Swisscom selected the Cisco ASR 9000 as its Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) edge routing platform because Cisco provided a clear technology road map to meet Swisscom's future bandwidth requirements and protect its IP NGN infrastructure investment.

Cisco also demonstrated how the Cisco ASR 9000 achieves significant reductions in network complexity to help Swisscom lower the total cost of ownership.

At the end of September 2009, Swisscom had 1.8 million broadband subscribers in Switzerland.

Launched in November 2008, the Cisco ASR 9000 is designed to deliver up to 6.4 terabits per second total capacity, a nonstop video experience and a reduced carbon footprint. The Cisco ASR 9000 also offers unique video capabilities such as an integrated in-line video monitoring (Vidmon) that uses a standard authored by Cisco.

The "zettabyte era" is approaching as global IP traffic is increasing at a combined annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46 percent, nearly doubling every two years. This will result in an annual bandwidth demand on the world's IP NGNs of more than half a zettabyte. A zettabyte is equal to 1 trillion gigabytes, 1,000 exabytes, or 250 billion DVDs. (Source: Cisco Visual Networking Index IP traffic growth forecast 2007-2012.)