Australian Rail Access Corporation Chooses Siemens to Supply Broadband Network.

SYDNEY, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 9, 1999--

Rail Access Corporation (RAC) of Australia has chosen Siemens to supply its new broadband network, in a major move to upgrade its internal communication system. The project is valued at around $A18 million in the first year, plus support and network expansions in the following years.

RAC owns the railway tracks, stations, signalling, telecommunications and other infrastructure needed by trains in New South Wales, Australia's most populous state and host state for the Sydney Olympics 2000.

The new broadband network is designed to enable closed circuit television (CCTV) on all of the railway stations to ensure the safety of the users. Each station will have its own local area network, and each train line will have a central site for monitoring all of its associated stations. The Siemens network primarily will carry the CCTV information to the central monitoring sites.

Siemens has contracted to supply, install and maintain the MainStreetXpress broadband network on a turnkey basis. Siemens' substantial contribution to the network design has allowed data operating speeds at rates up to 622 megabits per second, linking more than 300 points of presence, geographically spanning the extended Sydney metropolitan area. The network is made up from MainstreetXpress asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) products, controlled by a network management system. It upgrades the existing communication infrastructure which includes a PBX network, microwave network and frame relay data network.

Planning for the installation has already begun in order to meet the required network commencement target. The work will involve Siemens employees mostly from Australia but with expert backup from Munich.

Judi Stack, Chief Executive Officer, Rail Access Corporation said, "We are a customer-driven organization, focused on improving performance while lowering costs. This new broadband communication network is an important element in helping us to achieve our corporate goals. The turnkey offer from Siemens means that we can concentrate on our core business, confident that we have outsourced this network to a proven, competent partner."

In paying tribute to his colleagues who designed the network and won the business, Rick Pryor, General Manager, Information and Communication Networks, Siemens, said, "This will be the most significant `all Siemens' ATM network in Australia. That means a great responsibility on us to ensure the success of the project. This business was won through the cooperative team effort of many Siemens individuals and demonstrates our overall capability."

Siemens Information and Communication Networks Group

The Information and Communications business segment is part of Siemens, a global powerhouse in electrical engineering and electronics with more than $66 billion in sales. Information and Communications consists of the three groups Information and Communication Networks (60,000 employees, $13 billion sales), Information and Communication Products (33,000 employees, $11 billion sales) and Siemens Business Services (20,000 employees, $3.5 billion sales). Information and Communication Networks is one of the world's leading suppliers of end-to-end solutions for voice, data and mobile networks. Information and Communication Networks provides products, systems, solutions, servicing and support for setting up, operating and maintaining complete corporate and carrier networks. It also offers ancillary services ranging from network planning and financial consultancy through startup support to user training. Further information on this Siemens Group can be found at www.siemens.com/ic/networks/.