Ciena Introduces Ultra Long-Distance Optical Transport System
LINTHICUM, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 23, 1999--
Optical Networking Pioneer Enhances MultiWave CoreStream and
LightWorks Architecture For Intelligent Transport Networks at
Lower Cost Per Bit
CIENA Corporation (Nasdaq: CIEN, news, msgs) today announced enhancements to its MultiWave
CoreStream(TM) product that enable the intelligent optical transport system to offer the optimal combination
of ultra long-distance transport functionality, channel count and lower network costs for service providers.
Using forward error correction (FEC), nonlinearity management and dispersion mapping technologies, plus
embedded software intelligence, CoreStream will support optical spans longer than 5,000 km without
additional optical-to-electrical signal regenerations. Beta trials are expected to begin in April 2000.
CIENA is the pioneer of intelligent optical transport technology with more than 6.5-million channel km of
transport spans deployed in carrier networks around the world. Developed in conjunction with CIENA
customers, the latest enhancements to the 2-Terabit-capacity CoreStream system optimize carriers' optical
networks for capacity and distance while realizing savings up to 60 percent relative to traditional schemes on
very long routes.
"Carriers are looking for smart solutions that add the most value for the money," said Steve Alexander,
CIENA's chief technology officer. "In some applications, that means going longer distances, in others it
means maximizing capacity, and others want a combination of these. With these enhancements,
CoreStream can be tuned to meet a service provider's specific needs and thereby minimizing the cost of
optical transport."
Enhancements to CoreStream will enable CIENA to dramatically increase the distance of its optical transport
spans, by eliminating the need for regeneration along certain long-distance routes. In some networks,
regeneration may account for up to 50 percent of the cost of transport. The combination of such technologies
will enable the CoreStream to provide ultra long-distance spans at lower costs.
"Customers have indicated that the span requirements for the next generation of carrier networks range from
1,500 to 5,000 km, and the enhancements to CoreStream will scale to meet those needs," Alexander said.
"For example, with the latest enhancements, CoreStream will be capable of supporting 160 channels of 10
Gigabit traffic over a span of 2,000 km without regeneration, or scaling to transport more channels or span
greater distances. CIENA's philosophy is to build the network to maximize revenue-generating bandwidth
based on the needs of each customer."
Two years ago, CIENA licensed a key technology that makes ultra long-distance spans routine in sub-marine
transport systems. "By applying this technology and adding the intelligence of CIENA LightWorks(TM), CIENA
will bring a new measure of distance to terrestrial transport networks at a lower cost per bit," Alexander said.
Enhanced LightWorks Architecture Means Smarter Networks
The enhanced MultiWave CoreStream should help carriers realize even greater economic benefits when
used in conjunction with CIENA's MultiWave CoreDirector(TM) intelligent optical core switch. Together, these
systems form the core of the intelligent optical network, CIENA LightWorks. LightWorks is a next-generation
network architecture that allows service providers to generate new revenue streams more quickly while
greatly reducing the costs of building and operating networks.
"We believe that CIENA has architected the solution to obtain the lowest cost per bit for the optical transport
network," said Alexander. "CIENA's LightWorks architecture for core networks is simple: large-scale switches
connected by terabit-per-second pipes over megameters - all managed by embedded software. This is the
direction that we believe carriers will have to move to meet network demands in a cost effective way."
Driven by LightWorks OS(TM) software, CIENA solutions contain embedded intelligence within each network
element. As a result, provisioning, protection and restoration schemes, and span management are all
automated across the network for faster time-to-revenues and lower network costs.
ABOUT CIENA
CIENA Corporation's market-leading optical networking systems form the core for the new era of
telecommunications networks worldwide. CIENA's LightWorks(TM) architecture changes the fundamental
economics of service-provider networks by simplifying the network and reducing the cost to operate it.
Additional information about CIENA can be found at ciena.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS
Forward-looking statements in this release, including, without limitation, information about cost savings
relative to traditional schemes on very long routes, regeneration costs for a network, cost savings associated
with the use of the enhancements to the CoreStream product and CIENA's belief that the LightWorks
architecture results in the lowest cost per bit for the optical transport network, are based on information
available to the Company as of the date hereof. The Company's actual results could differ materially from
those stated or implied in such forward-looking statements, due to risks and uncertainties associated with
the Company's business, which include the risk factors disclosed in the Company's Post Effective
Amendment No. 2 on Form S-3 to Form S-4 Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on Aug. 30, 1999.
CONTACT: CIENA Corporation
Press Contacts:
Denny Bilter or Aaron Graham
(800) 921-1144
email: pr@ciena.com
or
CIENA Corporation
Investor Contacts:
quicken.com
Suzanne DuLong or Jessica Towns
(888) 243-6223
email: ir@ciena.com |
