SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- Juniper Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: JNPR), today announced that BELNET, the Belgium national research network (http://www.belnet.be/), has deployed Juniper Networks M-series routing platforms in its GigaNet network throughout Belgium.

With this deployment BELNET has transformed its nationwide IP infrastructure from a low-speed, best-effort network to a network with gigabit speeds that supports important services such as Multicast and IPv6. Supplied by national PTT Belgacom, the Juniper Networks platforms have been deployed across Belgium in 14 points of presence (POPs), including two super POPs in Brussels. The Points of Presence in Brussels are both connected to each of the other twelve POPs with 2.5Gbps links to ensure full redundancy.

'With the Juniper Networks routing platforms we have truly transformed our network,' said Pierre Bruyere, Director at BELNET. 'The result is that the Belgium research and education community has access to a communications network equal to the most advanced research networks in the world.'

BELNET's GigaNet network is now capable of supporting advanced bandwidth-hungry applications such as streaming video, video conferencing and tele-teaching. These applications are rapidly gaining in popularity, particularly in the research and education community, where they are vital tools for every day communication. With the Juniper Networks routing platforms in place, BELNET ensures that the needs of its research and education customers are properly addressed and that this community can continue to rely on the services BELNET provides.

A further consideration in choosing Juniper Networks technology is the possibility of activating the advanced implementation of IPv6 on all the Juniper Networks routing platforms. Within the research and education community, IPv6 is seen as mandatory as many of the key technical benefits found within IPv6 specifications map directly to new challenges faced by today's Internet community. Very often it is the research and education community that comes across these challenges first as they are at the forefront of the latest innovations.

BELNET supports more than 150 R&E institutions and is connected with major international R&E networks such as Internet2, Canarie, and Abilene through a direct connection into Dante's Géant network. BELNET is also connected to BNIX, AMS-IX, SFINX and LINX, the Internet exchanges of Belgium, the Netherlands, France and the UK respectively.

Juniper Networks Inc.

Belnet