News Release

Cisco Service Provider Customers Deploy Innovative IP-Based Services with Cisco Voice Solutions

Solutions Designed to Support Broadband Voice Services and Increase Network Efficiencies
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Dec 03, 2002

SAN JOSE, Calif., December 3, 2002 - Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), today announced that several leading service providers in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America are delivering innovative IP-based voice, data, and video services to their business and residential customers. The services are based on Cisco Broadband Local Integrated Services Solution (BLISS), the Cisco Voice Infrastructure and Applications (VIA) transport services framework, and two Cisco Managed Voice Services (MVS) solutions.

FastWeb and Bredbandsbolaget Deploy Cisco BLISS Solution

FastWeb and Bredbandsbolaget (B2) are among service providers using Cisco BLISS, which is an integrated solution that addresses IP-based multi-services over metro Ethernet, cable and T1/E1. Cisco BLISS Metro Ethernet enables service providers to deliver high-speed Internet, local and long-distance voice and video services, and hosted services such as network-based file storage. Key components of Cisco BLISS Metro Ethernet include the access infrastructure, call control servers, public switched telephone network (PSTN) interconnect through Signaling System 7 (SS7), and customer premises equipment.

"Reaching breakeven point at the operational level in half the time of our competitors is a huge accomplishment," said Alberto Trondoli, chief technology officer at FastWeb SpA. "It is proof that our IP technology allows us to have a leaner cost structure and improved value creation."

ITXC and SingTel Deploy Cisco VIA Solution Enhancements

Service providers, such as ITXC and SingTel, have deployed voice services based on Cisco VIA, a field-proven voice solution that helps carriers cost-effectively deploy scalable IP-based voice transit services over a core IP transport infrastructure. Cisco recently unveiled three advancements to the VIA offering: The Cisco PGW 2200 softswitch has been integrated into the existing H.323 architecture, enabling full Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP)-based call control and supporting 90 SS7 variants. The Cisco SIP Proxy Server has been incorporated, adding support for an array of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based applications such as Microsoft Network (MSN) Messenger Voice Service. In addition, Cisco VIA now provides better operational efficiencies through improved network management featuring Cisco Internet OSS for VoIP Infrastructure Manager. This network management solution allows service providers to turn up services more quickly, optimize network availability and measure usage for both efficiency and effective billing and revenue recognition.

"Our ITXC.net wholesale IP voice network exchanges voice traffic with hundreds of carriers around the world. Cisco VIA is an important part of ITXC.net because it is designed to ensure high quality voice transmission, high service reliability, and ready interoperability with our global customers and suppliers-all remotely manageable by us and well supported by Cisco," said John Landau, executive vice president of product management at ITXC. "Cisco VIA's open standards-based infrastructure allows us to rapidly expand and extend our network and to add new service capabilities as our customers' needs evolve."

Equant and Sprint Deploy Cisco Managed Voice Services

Using Cisco's Multiservice Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Cisco's Managed IP Telephony solutions, leading service providers Equant and Sprint have delivered a set of bundled managed voice services for their business customers that are seeking to outsource the ongoing management of their IP voice, data and video communications. By employing the Cisco Multiservice VPN offering, service providers can offer cost-effective inter-site voice, data and video IP communications over a quality of service (QoS)-enabled network. Additionally, they can provide closed user group dialing services as well as "off-net" long distance calling through SS7 and ISDN. The Cisco Managed IP Telephony solution provides the operational support tools service providers need to offer ongoing management oversight for their customer's Cisco IP Telephony deployments. From the service provider's network operations center, they can now offer support services such as configuration management, performance and capacity oversight, fault monitoring, help desk, and reporting.

"Managed IP voice services are becoming increasingly important to our customers," said Raoul Roverato, vice president of convergence solutions at Equant. "Over the last six months, we have seen an increase of over 900% in call minutes from the 60+ customers now using our Cisco-based Voice for IP VPN and IP telephony solutions. This clearly demonstrates that IP voice is taking off and that managed IP voice services are a vital part of IP VPN solutions."

Pricing and Availability

All of these voice solutions are available today. Pricing is dependent on each customer deployment approach. For more information about Cisco BLISS, VIA and Managed Voice Services, please visit www.cisco.com/go/telephony.