CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI - March 25, 2002 - The Atlantic Technology Centre (ATC) has entered into an arrangement with Cisco Systems Canada to provide a state-of-the-art network infrastructure for the facility, which is scheduled to open in August 2002. The advanced Cisco network will be managed by Business Technology Consulting (BTC), a local information technology consulting firm.

The announcement was made today by the Honourable Mike Currie, Minister of Development and Technology; Shawn Murphy, Member of Parliament for Hillsborough; Garth Scully, Regional Manager at Cisco Systems Canada; and Allan MacDonald, President of BTC.

"The Atlantic Technology Centre is designed to promote collaboration and innovation," said Minister Currie. "This is an example of a global IT leader working with a local company to create new business opportunities. The Centre's sophisticated network infrastructure will benefit local businesses and individuals."

The sophisticated ATC network will be based on Cisco AVVID (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data) technology. The multi-tenant facility will feature a full range of integrated voice, video and data services, including IP (Internet Protocol - the basic language to communicate over the Internet) telephony and IP videoconferencing, both of which will be a first for the province.

ATC will feature an e-business research lab, announced today, which will enable companies to test e-business applications, and an advanced network training lab targeting the general public. Cisco will donate a Content Delivery Network, which will enhance the testing capabilities of the Centre's e-business research lab. In the lab, local companies and organisations will be able to test bandwidth intensive e-applications such as e-commerce, e-learning and e-government in a lab environment before rolling the services to customers. "The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency will assist with the establishment of this applied research lab that will deliver advanced services to tenants of the ATC. This investment is helping to further advance the Government of Canada's commitment to innovation in Prince Edward Island," said Mr. Murphy on behalf of the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for ACOA.

"ATC's cutting-edge network architecture will allow companies using the facility to access integrated voice, video and data services such as IP videoconferencing and online collaboration to operate more efficiently and effectively," said Mr. Scully of Cisco Systems Canada. "Also, the Centre's e-business research lab will allow organizations to test sophisticated e-applications before launching publicly."

Business Technology Consulting announced that it intends to lease a minimum of 2,000 square feet of space within ATC, with a potential requirement of 4,000 square feet.

"We are very pleased to be locating in this facility," said MacDonald. "Our association with Cisco Systems, and the opportunities the ATC provides, will enable us to develop and export new skills and projects."

ATC will feature key infrastructure including state-of-the-art office space, specialized research labs, multimedia theatres, digital audio and picture editing suites, a business incubator and smart boardrooms. ATC is designed to stimulate new partnerships among IT companies, local post-secondary training institutions and national and international IT firms seeking a competitive business environment to locate innovative applied research, new product and solution development, testing and pre-commercialization. For more information visit www.atlantictechnologycentre.ca.

For more information contact:

• Willa Black
  Cisco Systems Canada Co.
  416-306-7732
  Pager: 1-800-68-CISCO
  wblack@cisco.com

• Gareth Pettigrew
  Strategic/Ampersand Inc.
  416-961-5595 ext. 428
  gareth@stratamp.com

• John Eden
  Technology PEI
  902-894-0352