Cray Communications' Frame Relay Encryptor caps year of awards for company with "Hot Product" award from Data Communications.

ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION, MD--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 17, 1996--Data Communications magazine has named Cray Communications' FPX4802/DES Frame Relay Encryptor as one of its "Hot Products" in the publication's January, 1996 issue. The award caps a year of awards for Cray Communications products.

In addition to Data Communications magazine's "Hot Product" award, the Frame Relay Encryptor also was named "Best of Show" at the Networld+Interop trade show last spring, and "Product of the Month" by Telecommunications magazine in August, 1995. Cray Communications' MatchBox Switch, a high-performance ASIC-based Ethernet switch with extensive management capabilities, was named "Best of Show" at the Networld+Interop show in Paris last September.

Data Communications magazine pointed out that the Cray Communications encryptor offers two advantages over the common software-based encryption that some products use. "First, the FPX4802/DES can be used with all routers and FRADs (frame relay access devices) already in place," the publication stated. "Second, because the Cray unit's hardware is dedicated to encryption, it offers better performance," the magazine continued. "The FPX4802/DES encrypts data at line speeds up to 2 Mbits/s -- a speed that most routers and FRADs with software-based encryption can't match."

"We're overjoyed that the encryptor has received the recognition it deserves," said Donald A. Sullivan, president of Cray Communications, Inc. "This is a pioneering product that will help organizations that handle confidential information reduce their communications costs. It lets them use a lower-cost public network instead of a more expensive network based on private leased lines."

"This is the fifth year that our editors have struggled to find hardware and software that truly live up to the Hot Products designation," said Stephen Saunders, news editor of Data Communications. The publication pointed out that Cray Communications' Frame Relay Encryptor is a Hot Product for three reasons: It is the first -- and only -- standalone encryptor for frame relay, it boosts performance, and offers security.

Between 300 and 500 products are considered for "Hot Product" awards every year. This year, just 38 were selected.

Company background

Cray Communications designs, manufactures, sells, and supports customer premises equipment that provides end users with intelligent access to intelligent network

Cray Communications' product family includes the ROUTERmate family of CSU/DSUs, as well as ISDN terminal adaptors, branch office routers, frame relay encryptors, and T-1/E-1 access devices.

Cray Communications is a division of Cray Electronics Holdings PLC, a worldwide communications and electronics company based in England, with sales of more than $424 million and 3,400 employees worldwide. Cray Electronics Holdings PLC is a publicly held company traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol CYEL. Neither Cray Communications nor Cray Electronics Holdings is affiliated with Cray Research Inc. or Cray Computer Corporation.

CONTACT: Cray Communications, Inc.

James True, 301/317-7575

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Geithner/McGowan Marketing Communications

Edgar Geithner, 508/875-3821;

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