SAN JOSE, Calif., March 26, 2002 - Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced that components of its Complete Optical Multiservice Edge and Transport (COMET) optical portfolio have been deployed by SCANA Communications, a subsidiary of Columbia, S.C.-based SCANA Corporation, the largest investor-owned utility company headquartered in South Carolina. The Cisco optical solution was selected to enhance fiber capacity along the Charleston to Columbia network.
"The Cisco optical equipment delivered a flexible and cost effective means of maximizing SCANA's network resources," said SCANA Communications' telecommunications manager Oscie Brown. "The Charleston to Columbia route has been supporting live traffic for several months and we are extremely pleased with the extended capabilities and capacity the Cisco solutions added to this critical route in our network."
SCANA Communications is an innovative carrier's carrier, utilizing its extensive fiber optic network to provide wholesale bandwidth services to leading service providers. Cisco's optical networking portfolio provided SCANA Communications a unique solution, which enabled the company to maximize investments and cost-effectively add capacity to its existing fiber infrastructure.
The SCANA Communications solution comprises several components of the Cisco COMET optical portfolio. The globally proven Cisco ONS 15800 Long-Haul DWDM System (http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/olpl/olcr/on15800/) extends capacity, maximizes fiber resources, and lowers overall cost per bit for long-haul transport. The market-leading ONS 15454 SONET Multiservice Platform (http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/olpl/metro/on15454/) increases service density with enhanced high-bandwidth voice, data, and wavelength services. Additionally, Cisco Transport Manager, the single integrated optical element management system for the entire Cisco COMET product family (www.cisco.com/go/ctm), accelerates service velocity with fast provisioning and simplified management. As part of this solution, Cisco also provides professional services for installation, testing, and training.
"We are pleased that Cisco was able to provide a solution which helped enable SCANA to cost-effectively maximize the investment and capacity of its existing network," said Jeff Santos, senior director of marketing, photonics, Cisco Systems. "The ONS 15800 and the entire suite of Cisco COMET products provide customers like SCANA with the innovative optical networking technologies to help enhance high-bandwidth, value-added services."
About Cisco's Complete Optical Multiservice Edge and Transport Portfolio
The Cisco Complete Optical Multiservice Edge and Transport (COMET) product line offers maximum service velocity, density, variety, and capacity, building the foundation to accelerate IP+Optical networking. Supporting TDM, Ethernet, IP, Storage, and Wavelength services over SONET and DWDM with integrated bandwidth management and end-to-end provisioning, the Cisco COMET portfolio offers efficient, unprecedented flexibility and capacity. With the Cisco COMET portfolio, enterprises and service providers drive profitability and accelerate IP+Optical networking.
