CeBIT, HANNOVER, Germany, March 13, 2003 - Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), today expanded the Cisco® Complete Optical Multiservice Edge and Transport (COMET) portfolio with new products and product enhancements for Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) networks. Introduced today, the Cisco ONS 15302 and ONS 15305 multiservice access platforms extend the multiservice network to the customer premises, allowing service providers to cost-effectively support data services and existing voice traffic over their SDH infrastructures. Additionally, enhancements to the Cisco ONS 15454 SDH Multiservice Provisioning Platform (MSPP) and Cisco Transport Manager element management system support extended optical reach, application diversity, and flexible multiservice.

"With the Cisco COMET portfolio, our vision is to create a service-transparent architecture that will support the evolution from SDH to multiservice, enabling service providers to seamlessly deliver profitable Ethernet services to their customers while optimizing their infrastructures," said Dave Smith , director of EMEA product marketing at Cisco Systems®. "The ONS 15302 and ONS 15305 extend our SDH multiservice portfolio to create an end-to-end transport solution and bring data services to the customer premises where service density and low cost are key requirements."

Current SDH access networks predominantly operate at STM-1 or STM-4 rates while there continues to be a large demand for traditional E1 services. Service providers can maximize the port density and multiservice flexibility of the Cisco ONS 15302 and ONS 15305 platforms to deliver Ethernet services while maintaining the existing revenue streams of traditional voice services. The ONS 15302 and ONS 15305 extend the multiservice access edge network to the customer premises, collecting data and voice traffic and allowing the delivery of revenue-generating services.

Service providers deploying a Cisco ONS 15454 in the aggregation site can terminate up to 40 ONS 15302 or ONS 15305 access rings per shelf to increase efficiency in their network and reduce capital and operational expenses. Fewer shelves and shelf interconnections, common equipment, lower power consumption and reduced space requirements contribute to service provider savings and profitability.In a related announcement, Cisco stated that Acantho, an Italian metro Ethernet service provider, has selected the Cisco ONS 15454 SDH MSPP and ONS 15302 in order to capture new market opportunities in tandem with its existing metro Ethernet switching network infrastructure. For more information read "Acantho Services Ethernet and SDH Customers Using Cisco Optical Technology" at http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/prod_031303b.html.

The Cisco ONS 15302 delivers a low-cost multiservice solution for the customer premises with support for 12 E1 ports, four 10/100BASE-T ports and STM-1 Optical Uplink. The Cisco ONS 15305 delivers a low-cost access or aggregation solution with support for 63 E1 ports, six E3 ports, eight 10/100BASE-T ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports and scalability for STM-1, STM-4 and STM-16 Optical Uplinks. Both platforms support Layer 2 data capabilities and are managed by the Cisco Transport Manager.

Enhancements to the Cisco ONS 15454 SDH MSPP include increased optical reach and application diversity with support for STM-64 with L64 and S64 interfaces and STM-64 coloured interfaces. Additionally, an eight-port STM-1e interface card and 42-port E1 interface card have been added to enhance TDM services support.

Added features for the Cisco Transport Manager element -management system include configurable user privilege profiles for greater flexibility with service provider operational procedures, continuous surveillance of the management environment and network connectivity, bulk element management designed for quick and error-free network operations, and GateWay/CORBA enhancements. Cisco Transport Manager supports the entire Cisco COMET portfolio.

Cisco COMET optical solutions can be seen at the CeBIT conference in Hannover, Germany, March 12-19, 2003 at Hall 13 Stand Number C58.

About Cisco Complete Optical Multiservice Edge and Transport (COMET) Portfolio

The Cisco COMET product line offers maximum service velocity, density, variety, and capacity, building the foundation to accelerate IP and optical networking. Cisco COMET news and information can be found at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/servpro/solutions/optical/.