FiberLight Deploys Ciena Packet Networking Solutions To Satisfy Surging Demand For Mobile Data

Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN), the network specialist, today announced that FiberLight, LLC, one of the nation’s leading providers of mission critical, high-performance fiber optic networks, has deployed Ciena’s industry-leading packet networking solutions to build reliable and robust mobile backhaul networks for two major U.S. wireless operators. The new mobile backhaul networks will bring fiber to more than 450 cell towers and provide customers with 100Mb/s connectivity at each tower, with the option to scale seamlessly to 1Gb/s.

Key Facts:

• FiberLight provides next-generation Ethernet, managed wavelength, IP, SONET and dark fiber optical transport and network design services that help carrier, enterprise, government and education organizations manage rapid traffic growth. FiberLight’s $1 billion plus, 500,000 fiber-mile network serves 40 of the top 50 highest bandwidth users in the U.S. and spans Georgia, Texas, Florida, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
• Ciena’s built-for-speed packet networking solutions will support two major initiatives for FiberLight, helping its mobile operator customers replace strained legacy T1 and microwave connections by bringing fiber to nearly 450 cell towers. FiberLight is leveraging Ciena’s 5410 and 5150 Service Aggregation Switches, as well as Ciena’s 3930, 3931 and 3960 Service Delivery Switches –with subtending G.8032 Ethernet rings to provide increased network scalability and protection of services.
  • In West Texas, FiberLight is building a dedicated, fiber-optic backhaul network for a top tier LTE wireless provider that immediately needed to increase bandwidth at each tower to 100 Mb/s, with the option to scale up rapidly in the future. The solution is being built on 3,300 miles of new route fiber and will be powered by Ciena’s 3900 Family of packet networking products at the network edge.
  • To support another major top tier U.S. wireless operator, FiberLight will utilize Ciena solutions in replacing the T1 and microwave towers with a dedicated, fiber-optic backhaul network. Once complete, the deployment will provide Ethernet connectivity at a total of 200 cell towers in Texas, Washington, Maryland and Florida; and seamlessly connect towers with six major aggregation sites.
• Ciena’s advanced management solution will provide FiberLight with simplified low-touch service activation, which enables rapid service delivery, comprehensive service visualization and network diagnostics. Additionally, FiberLight’s end customers will be able to monitor their critical SLA (Service Level Agreement) parameters through a secure, cloud-based portal, thereby improving end customer satisfaction and retention.
• Ciena will provide FiberLight with an optimized solution that leverages Ciena’s OPn framework principles. The mobile backhaul network benefits from a simplified architecture with minimized router locations and economics that are improved by the use of Carrier Ethernet. Network element programmability and software deliver great flexibility and a common, consistent way to satisfy subscriber demands for high-bandwidth services, with simplified management and automated provisioning.
• Ciena is also providing FiberLight with ongoing consultation, maintenance and support for this deployment via Ciena Specialist Services. The deployment is being delivered in three phases, with all towers planned to be connected by the end of 2012.

Executive Comments:

• “By deploying Ciena’s packet networking infrastructure at the vast majority of towers we serve, we are enabling our customers to quickly scale from 100Mb/s to 1Gb/s per tower, eliminate bandwidth restrictions and reduce the potential for data bottlenecks. Additionally, the automation, remote provisioning and reporting features provided by Ciena’s management solution allows us to proactively monitor, maintain and troubleshoot our customers’ networks. Our end customers can then use the secure, cloud-based portal to confirm that we are meeting SLA requirements.”- Andrew Stravelli, Vice President Network Engineering, FiberLight
• “Many U.S. wireless networks are now close to full capacity, which makes backhaul traffic management more important than ever. Ciena’s packet networking portfolio helps create scalable networks that are built for speed, agility and assurance. FiberLight was no exception, and was able to quickly have its cell sites up and running to provide the mobile backhaul support to satisfy their customers’ needs. Ciena’s technology is also future-proofing the operators’ backhaul networks demand for capacity, while offering a low total cost of ownership to maximize profitability.”- Chad Whalen, Vice President and General Manager, North America Field Operations, Ciena

Ciena at 4G World:

• Ciena subject matter experts will be on hand at 4G World booth (#623) October 29 – November 1 at the McCormick Place in Chicago.
  • Mariana Agache, director of industry marketing, will participate in a session titled: “Architecture Options for 4G Mobile Backhaul” on October 30 ^th at 1:45 pm in W-474A.
  • Andy Walker, director of portfolio solutions, will present in a session titled: “Designing Backhaul Solutions for LTE” on October 30 ^th at 2:45 pm in W-474A.

Technology Background:

• A key aspect of Ciena’s OPn architecture, Ciena's packet networking portfolio combines intelligent devices and software to create low-touch, high-velocity Carrier Ethernet access and metro networks creating a common, consistent way to deliver the full range of Ethernet services that significantly accelerates and automates service creation and activation.
• Used by more than 150 carriers, wireless service providers and cable operators worldwide, Ciena’s packet solutions improve service agility by concentrating complexities onto fewer platforms, better utilizes the right network element and technology for the job, economically supports higher densities and increases overall network capacity, and enables faster transition from declining legacy services to growing packet services.
• Ciena’s management system solution includes OneControl, which provides comprehensive unified management, visualization and control of the network. Additionally, Ciena’s solution enables automated service activation, allowing users to efficiently build and deploy large-scale Carrier Ethernet networks - reducing time to market for new services, accelerating service revenue, maximizing service availability and assuring service quality.

Supporting Resources:

• Product Overview: Carrier Ethernet Solutions
• Product Overview: Ethernet Services Manager
• Application note: Delivering True Carrier Ethernet Business Services
• Application note: Wireless Backhaul Network Solutions enabled by Ciena’s CES Portfolio
• Webinar: Carrier Ethernet Solutions Overview
• Video: G.8032 – Ethernet Ring Protection Switching

About FiberLight

FiberLight, LLC is a premier provider of mission-critical, high performance networking services including Ethernet, Wavelengths and IP, SONET and Dark Fiber optical transport network solutions. Solutions are provided to telecom carriers, government, enterprise, content providers and web-centric businesses. FiberLight wholly owns its 600,000 fiber-mile network in key growth areas and offers robust metro networks in 29 metros within Georgia, Florida, Washington, D.C., Texas, Virginia and Maryland. Visit FiberLight at www.fiberlight.com.

About Ciena

Ciena is the network specialist. We collaborate with customers worldwide to unlock the strategic potential of their networks and fundamentally change the way they perform and compete. Ciena leverages its deep expertise in packet and optical networking and distributed software automation to deliver solutions in alignment with OP ⁿ, its approach for building open next-generation networks. We enable a high-scale, programmable infrastructure that can be controlled and adapted by network-level applications, and provide open interfaces to coordinate computing, storage and network resources in a unified, virtualized environment. We routinely post recent news, financial results and other important announcements and information about Ciena on our website. For more information, visit www.ciena.com.

Note to Ciena Investors

Forward-looking statements. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof; and Ciena's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business, which include the risk factors disclosed in its Report on Form 10-Q, which Ciena filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 5, 2012. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Ciena's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "will," and "would" or similar words. Ciena assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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