Corning Cable Systems Acquires Cook Electric.

Business Editors

HICKORY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 27, 2000

Corning announced today that it has acquired Nortel's Cook Electric Telecomunicacoes operations located at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Cook Electric will be integrated into Corning's cable and hardware business, Corning Cable Systems. Corning Cable Systems is one of the industry-leading manufacturers of fiber optic and copper communications system solutions. The financial terms of this agreement were not disclosed.

Cook Electric's parent organization in the United States, acquired by Corning Cable Systems in 1994, was one of the first companies to develop and deploy protector modules used in telecommunications networks worldwide.

"With the increasing worldwide growth of broadband products and services, this acquisition will allow us to better support the demand of South America's telecommunications industry," said Marty Curran, Senior Vice President, Hardware and Equipment Operations, Corning Cable Systems. "Cook Electric has pioneered protector development for more than 100 years, and Corning Cable Systems is committed to maintaining this leadership as it supports the development of the telecommunications broadband network. Corning Cable Systems remains dedicated to providing our global customers with solutions, services and value second to none."

Among the achievements in protector technology of Cook's parent organization in the United States were the invention of the first low cost carbon protector, the invention of the first gas tube protector, and the invention of the first Solid-State Overvoltage Protector (SSOVP) in the late 1980s. The SSOVP is still the customer choice for most Regional Bell and independent telephone companies.

For additional information on Corning Cable Systems products or services, please contact a customer service representative at 800/743-2675, toll free in the United States or (+1) 828/27-5000, international or visit our Web site at www.corning.com/cablesystems.

Corning Cable Systems, committed to providing superior customer-support services and unparalleled product quality, has more than 14,000 employees in 20 countries. With sales of more than $2 billion, Corning Cable Systems, wholly owned by Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW), is the leading manufacturer of fiber optic and copper communications system solutions for voice, data, and video network applications worldwide.

Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated ( http://www.corning.com ) creates leading-edge technologies for the fastest-growing markets of the world's economy. Corning manufactures optical fiber, cable and photonic products for the telecommunications industry; and high-performance displays and components for television and other communications-related industries. The company also uses advanced materials to manufacture products for scientific, semiconductor and environmental markets. Corning revenues for 1999 were $4.7 billion.