SAN JOSE, Calif., June 24, 2002 - Riseau d'informations scientifiques du Quebec (RISQ), Quebec's educational telecommunications infrastructure and service provider, and Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced that RISQ has selected several products from the Cisco Complete Optical Multiservice Edge and Transport (COMET) portfolio to enable greater capacity and cost-effective deployment of IP-based voice, video, and data services for the educational community. RISQ, the first to deploy Cisco Long-Haul DWDM optical solutions in Canada, is also a Cisco Powered Network customer.

RISQ supplies the educational and research institutes of Quebec with sophisticated telecommunications infrastructures and services. Providing cost-effective high-speed connectivity, the advanced RISQ network allows members to communicate with other members; access the Internet; and utilize the trans-Canada CA*net 4 network along with other North American and global networks. RISQ members are also able to increase productivity with valuable IP-based services that maximize the network's high-capacity bandwidth.

"By selecting products from the Cisco COMET optical portfolio, we extend the capacity of the technology which is in place with the Cisco 12410 Internet Routers deployed in our MPLS IP backbone," said Pierre Bouchard, President and CEO of RISQ. "And with an end-to-end Cisco architecture, we're able to increase our capabilities while at the same time creating efficiencies to keep cost down."

"It is critical our members have access to an adaptable network that provides very high bandwidth and IP QoS," added Bouchard. "Cisco was able to provide a top-of-the-line, cost-effective network architecture with all of the features we were looking for. We can now deliver a state-of-the-art infrastructure that will meet the needs of our members now and into the future. We chose the Cisco COMET solution because it was the best overall next-generation network solution. It allows us to offer Gigabit Ethernet everywhere in the network."

The COMET solution RISQ has selected is comprised of the ONS 15454 SONET Multiservice Platform for voice, video, and data capabilities and OC-192 support; the ONS 15327 metro edge optical transport platform; the ONS 15252 Metro DWDM line for flexible capacity in the metro; and the ONS 15808 Long-Haul/Extended Long-Haul DWDM System for cost-effective transport over wider geographic areas. RISQ will deploy Cisco Transport Manager, the integrated multiservice management system for the entire COMET portfolio. With the Cisco Transport Manager, RISQ can quickly provision their system and accelerate deployment of services across their optical infrastructure.

"RISQ is an excellent example of a customer that has utilized IP and optical networking technologies together to achieve the enhanced productivity enabled by the Internet and multiservice applications," said Rob Koslowsky, Director of Marketing, Optical Strategy, Cisco Systems. "We're pleased RISQ has selected the COMET optical portfolio to complement its existing Cisco Internet Router infrastructure, maximizing the 10 Gbps capabilities of the MPLS network with cost-effective DWDM capacity in the metro and long-haul, and enabling high-speed voice, video, and data services."

About RISQ

RISQ (Riseau d'informations scientifiques du Quibec - Quebec Scientific Information Network), is the higher education and research network of Quebec. RISQ's members are the universities, the colleges, and other educational institutions, as well as research institutes, cultural content providers and broadcasters, and government agencies in the province of Quebec, Canada. RISQ builds its optical network with the financial assistance from the Quebec Ministry of Education. The organization's mission is to provide high-speed, state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure, associated services, and access to a wide range of information sources to support the teaching and research objectives of its members.

Historically, RISQ provided the first link to the Internet in Quebec. Since 1989 it has played an important part in the development of Internet-access and Internet-based services. The organization operates one of the world's most advanced backbone networks and provides information and expertise on networking and server technology to its members. News and information are available at www.risq.qc.ca