SINGAPORE - April 8, 2002 - SingTel has boosted the capacity of SingTel IX, Asia's largest Internet Exchange, with the addition of next-generation Cisco 12400 Internet Routers from Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. This latest upgrade from SingTel builds on the company's long commitment to the use of Cisco technology. SingTel and Cisco have a strategic relationship stretching back to 1999. Today, Cisco's technologies and solutions anchor the majority of SingTel's IP-based networks.

SingTel IX provides high-quality and reliable Internet connectivity within the Asia Pacific and to the rest of the world. This requires networking equipment with the carrier-class capability of Cisco's Internet Routers. Cisco's next-generation Internet Routing platform will also enable SingTel IX to deliver value-added IP services such as IP-VPNs.

"In order to provide our customers with high-quality services, SingTel partners with technology leaders such as Cisco. Over the years, Cisco has proven to not only have the industry's leading technologies and solutions such as the 12400 Internet Router, but also backs that up with comprehensive service and support. Their dedication to customer service has made our relationship with Cisco very important," said Mr Chang Wai Leong, Director of IP Business, SingTel.

The existing SingTel IX network is based on Cisco 12000 Internet Routers and Cisco 7500 and 7200 routers. With the addition of the Cisco 12400 series, SingTel IX will enjoy new levels of capacity, performance, service enablement, and operational efficiencies. The platform caters to bandwidth requirements of 10 Gbps (OC-192) and beyond, providing for a smooth migration for the future.

A key technology that Cisco's Internet Routers enable is MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching), which is an industry standard derived from Cisco's Tag Switching. SingTel IX will be able to cost-effectively deliver MPLS-based VPN (Virtual Private Network) services with strong SLAs (Service Level Agreements) for QoS (Quality of Service) and Layer 3 traffic engineering. This will enable SingTel IX to provide advanced services including IP-VPNs, Voice over IP and other IP-based services.

"SingTel's tremendous growth into a global communications provider has been built by providing leading-edge services to its customers in Singapore and around the region. Cisco is pleased to be able to play a significant role as the provider of IP networking technologies to SingTel. In addition, we work very closely with SingTel to help them offer new IP-based services to their customers. This agreement will further develop our win-win relationship with SingTel," said Mr Bill Chang, Regional Managing Director, ASEAN, Cisco Systems.