Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ:CIEN), the network specialist, today announced that BT has deployed Ciena’s optical Ethernet transport and switching solutions at more than 100 sites across the UK to support the roll-out of its 21st Century Network (21CN).
As a preferred supplier for BT’s 21CN, Ciena provides solutions for the network’s transmission domain, including the CN 4200™ FlexSelect™ Advanced Services Platform, CoreDirector® Multiservice Switch, CoreStream® Agility Optical Transmission System and ON-Center® Network and Service Management Suite.
BT, which has completed around 20 percent of its core 21CN national network infrastructure in the UK, has installed more than 500 Ciena network elements to date to connect network nodes in every major city in England, Scotland and Wales, and will soon deploy Ciena equipment in Northern Ireland to extend the products’ reach nationally. BT is also utilizing Ciena’s solutions to transport live voice and data traffic for the first set of 21CN customers based in South Wales.
In addition to the 21CN roll-out in the United Kingdom, Ciena’s CN 4200 platform is being deployed to support BT’s 21CN Global platform. Projects are currently underway across multiple markets around the world to support BT’s global transition to an innovative, next-generation network architecture.
Ensuring flexibility during BT’s network migration, Ciena is implementing solutions that are part of its FlexSelect Architecture, a standards-based, software-driven approach to transitioning to next-generation converged networks. Ideal for BT’s network transformation, Ciena’s FlexSelect Architecture will enable the operator to transition to a software-defined, service-selectable network that delivers any mix of services while offering IP/Ethernet efficiency and the reliability of TDM.
Ciena’s CN 4200, the flagship product of its FlexSelect Architecture, is ideally suited for BT's network transformation as the only multiservice transport and service aggregation platform to enable a flexible, software-defined transition from TDM to service-enhancing packet networks. Additionally, CoreDirector’s embedded software intelligence enables unprecedented network automation and optimization, resiliency and service differentiation while improving operations for BT. CoreStream Agility, with its high capacity, multi-reach and flexible ROADM capabilities, will provide the reconfigurable design flexibility and network automation needed by BT to meet the unique requirements of 21CN.
Ciena’s FlexSelect Architecture product portfolio also includes Ethernet-optimized solutions for an economical infrastructure that offers the flexibility, adaptability, manageability and assuredness required to deliver converged high-performance services.
“We’re proud of our progress thus far on helping BT deliver on its 21CN vision – what is undoubtedly the most innovative and ambitious network transformation in the industry,” said Francois Locoh-Donou, Ciena’s vice president and general manager, EMEA. “Leveraging our FlexSelect Architecture, we’re able to help BT deliver a flexible and fully reconfigurable converged network for the delivery of any type of service with unparalleled resiliency, service quality and management control.”
About BT 21CN
BT's 21CN, a global IP infrastructure that carries voice, data and Internet services on a single network, aims to enable BT customers to access any communications service from any device, anywhere at broadband speed. The 21CN will deliver more choice, control and accessibility, as well as increased flexibility, reliability and security for BT's business and residential customers.
About Ciena
Ciena Corporation is the network specialist, focused on expanding the possibilities for its customers’ networks while reducing their cost of ownership. The Company’s systems, software and services target and cure specific network pain points so that telcos, cable operators, governments and enterprises can best exploit the new applications that are driving their businesses forward. For more information, visit www.ciena.com.
Note to Ciena Investors
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof; and Ciena's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business, which include the risk factors disclosed in its Report on Form 10-K, which Ciena filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 1, 2007. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Ciena's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "will," and "would" or similar words. Ciena assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
