ALLEN, Texas -- Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ: FNSR), a technology leader in gigabit fiber optic solutions for high-speed data networks, today announced the shipment of its 50 millionth vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser, or VCSEL. Finisar's VCSELs, manufactured by the company's Advanced Optical Component (AOC) division, are semiconductor lasers used by some of the world's largest companies to power high-speed fiber optic data communications. The company marked this industry milestone by honoring HP -- the recipient of the 50 millionth VCSEL -- at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held today at Finisar's newly renovated optics manufacturing facility in Allen, Texas.

"Finisar's Advanced Optical Component division is the leading VCSEL supplier to the communications industry so there's no company better suited to take this technology into the new era," said Jerry Rawls, chairman of the board, president and CEO, Finisar. "While we are certainly proud of the number of VCSELs Finisar has shipped worldwide, we are perhaps most proud of the quality and reliability of the product itself. This achievement not only demonstrates Finisar's leadership position in the VCSEL market, but also serves as an example of the growing ubiquity of fiber optics in our data networks."

Explosive bandwidth demands for new applications -- including IPTV, IP Video, video over wireless networks and HDTV -- combined with the global adoption of Fibre Channel and Ethernet standards have driven VCSEL demand to record levels. Finisar VCSELs are deployed by its customers for numerous data communication applications and hold great promise for being used in consumer electronics, position-sensing and automotive applications. Finisar VCSELs deliver superior reliability, low drive current, high coupled power, narrow and circularly symmetric beam and versatile packaging options, including arrays.

"This is an extraordinary achievement for Finisar," said Edward Flynn, Director of SAN Infrastructure, StorageWorks Division, HP, who was on hand to receive the 50 millionth VCSEL from Finisar CEO, Jerry Rawls. "We continue to be impressed with the quality and performance of Finisar's optical products, which help enable us to deliver secure and reliable storage networking solutions to our customers."

Finisar Corp. (Nasdaq: FNSR)