Fujitsu and BTI Announce Reseller Agreement to Strip Cost and Complexity from Large Metropolitan Networks.

CHICAGO -- BTI Netstender(TM) Now Available in the Fujitsu FLASHWAVE(R) Portfolio

Fujitsu Network Communications Inc., a leading supplier of IT and networking solutions, today announced a reseller agreement with BTI Photonic Systems Inc., a pioneer of independent photonic layer systems. This relationship enhances the formidable transport capabilities of the FLASHWAVE(R) 4500 multi-service core transport system and the FLASHWAVE 7500 Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) system. The addition of the BTI Netstender(TM) system to the Fujitsu FLASHWAVE optical networking portfolio allows longer network spans to be traversed, while enabling simple, low cost DWDM support for up to 32 wavelengths. The Netstender system is being demonstrated this week at SUPERCOMM 2004 (Fujitsu Booth #20814).

The Netstender system combines multiplexing, amplification, signal conditioning and performance monitoring building blocks in an easily integrated and simply deployed platform. By combining this functionality into a single product that service providers can add and expand as necessary, the deployment cost and operational complexity of adding each incremental function is greatly reduced. In addition, optical component sparing requirements are greatly reduced with this approach since the Netstender system is designed to work with existing FLASHWAVE optical service units.

"To support longer transmission distances, options have traditionally been limited to increasing the default reach of all existing optical units or developing a large menu that includes short, medium and long reach optics," said Bill Erickson, senior vice president of planning at Fujitsu Network Communications. "This results in an additional cost to the network due to the higher aggregate price of optics for all applications, and the increase in complexity that results from extensive sparing requirements."

"The Netstender system offers our customers a third option that can be added to eliminate cost elements from short spans, while keeping optical menus simple," continued Erickson. "Plus, this approach works seamlessly with our widely deployed FLASHWAVE systems and their existing optics to offer an easy, fast and cost-effective way to introduce WDM capabilities into a network."

The Netstender system can scale to support four shelves, allowing up to 23 service slots to be managed from a single CPU and Target Identifier (TID). Each slot can be equipped independently with an optical amplifier, Dispersion Compensation Module (DCM) or WDM unit to allow service providers to tailor the Netstender system to their unique network needs.

"Fujitsu's rich history as a major supplier to telecommunication and cable television service providers is the perfect match to BTI's global leadership in photonic layer systems," said Chris Egner, vice president of business development and sales at BTI Photonic Systems. "The power of their next-generation FLASHWAVE products and reputation for unparalleled customer support has helped Fujitsu solidify their market leadership position. We're excited about adding the Netstender system to the FLASHWAVE portfolio of products to enable new network architectures and profitable service delivery solutions."

Full compatibility with the Fujitsu NETSMART(R) 500 craft user interface and NETSMART 1500 Element Management System (EMS) allow the Netstender system to be seamlessly integrated into networks with other Fujitsu optical transport products. The Netstender system also includes comprehensive Transaction Language 1 (TL1) and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) support to allow service providers to incorporate the platform into a wide variety of existing operating procedures and third-party management systems.

About Fujitsu Network Communications Inc.

Fujitsu Network Communications Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702), is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and carrier-class telecommunications solutions for the wireline, wireless and cable TV service provider market in North America. Supported by smart innovation and deep-rooted research from Fujitsu Labs, Fujitsu is uniquely positioned to deliver fully integrated IT/Telecom solutions for its customers. The company's comprehensive consulting and customer services offer support at any network design, development, deployment and maintenance stage. For more news and information, please visit http://www.fujitsu.com/us/telecom.

About BTI Photonic Systems Inc.

BTI is the independent photonic layer company. BTI's Netstender platform leads the industry by delivering complete photonic layer solutions to simplify optical site inter-connection. The system leverages the value of existing optical networks and plays a critical role in enabling new converged multi-service networks. The company's Netstender delivery platform offers a full range of functional building blocks to provide application specific customization with Plug-and-Link(TM) ease. BTI enhances the competitive advantage of the world's foremost communications system vendors by extending the performance and flexibility of their product portfolios. For more news and information, please visit www.btiphotonics.com.

FLASHWAVE(R) and NETSMART(R) are trademarks of Fujitsu Network Communications Inc. (USA). Netstender(TM) is a trademark of BTI Photonic Systems Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.