Corning Incorporated and Nortel Networks to Demonstrate Leading Edge Metro DWDM Solution at NFOEC.

Business Editors

CORNING, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 23, 2000

Corning(R) MetroCor(TM) Fiber and Nortel Networks OPTera Metro

products break barrier of standard metropolitan operating band

Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) and Nortel Networks(a) announced today a public demonstration of L-band metro DWDM transmission over 400 kms of uncompensated fiber.

Representative of the two companies' continuing efforts to take optical metropolitan networks to the next level, the display will feature Corning's MetroCor fiber and a Nortel Networks OPTera Metro optical networking platform in an innovative system that will break the operational boundaries of traditional metropolitan optical networks.

The demonstration will be located in the Corning booth at the National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (NFOEC) 2000 in Denver, Colorado August 28 - 30, 2000.

Metropolitan optical networks are generally restricted to operation in the C-band (1530-1565 nm). This leading edge demonstration will have a Nortel Networks OPTera Metro Multiservice Platform sending four channels in the L-band (1570-1625 nm) out over 400 kms of MetroCor fiber at 2.5Gbps without the use of electrical conversion to regenerate the signal or dispersion compensation to maintain signal integrity. The combination of MetroCor fiber and the Nortel Networks OPTera Metro system opens up the operational band (1530-1625nm) and provides the opportunity to send more channels with a reduced likelihood of complications from non-linearities by avoiding narrow channel spacings in the C-band.

This unique combination of world-leading equipment and advanced fiber design allows network builders undeniable flexibility and significant cost savings where larger metropolitan and regional rings are required. Over five years time, network savings could amount to millions of dollars through the reduction in node electronics when using MetroCor fiber and Nortel Networks OPTera Metro equipment.

According to Curt Weinstein, director, metro fiber at Corning Incorporated, "Data explosion is driving rapid fiber deployment in the metropolitan environment. Carriers are faced with a new set of challenges: the need to increase service flexibility along with the speed of provisioning while gaining the lowest cost per connection and cost per bit."

"MetroCor fiber, released on March 1, 2000, is the result of collaborative efforts with systems vendors like Nortel Networks and inputs from carriers deploying new metropolitan and regional networks," Weinstein continued. "This approach of utilizing experts from the optical fiber and the optical systems areas, coupled with the input of network builders, has proven to be a very effective model."

Ashoka Valia, vice president, Strategic Marketing, Optical Internet, Nortel Networks added "Nortel Networks' metro leadership combined with Corning's advanced fiber design collectively takes the performance of metro networks to the next level."

Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated (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's revenues in 1999 were $4.7 billion. For more information about MetroCor fiber, visit www.corning.com/optical fiber.

(a) Nortel Networks, the Nortel Networks logo, the Globemark, OPTera, Unified Networks, and How the world shares ideas are trademarks of Nortel Networks.