More than 100 Leading Service Providers Select MPLS Solutions Based on Cisco Software Technologies; MPLS Deployments Tripled From 30 Customers in 2001 to Over 100 in 2002.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 26, 2002

Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announces an update on the market success of Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology delivered in Cisco IOS(R) Software with widespread customer deployment by more than 100 service providers worldwide. Cisco MPLS customers include: Bell Canada, BT Ignite, France Telecom, Equant, Infonet Services, KDDI, Japan Telecom, and NTT Communications.

Cisco offers the most comprehensive suite of MPLS solutions that include: MPLS Traffic Engineering, MPLS VPNs and MPLS optimized bandwidth services, and AToM (Any transport over MPLS) over POS, SDH and ATM infrastructures. AToM is the latest addition to Cisco's MPLS portfolio and was announced earlier as a key component of Cisco's Unified VPN Suite. Cisco IOS MPLS technologies allow service providers to reduce network costs while optimizing and expanding their IP VPN services and capabilities.

"Using MPLS, VPNs have become much easier to deploy and scale," says Irwin Lazar, senior consultant at The Burton Group. "This technology not only creates a more efficient network, it allows service providers to accommodate virtually any customer's requirements for remote access, intranets, extranets, and Internet access."

Cisco is a leading provider of MPLS solutions, which have been widely adopted by global service providers because of its scalable VPN capabilities, optimal resource efficiencies, and the ability to leverage IP services into existing infrastructures. Cisco pioneered MPLS technology and was the first to deliver IETF standards-based MPLS.

"Achieving this major customer milestone further underscores Cisco's leadership in the MPLS marketplace," says Sangeeta Anand, senior director of Product Marketing, Internet Technologies Division of Cisco Systems. "Cisco pioneered this backbone technology and we are excited to see such significant deployments from the major global companies."

Over the past two years, major adoption was based on compelling benefits inherent to the Cisco MPLS architecture that include the following features: MPLS/BGP-based VPNs, MPLS Traffic Engineering, and migration from ATM backbones.

"From a business perspective, BT Ignite is providing new high-speed MPLS VPN service focused at the FTSE top 100 Blue Chip clients such as major financial, retail customers and government departments to complement the existing BT MPLS VPN services," said Dr. Steve Brady, vice president of Internet & Data Services, BT Ignite, a part of the BT Group PLC, United Kingdom. "With Cisco's MPLS-VPN end-to-end solution, BT Ignite will be able to better serve this lucrative and demanding marketplace."

Joseph Fusco, director of Global Intranet Services Marketing at Infonet, a provider with global footprint says, "MPLS has become the de Facto standard for providing scalable, deployable IP VPNs. Infonet's MPLS service provides clients such as Nestle and Volkswagen a manageable platform for adapting client network requirements as their business needs grow in scope and complexity."

With the latest addition of AToM to Cisco's portfolio of MPLS technologies, service providers are now using MPLS to provide Metro Ethernet services to their customers.

"Using Cisco's AToM solution, we have deployed Ethernet over MPLS and are delivering Wide Area Ethernet services to our customers today," says Yasuhiko Ito, executive managing officer, KDDI. "KDDI is providing IP VPN service nationwide based on Cisco's MPLS technology. As a major IP VPN service provider in Japan, we have experienced emerging needs for both higher bandwidth and protocol-free Layer 2 service. Using the Cisco C7600, we were able to integrate our Ethernet network on top of our MPLS platform very cost effectively."

Additional information on Cisco's MPLS solutions can be found at: http://www.cisco.com/go/mpls.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information are available at www.cisco.com.

Note to Editors: Cisco, Cisco Systems, the Cisco Systems logo and Cisco IOS are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.