Axelero Chooses Cisco Solution for New Cable Broadband Network; Hungary's Foremost IP Residential and Commercial Services Are Delivered Across Cisco Infrastructure.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

BUDAPEST, Hungary--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 18, 2001

Cisco Systems, Inc., (Nasdaq:CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced that Axelero, Hungary's leading Internet service provider, has selected Cisco to provide the infrastructure for its new cable broadband Internet service. Under the contract, Cisco has deployed its Cisco uBR7246VXR and uBR7223 Series Universal Broadband Router in 13 nodes, enabling Axelero, to deliver high-speed broadband Internet services to its over 40,000 cable TV customers in Budapest and the surrounding rural area.

Commenting on the deployment, Laszlo Drajko General Manager at Axelero said, "We've worked with Cisco Systems since we began the deployment of our national IP backbone. Axelero is already a Cisco Powered Network because our existing dial-up Internet services and Internet Data Centre run over Cisco equipment, so we are already familiar with the outstanding scalability and robustness of Cisco's solutions. Most importantly, however, this new cable infrastructure deployment will enable us to offer new revenue-generating services from the very first day of its introduction, thereby helping us maintain our leadership position in the Hungarian IP market."

The broadband deployment includes an end-to-end, high-performance Cisco cable solution including: a complete GE ring based on Cisco core technology, namely the best-in-class uBR 7200 Series Universal Broadband Router family Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS), which communicates with the customer premise equipment, the Cisco uBR900 Series Cable Access Router, for commercial deployments.

The uBR7200 family, which includes the uBR7246VXR and the uBR7223, combines the functionality of carrier-class routers and DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification) headend functionality into an integrated, scalable platform. Through the deployment of these products Axelero has been able to offer profitable new services such as e-mail, Internet access, voice, and digital video over a bi-directional cable television and IP backbone network. The installation of the Cisco uBR7200 family creates a network with the capacity to support tens of thousands of cable modems, set-top boxes, and other IP-enabled devices.

The uBR900 Series Cable Access Router is a business-class cable modem that supports both data and voice over IP (VoIP). By combining the world renowned Cisco routing capability with a DOCSIS based modem, it provides the flexibility and power to meet the sophisticated communication needs of Axelero's current customer base as well as allowing the company to target new markets such as small and medium size business customers.

Todd Abbott, Group Vice President, EMEA Service Provider Sales, at Cisco Systems added, "Through this new infrastructure, Axelero is offering the very latest, high-speed, Internet-based services to its existing subscriber base as well as extending its services to commercial markets and rural residential customers. The combined capability of Axelero, one of Hungary's leading information technology companies, and Cisco provides a powerful combination of commitment, experience, and technical leadership needed to insure the highest level of IP cable service integrity from end-to-end."

About Axelero

Axelero Rt. is the leading ISP in Hungary (www.axelero.hu). Besides offering fully comprehensive access services and complete business applications, Axelero runs the most visited Hungarian portal site and content portfolio. The company provides dial-up access for every second Hungarian Internet subscriber, and beside its traditional access, B2B solutions and content services it has launched its ADSL based access, Internet Data Center and web-based EDI services, as well as its electronic marketplace, for the first time in the country.

The content portfolio of Axelero includes (origo), the most visited Hungarian portal site (www.origo.hu), the best known search engine (Vizsla), a free email service (FREEMAIL) hosting more than 700,000 mailboxes and an electronic bookstore (FokuszOnline).

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information are available at www.cisco.com.

Note to Editors: Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.