Press Release

Laurel Networks Introduces New Interfaces for ST200 Service Edge Router

New T1/E1 Interfaces Add Low Speed Access to the ST200;
Now Scales from 64 Kbps to OC-48

Pittsburgh, PA - April 8, 2002 - Laurel Networks, Inc., the first provider of high-performance service edge routers, today announced the introduction of T1/E1 interfaces via channelized OC-12 ports for the ST200™ Service Edge Router. With the addition of T1/E1 interfaces, the ST200 now scales from 64 Kbps to OC-48, offering the widest range of interfaces and multi-service support available in an edge router. Announced in June 2001, the ST200 Service Edge Router is generally available and used in production networks within the U.S. and Europe.

Offered at nearly half the price per port of competing offerings, ST200 T1/E1 interfaces enable service providers to accommodate a diverse customer base with software-configurable, tiered bandwidth services. Fractional T1/E1 interfaces provide bandwidth from DS-0 to T1/E1 in 64 Kbps increments, and can expand beyond a single T1/E1 via multilink bundles (supporting up to 12 links per bundle).

"Vertical Systems Group's research shows that 41% of U.S. Frame Relay services, 99% of DSL and 58% of dedicated business Internet access occur in a bandwidth range from fractional T1 to sub DS-3," said Erin Dunne, Director of Research, Vertical Systems Group. "Products like Laurel's ST200 enable service providers to support this significant customer base today, while providing an upgrade path as their bandwidth needs grow."

"The ST200 combines interface flexibility, density and multi-service support with price leadership," said Steve Vogelsang, vice president of marketing and co-founder of Laurel Networks. "Designed specifically with the Internet class routing, multi-service support, and flexible architecture required at the multi-service edge, the ST200 enables carriers to roll out profitable new services today, while growing existing data services. This powerful combination of features is critical in today's capital constrained environment where every piece of service provider equipment must contribute to profitability now and in the future."

T1/E1 Interfaces Designed for the Multi-Service Edge

ST200 T1/E1 interfaces can be used to deliver a range of services including Frame Relay data services, Frame Relay-to-ATM interworking (FRF.8), Internet access, transit, peering and virtual private networks (VPNs), on a common platform. T1/E1 interface flexibility includes support for any of the following software-configurable interface modes on a single card: T1/E1 Frame Relay, FT1/FE1 Frame Relay, T1/E1 PPP, FT1/ FE1 PPP, multilink Frame Relay (FRF.16), and multilink PPP (RFC 1990). The ST200 supports 5,376 interfaces per device and 10,752 per telco rack, rivaling the density of platforms optimized solely for T1 aggregation.

The Flexible ST200 Interface Family

ST200 T1/E1 interfaces join existing SONET/SDH and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, offering service providers the most diverse interface and multi-service support available in an edge router.

SONET/SDH Interfaces: ST200 channelized OC-48/STM-16 and OC-12/STM-4 interfaces support any mix of DS-3, OC-3c, OC-12c or OC-48c channels simultaneously with each channel software configurable for ATM, Frame Relay, POS/PPP or TDM transport. This AnyService on AnyPort at AnySpeed capability reduces entry and maintenance costs while simplifying capacity planning.

Gigabit Ethernet Interfaces: Up to 128 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces are supported on the ST200, the highest Gigabit Ethernet density available on an edge router. Tiered bandwidth support allows service providers to increase customer bandwidth in 10 Mbps increments. ST200 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces are available in 4-port or 16-port configurations to support a range of service provider applications.

About the ST200 Service Edge Router

The ST200 is custom-designed for service edge routing, with a powerful combination of industry-leading density, high-speed routing and service-enabling features that add value to network bandwidth. Deployed at the edge of an IP/MPLS service provider backbone, the ST200 enables an infrastructure that supports high-value, scalable IP services, maximizing revenue and driving down the overall cost of bandwidth. The innovative ST200 system architecture is edge-optimized with all major routing and forwarding functions distributed throughout the system to meet the significant per-customer delivery and billing requirements of scalable edge services.

About Laurel Networks

Laurel Networks is the first provider of high-performance service edge routers designed and developed specifically for the edge of IP/MPLS networks. Laurel's flagship ST200 Service Edge Router includes the features required to deliver high-value IP services, including: high-capacity routing and switching; rich bandwidth management functionality; and high-density, multi-service ports. Laurel Networks was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit http://www.laurelnetworks.com.