Siemens Sells RPR to ChinaSiemens Sells RPR to China

MUNICH -- Siemens IC Networks is supplying its new Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) optical transmission system to China for the first time. IP packets can be transmitted more securely in optical fiber networks with this solution for the metro domain; it also allows better use to be made of existing transmission capacities than was previously possible. The first customers are the Guangdong Nuclear Power Plant in Dapeng Town (Guangdong Province) and China Netcom Corporation (CNC), one of the country's four major carriers. Delivery is scheduled for July 2003.

IC Networks is equipping the two companies' networks with its new optical transmission system based on the RPR Metro Ethernet standard. RPR allows Ethernet services to be connected within a SDH ring. RPR networks attain a very high degree of transmission security thanks to the ring-shaped arrangement of the nodes. Moreover, metro carriers can offer their customers new Ethernet services such as Virtual Private Networks and DSLAM aggregation alongside classical TDM services. The services can be made available in different quality classes (Service Level Agreements). Being assignable on an application and customer specific basis, existing bandwidth can be exploited to maximum advantage. The Siemens solution can be integrated in existing SDH networks.

"These two orders have enabled us to establish our future-proof Resilient Packet Ring technology in the Chinese transport market, where we've already occupied a lead position for a long time. The new technology will allow our customers to make more efficient use of their infrastructure for innovative IP services, reducing costs in the process and paving the way for new business opportunities," said Thomas Ganswindt, Member of the Management Board of Siemens AG and Group President of Siemens Information and Communication Networks.

For the Guangdong Nuclear Power Plant, Siemens is setting up an IP-based corporate LAN on the basis of RPR, making the Chinese utilities company independent of public carriers' services. The nation-wide network provider China Netcom will be employing RPR network technology in conjunction with a broadband solution from Siemens in its regional network in the Province of Shanxi. This will enable the carrier to make very efficient use of its existing SDH network and offer its customers a comprehensive range of IP-based applications. China Netcom will also be able to address corporate customers in Shanxi as it can expand its portfolio to include high-grade Ethernet services such as video and VoIP.

Siemens Information and Communications Networks Inc.

China Netcom Corp. Ltd.