Hanaro Telecom Selects Newbridge Multiservice, Multi-Access ATM Platform to Deliver Nationwide Services - Hanaro Telecom Enters High-Speed Data Communications Market.

KANATA, ONTARIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 1999--

NEWBRIDGE (TSE:NNC) (NYSE:NN) Newbridge Networks (NYSE: NN); (TSE: NNC) today announced that Hanaro Telecom Inc., a full-service telecommunications carrier operating in Korea, has selected the industry-leading Newbridge(r) multiservice, multi-access asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) platform for the deployment of its nationwide, high-speed data communications network.

Hanaro Telecom, a consortium of 500 companies, offers local service, high-speed Internet connectivity, integrated services digital network (ISDN), and a wide range of advanced, multimedia services to customers throughout Korea. Hanaro Telecom plans to offer these services to business and residential customers in all major Korean cities by 2003.

Hanaro Telecom also plans to offer local multipoint distribution service (LMDS) beginning next year. LMDS, a high frequency broadband wireless system operating in the 28 GHz spectrum, can be quickly deployed to cost-effectively deliver data, Internet, voice, video and multimedia services using point-to-multipoint distribution systems.

Hanaro Telecom was seeking a flexible, highly scalable networking solution that would enable the carrier to diversify its service offerings and meet demand for high-quality multimedia services. The flexibility, scalability and superior network and service management capabilities being offered by Newbridge were key factors in Hanaro Telecom's decision to select the Newbridge broadband multiservice ATM solution.

"Offering simply low-priced services is not our goal," said Mr. Chanwoong Park, senior manager, data network team, wired-network planning unit, Hanaro Telecom. "Rather, we plan to deliver innovative services that will meet our customers' evolving needs. The Newbridge multiservice platform enables us to achieve this goal, while strengthening our competitive position by offering customized, next-generation multimedia services at the best possible prices."

The Newbridge solution comprises the industry's best selling ATM switch, the Siemens / Newbridge MainStreetXpress(tm) 36170 Multiservices Switch. Carrier class network and service management is provided by the industry-leading MainStreetXpress 46020 Network Manager. CrossKeys, a Newbridge Affiliate and a leading developer of service, network and element management solutions, is providing a suite of three network management applications that make up CrossKeys NetworkWare - KeyInfo, KeyBill(tm) and KeyNotes. These applications will complement the features and functionality of the MainStreetXpress 46020 Network Manager.

Installed in the networks of more than 350 service providers worldwide, the MainStreetXpress 36170 Multiservices Switch provides a broad range of interfaces and service offerings, including Internet protocol (IP), video conferencing, ISDN, LMDS, circuit emulation for advanced private line services, voice over frame relay and ATM, and digital subscriber line (xDSL) access services.

The MainStreetXpress 46020 Network Manager offers a wide range of advanced network and service management capabilities, enabling service providers to focus on deploying new services while reducing the associated administrative burdens and costs. It also incorporates the key attributes - policy creation, rapid provisioning, troubleshooting, monitoring and user and application partitioning - required to deliver revenue-generating services. The MainStreetXpress 46020 Network Manager's high scalability means it can support and manage more than 250,000 service connections and permit more than 120 operators to monitor and manage the network at the same time.

Newbridge recently strengthened the management capabilities of the MainStreetXpress 46020 Network Manager to support premium quality business IP virtual private network (VPN) services.

"The deployment of the Newbridge multiservice and multi-access networking solution will contribute to Hanaro Telecom's positive differentiation in the competitive marketplace through flexible response to customer demand for premium quality multimedia services," said Ken Park, managing director, Newbridge Networks Korea Ltd.

Established in 1997, Hanaro Telecom is a consortium of some 500 firms, which include Dacom Inc., Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), Thrunet, Samsung Electronics, Daewoo Telecom, SK Telecom and Hyundai Electronics Industries. The largest stockholder is Dacom, Inc., the second largest service provider in Korea. Hanaro Telecom is a startup company with 60,000 private shareholders. More than 700 companies have invested in the company. Hanaro aims to account for three percent of the local call market by securing 430,000 subscriber lines and sales revenues of $100 million by the end of this year.

Newbridge Networks designs, manufactures, markets and services networking solutions to organizations in more than 100 countries. The Company leverages its relationship with a growing family of Newbridge Affiliate companies and with Siemens and 3Com Corporation to deliver seamless, end-to-end solutions. Newbridge customers include the world's 300 largest telecommunications service providers and more than 10,000 corporations, government organizations and other institutions. Founded in 1986, the Company employs more than 6,000 people on six continents. News and information are available at www.newbridge.com.

Newbridge and logo are registered trademarks of Newbridge Networks Corporation.

MainStreetXpress is a trademark used by the Siemens/Newbridge alliance for comprehensive solutions in broadband communication. No agency relationship, partnership, or joint ownership of a legal entity is to be inferred or implied by the term alliance.