications network and a leading range of products and services. It is also a significant international communications provider.

The company's business covers the whole scope of telecommunications from providing telephone lines to homes and businesses, to servicing domestic/international telephone calls, supplying mobile communication services as well as providing data, IT and internet technologies and access for both consumer and corporate markets.

Telstra has an established reputation for designing, building and supporting innovative and value added communications-based systems, both for its own needs and for the needs of its customers. Telstra constantly strives to provide excellent service while delivering competitive prices.

Telstra web site is www.telstra.com

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, celebrates 20 years of commitment to technology innovation, industry leadership, and corporate social responsibility. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco equipment in Europe is supplied by Cisco Systems International BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

About Cisco CRS-1

The Cisco CRS-1 scales up to 92 terabits per second (Tbps) and is designed to provide continuous system operation for maintenance and upgrades without requiring service interruptions. The Cisco IOS XR Software, a self-healing operating system designed for the multi-terabit Cisco CRS-1, takes advantage of fully distributed and fully modular processes to provide fault containment, automatic fault recovery and in-service upgrades The Cisco CRS-1 delivers service flexibility through its Cisco Intelligent ServiceFlex design, which combines the world's most sophisticated, fully-programmable 40Gb/s ASIC with Cisco IOS XR to separate traffic and network operations on a per service or per customer basis within the system.