Sprint Adds Ciena for XOHM Backhaul Solution

LINTHICUM, Md. - September 23, 2008

^{® Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN), the network specialist, today announced that Sprint (NYSE: S) has selected Ciena's Carrier Ethernet platforms as one of the backhaul solutions for the operator's 4G WiMAX network for XOHMTM wide area mobile broadband services.}

According to Nielsen Mobile research, the mobile Internet has become a mass medium in the U.S. with nearly 100 million subscribers and a significant subset of 40 million active users. A standards-based mobile WiMAX network, Sprint's XOHM will enable users to access a wide range of multimedia applications throughout its coverage area at speeds similar to current DSL or cable modem services. This expansion of mobile Internet users, devices and overall network traffic will drastically increase the need for more efficient backhaul networks.

"Backhaul is a key focus area for us as we build out the XOHM network," said Doug Smith, senior vice president and chief technical operations officer of Sprint's XOHM business unit. "A next-generation, Ethernet-based architecture can optimize efficiency and give us backhaul cost advantages. Ciena's Carrier Ethernet platforms offer performance, scalability and simplified traffic engineering to expedite deployment and accommodate growth demands."

After evaluating multiple routing and switching options for the XOHM backhaul network, Ciena's Carrier Ethernet platforms were selected for their consistency with XOHM's backhaul network architecture.

To simplify operations, Ciena's Ethernet Services Manager accelerates service activation and simplifies management of services, configurations, inventory and network topology.

"Our deployment in Sprint's XOHM network underscores our expertise in enabling service-driven networks with scalable capacity and cost-efficiencies using high-performance Carrier Ethernet platforms with a service-aware operating system and intelligent management - this time applied to 4G backhaul," said Mike Aquino, senior vice president of global field operations at Ciena. The deployment includes Ciena's LE-311v^TM Service Delivery Switches, CN 5305^TM Service Aggregation Switches and Ethernet Services Manager, with initial installations in the XOHM networks in Baltimore/Washington and Chicago.

Ciena's FlexSelect Architecture is well-suited to the demands of mobile backhaul, supporting 2G, 2.5G, 3G and 4G networks with a portfolio of service delivery switches, service concentration switches, service aggregation switches, mobile core transport and integrated network management. Delivering high-bandwidth, carrier-class OA&M and superior resiliency, Ciena's backhaul solutions have been selected or deployed by mobile operators, 4G providers and multiple wholesale backhaul service providers in North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

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Ciena specializes in the transition to service-driven networks. We provide flexible platforms, intelligent software and professional services to help our customers use their networks to fundamentally change the way they compete. With a growing global presence, Ciena leverages its heritage of practical innovation to deliver maximum performance and economic value in communications networks worldwide. We routinely post recent news, financial results and other important announcements and information about Ciena on our website at

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