Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ:CIEN), the network specialist, today announced that XO Communications, a leading provider of 21st century communications for businesses and communications service providers, has deployed Ciena’s Carrier Ethernet Service Delivery Switches throughout its metropolitan networks as part of the service provider’s new Ethernet Hub service, which provides a cost-effective, accessible and scalable way for domestic and international carriers to expand the reach of their Ethernet services in the United States.

XO has approximately one million miles of metro fiber networks in major markets across the United States and currently delivers Ethernet services to businesses and communications service providers, including Fortune 500 businesses, leading cable companies, carriers, content providers and mobile operators in 75 metropolitan markets nationwide. XO’s new Ethernet Hub service offers customers dedicated access to its extensive Ethernet footprint, including its industry-leading Ethernet over Copper footprint serving more than 3.7 million buildings nationwide, via a single connection, and supports a variety of Ethernet bandwidth options ranging from 5 Mbps to 10 Gbps and key Ethernet features including 802.1Q, VLAN stacking and jumbo frames. XO selected Ciena’s LE-311v Service Delivery Switch (SDS) to enable a flexible, scalable and cost-efficient point-to-multipoint architecture for its Ethernet Hub service.

“As we focus on ensuring our network meets the needs of our diverse customer base, a key to that success is ensuring we have Ethernet services with maximum reach, bandwidth options, reliability and manageability,” said Randy Nicklas, chief technology officer at XO Communications. “As traffic from multiple customers converges onto our network, Ciena’s programmable platforms enable us to ensure each customer’s traffic is switched to its destination with the proper class-of-service, in real time, and with remote network monitoring and control to enable rapid fault resolution and end-to-end SLA verification.”

XO is deploying Ciena’s LE-311v in all metro markets to provide the Ethernet Network-to-Network Interface (ENNI) function of the Ethernet Hub service – identifying, separating and tagging different traffic types, aggregating the traffic for hand-off to XO’s core network and switching the traffic across the network with the appropriate class-of-service, security and rate-limits in a point-to-multipoint architecture. These capabilities bring XO high-bandwidth availability and network flexibility to enable new service creation and assurance while facilitating the highest velocity deployment of Carrier Ethernet services.

“Service providers like XO are seeing demand for Carrier Ethernet services increase in addition to the growing unpredictability of bandwidth needs, traffic patterns and service delivery requirements,” said Mike Aquino, senior vice president of global field operations at Ciena. “Simple to install, provision and manage, our Carrier Ethernet Service Delivery platforms offer operators comprehensive service features and software programmability to create service-driven networks that cost-effectively adapt and scale to accelerate compelling service delivery and reduce operational expenses.”

Based on a unique integrated hardware and software technology design and supporting a variety of point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and any-to-any network architectures, Ciena’s Carrier Ethernet Service Delivery platforms combine the efficiencies of Ethernet with the resiliency and service guarantees of traditional carrier class technology. Ciena’s LE-311v Service Delivery Switches are certified compliant to MEF-9 specifications for Ethernet Private Line (EPL), Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL) and Ethernet LAN (ELAN) services and MEF-14 specifications for traffic management.

About XO Communications

XO Communications, a subsidiary of XO Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB:XOHO), is a leading nationwide provider of advanced communications services and solutions for businesses, enterprises, government, carriers and service providers. Its customers include more than half of the Fortune 500, in addition to leading cable companies, carriers, content providers and mobile network operators. Utilizing its unique combination of high-capacity nationwide and metro networks and broadband wireless capabilities, XO offers customers a broad range of managed voice, data and IP services with proven performance, scalability and value in more than 75 metropolitan markets across the United States. For more information, visit www.xo.com.

About Ciena

Ciena specializes in the transition to service-driven networks. We provide flexible platforms, intelligent software and professional services to help our customers use their networks to fundamentally change the way they compete. With a growing global presence, Ciena leverages its heritage of practical innovation to deliver maximum performance and economic value in communications networks worldwide. We routinely post recent news, financial results and other important announcements and information about Ciena on our website at 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-Q, which Ciena filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 5, 2008. 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.