LAS VEGAS, NV., March 21, 2001 - Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless provider, today announced it has selected Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, to develop and implement a new ATM Core that will provide extended bandwidth, QoS and more reliability for its wireless network. This ATM Core will also support third-generation network services.

Verizon Wireless provides wireless voice and data services to over 27 million customers, with a service area that covers almost 90 percent of the country's population. It is one of the first wireless network providers to deploy the Cisco MGX 8850 IP + ATM Multiservice Switch, which serves as the foundation for the new nationwide ATM Core for current and future 3G infrastructure.

"As the largest wireless provider, we are dedicated to providing the most advanced network in the U.S.," said Edward Salas, vice president of network planning, Verizon Wireless. "Cisco's next-generation IP+ATM solutions enable us to satisfy future networking requirements in our core, while also increasing QoS and bandwidth needed today."

The Cisco MGX 8850 IP + ATM switch provides a highly reliable multiservice platform for voice and data services in carrier networks. A key feature for Verizon Wireless is the MGX 8850 capability to support SOFT-CDMA handoff. This allows the dynamic transferring of calls from MSC to MSC or intra-MSC as the mobile user moves geographically without service interruption.

In addition to the Cisco MGX 8850, Verizon Wireless is deploying the Cisco 3600 series and Cisco 2600 Series Modular Multiservice routers as well as the Cisco 6500 Series Catalyst Switches to provide the core transport infrastructure for OAM&P functions.

"By deploying a Cisco IP+ATM solution, Verizon Wireless has built a network infrastructure capable of meeting today's wireless needs as well as accommodating next-generation 3G Wireless applications," said Don Proctor, VP and General Manager of Cisco's Multiservice Switching Business Unit.