Completel Taps Riverstone Networks to Deliver Advanced Ethernet Business Services.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

MPLS World Congress

READING, U.K.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 2004

Completel Europe N.V. (BOURSE:CPT), one of France's most influential alternative carriers, has selected products from Riverstone Networks, Inc. (Pink Sheets:RSTN) to upgrade their carrier Ethernet network to deliver Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS) to their business customers nationwide. VPLS allows customer sites to communicate over the WAN as if they were connected via a private Ethernet LAN. Using VPLS, Completel's business customers will experience greater network availability and will be able to enjoy intra-company networks that look and act the same across all of a company's office sites.

Completel will use Riverstone's Gigabit Ethernet MPLS cards and RapidOS software to upgrade more than 50 Riverstone RS 8600 multi-service metro routers and RS 38000 metro core routers already deployed throughout their network.

"With more than 850 buildings connected with Ethernet, Completel is the leading carrier on the LAN-to-LAN Ethernet market in France. To keep up with the demand for LAN-to-LAN service, we needed to increase the scalability of our existing Ethernet network," said Jean Marie Le Monze, CTO of Completel. "By upgrading our Ethernet edge switches to MPLS, we are able to offer a more reliable, scalable nationwide network that supports multi-point Ethernet VPNs and other new services. Riverstone's leadership in VPLS and its experience in delivering layer 2 MPLS solutions made the decision easy."

"Riverstone Networks is helping to lead the development of the standards for VPLS and is delivering VPLS solutions that help carriers such as Completel provide new, revenue-generating services for their customers," said Steve Whipps, General Manager and Vice President of Riverstone Networks, EMEA. The International Engineering Task Force (IETF) recently adopted a VPLS implementation known as the Lasserre-vkompella draft that was co-authored by Marc Lasserre, Chief Network Architect for Riverstone Networks.

Riverstone and Completel plan to present at the MPLS World Congress 2004 in Paris, which takes place from February 11 - 13. In addition, Riverstone is exhibiting at the MPLS World Congress and intends to participate in the MPLS & Frame Relay Alliance Interoperability Demonstration there. Additional information can be found at http://www.mplsforum.com.

Completel is a facilities-based provider of fibre optic local access telecommunications and Internet services to business end-users, carriers and ISPs with activities predominantly located in France. Completel is a member of the following index of Euronext: SBF 250, MIDCAC, IT CAC, IT CAC 50, and the Next Economy segment. For more information, please visit www.completel.com.

Riverstone Networks, Inc. (Pink Sheets:RSTN) is a leading provider of carrier-class solutions for next-generation metro Ethernet networks. Riverstone's metro routers and provisioning solutions deliver the ease of use, cost effectiveness, and flexibility that carriers require in meeting their customers' IP networking requirements in support of voice, video, and data services. Riverstone uniquely permits carriers to offer homogeneous services across existing revenue-generating networks and new Ethernet deployments.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements as to the expected use of Riverstone products by Completel, the ability of Riverstone products to improve network reliability and availability for Completel customers, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws of the United States of America. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include the risks detailed from time to time in Riverstone Networks' filings with the SEC The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements.

Riverstone Networks is a registered trademark of Riverstone Networks, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks and trade names belong to their respective owners.