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Caspar Herzberg, director of operations, Smart+Connected Communities, Cisco

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Al Hamra Tower is located at the heart of Kuwait City

Wim Elfrink, Executive Vice President, Cisco Services & Chief Globalization Officer

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait – April 12, 2010 - Cisco announced today that it has been selected by the Al Hamra Real Estate Co. to develop the information and communications technology vision and design for Al Hamra Tower, an iconic landmark that is set to be the tallest sculpted tower built and one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.

Cisco will support the provision of technical advice and guidance to assist Al Hamra Real Estate in the creation of a transformational experience at the Al Hamra Tower. As ICT adviser, Cisco will help ensure that technology is taken to an unprecedented level in the tower and mall and that it sets a new standard for the real estate development industry in Kuwait and the region.  Environmental sustainability will form a key part of the guiding vision for the technology infrastructure design.

Key Facts/Highlights:

• Cisco will support the provision of technical advice and guidance to facilitate building infrastructure and technology-enabled value-added services, and to transform the Al Hamra Tower into a role model for real estate development in the region. The advisory services will encompass project management, market and service analysis, operating and financial model definition, and feasibility analysis.
• Cisco believes that the network as the platform can create a transformational experience for residents by delivering urban services such as health care, education and entertainment in a highly sustainable way. The successful communities of the future will seek to enrich and differentiate their residents' experience through services enabled by networking technologies, such as high-definition video.
• The Cisco Smart+Connected Communities initiative is designed to provide cities and communities with smart connected solutions for utilities, safety and security, connected real estate, transportation, health care, learning, sports venues, and government services.
• Expected to be one of the 10 highest skyscrapers worldwide, the 80-floor Al Hamra Tower will reach 414 meters and located in the heart of Kuwait City. Construction is currently 70 per cent complete and should be finished in March  2011.
• With its delicate glass veil, the Al Hamra Tower is already considered a paragon of design excellence. The landmark building is seen as heralding a new era of development and prosperity in Kuwait and the region.
• Cisco Gold Certified Partner, Kuwait Danish Computer Company will be providing advice and guidance to assist the Al Hamra Real Estate to select and define technology enabled value-added services for the Al Hamra Tower development.
• By providing a network-enabled blueprint for successful "smart" cities of the future, Cisco Smart+Connected Communities solutions help transform physical communities into connected communities that can help realize sustainable economic growth and GDP, enable environmental sustainability through resource management and operational efficiencies, and enhance residents' quality of life.
• Cisco works with customers from idea generation to execution and uses vertical solutions built on the network as an open integrated platform, along with a broad ecosystem of partners and innovative business models, to change the way communities are designed, built, managed and renewed.

Executive Quotes

• Wim Elfrink, chief globalisation officer and executive vice president, Cisco Services

"Cisco envisions a future where successful communities and cities will run on networked information, and the network as the platform will enable economic development, better city management and an improved quality of life for citizens. By working collaboratively toward a common vision of Smart+Connected Communities on the Al Hamra Tower, Cisco and Al Hamra Real Estate are committed to driving social, economic and environmental sustainability for the residents. Everything connected to the network in these Smart+Connected Communities can be greener, more intelligent and more secure."

• Khalid Al Othman, vice chairman and CEO, Al Hamra Real Estate Company

"Today's end users demand more new experiences. They want services that can save time and resources and deliver better results. The power of Web 2.0 and social media is giving users the capability to understand and share a wide diversity of opinions and is keeping businesses competitive in order to offer a compelling experience to customers in the most efficient manner.  Through Cisco's Smart+Connected Communities initiative, we are using the network as the platform to transform cities, communities and countries to foster collaboration and enable access to resources helping spur economic, social and environmental sustainability."

Additional Resources:

• For Cisco Middle East news, please visit:
  http://newsroom.cisco.com/ME
• More information on Cisco's Smart+Connected Communities initiative
  http://www.cisco.com/go/smartconnectedcommunities
• For more information about Al Hamra Real Estate Co, please visit:
  http://www.alhamra.com.kw

About Al Hamra Real Estate and Entertainment Company

Al Hamra Real Estate is part of Ajial Real Estate and Entertainment Company which was commissioned by Kuwait National Cinema Company to develop modern facility centers in the historical locations of some of Kuwait's earliest built cinemas. The vision of the pioneers who established Ajial was to build Kuwait as a center of modern facilities and amenities for its people.

Ajial was established in 1996, and with its inception it laid the foundation of a commitment to build a modern and progressive Kuwait. Today, Ajial Real Estate and Entertainment Company is committed to the vision of creating and sustaining buildings of aesthetics, convenience and comfort.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, this year celebrates 25 years of technology innovation, operational excellence and corporate social responsibility. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco equipment in the Middle East is supplied by Cisco Systems International BV, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

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