Press Releases

2004

NEOS DEPLOYS ETHERNET OVER SDH SOLUTION FROM TURIN NETWORKS

READING, UK and PETALUMA, CA (USA), Sept. 21st, 2004 - Neos, an SSE Telecom company, and Turin Networks, a leading developer and supplier of multiservice transport platforms for telecommunications carriers worldwide, announced today that Neos has deployed Next Generation SDH equipment from Turin Networks as a converged service platform to enhance and extend its Ethernet and SDH National Networks.

Turin's Traverse® Multiservice Transport Platform was supplied to Neos by MiTech Group plc. The Turin platform uses ITU-T standards for Ethernet service adaptation including Generic Framing Procedure (GFP), Virtual Concatenation (VCAT), and the Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme (LCAS). Neos Networks has initially deployed the equipment to build a new high capacity ring in London between the City and Docklands, in Birmingham and Scotland, and to extend the network to Gloucester.

"The real benefit of this technology is the ability to carry Ethernet services over SDH infrastructure without compromising performance or margin" said Bob Hase, Strategic Development Manager for Neos Networks. "The convergence of Ethernet and SDH into the same box gives us a cost effective way of extending the coverage of our network. We now only need to deploy one piece of equipment to give a full service-offering from a new site. The enhanced cross-connect capabilities also allow us to use more of the available bandwidth, giving us enhanced capacity in our SDH network and, in turn, the ability to offer a better service to our customers."

"Partnering with Neos Networks is an important testament to the unique competitive advantages of Turin Networks solutions and a vote of confidence in Turin Networks and MiTech's implementation capabilities into the highly competitive European service provider market" said Lars Cavi, Director of Sales - EMEA Region of Turin Networks. "Through this strategic partnership with the UK's leading supplier of Ethernet services, Turin Networks next generation, multiservice optical transport products have proven their appeal to the rapidly expanding Ethernet market."

"Deploying several 10Gig multiservice nodes in the space of a few weeks, together with the challenge of interconnecting successfully with several other vendors such as Nortel, Nokia, Riverstone & Sorrento, has been a special experience" said Chief Technology Officer, Mogens Hansen of MiTech Group plc. "It has been very satisfying to see how efficient and well prepared our engineers have been, confirming MiTech's capabilities in this field."

About Neos
Part of the Scottish and Southern Energy PLC Group, Neos Networks enjoys the backing of a FTSE 100 company and is one of the most financially stable service providers in the UK. As the UK's first network operator to offer National Ethernet services in 2001, Neos is able to provide best-value, Wide-Area infrastructure services. Neos operates the UK's leading Layer 2 MPLS Ethernet network, providing national and metro Gigabit Ethernet services featuring Liquid BandwidthT with 48-hour upgrade guarantees. Neos Networks also offers SDH leased lines, wavelengths, fibre, IP transit, and wireless solution

About MiTech Group plc
MiTech is a specialist System Integrator offering a unique scope of networking technologies including structured cabling and wireless networks, data networks, voice networks, network applications and network services. MiTech specializes in the provision of full design, implementation and support services for mission critical network users.

About Turin Networks
Turin Networks Inc. is a leading developer and supplier of multiservice optical transport products for telecommunications carriers. The company's flagship Traverse® platform provides best-in-class SONET/SDH transport, cross-connect and Ethernet switching capabilities, enabling more than 100 carriers worldwide to seamlessly streamline, grow and evolve their multiservice optical networks. Founded in October of 1999, Turin is led by an accomplished management team and is funded by top-tier venture capital firms as well as distinguished corporate and private investors. Turin was recently named a "Top Ten Private Company" for 2004 by Lightreading and one of the "Ten Coolest Companies of 2004" by Telecommunications® magazine. For more information, visit www.turinnetworks.com or call 707.665.4400. 

About Force10 Networks
Force10 Networks is the global technology leader that data center, service provider and enterprise customers rely on when the network is their business. The company’s high performance solutions are designed to deliver new economics by virtualizing and automating Ethernet networks.  Force10’s high density and resilient Ethernet switching and routing products increase network availability, agility and efficiency while reducing power and cooling costs.  Force10 provides 24x7 service and support capabilities to its global customer base in more than 60 countries worldwide.  For more information on Force10 Networks, please visit www.force10networks.com.

Contact:
Kevin Kimball
Force10 Networks Inc.
+1 408 571-3544
kkimball@force10networks.com

Force10 Networks, the Force10 Networks logo, Force10, E-Series, Traverse, and TraverseEdge are registered trademarks and ExaScale, S-Series, TeraScale, and FTOS are trademarks of Force10 Networks, Inc. All other company names are trademarks of their respective holders.