ROSEVILLE, Calif. -- Integrated communications provider SureWest Communications (Nasdaq:SURW) announced today it has deployed the Cisco ONS 15327 and Cisco ONS 15454 self-healing fiber optic rings as a transport mechanism for providing reliable voice and data services. A self-healing ring provides for automatic network backup designed for 100% redundancy, so if there is a point of failure, the service continues to function. SureWest's goal is a significant improvement in network flexibility. "Our customers demand and depend on a high degree of system reliability," said Bill DeMuth, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, SureWest Communications. "We have approximately 25 Cisco nodes for DS-3, OC-3, OC-12, and OC-48, along with 10/100 Megabit and 1 Gigabit Ethernet services, which are integral facets of our service to data and voice customers. The main benefits of the Cisco optical platform are its self-healing optical ring and ability to deliver multiple services." In self-healing SONET (Synchronous Optical NETwork) ring architecture two fiber cables are deployed in a ring. The bi-directional (data traffic can move in either direction) cables connect to separate terminals at each node. So, if a ring is severed in one place, the data reverses direction meaning there is no interruption of data or voice transmission. SureWest is utilizing the Cisco ONS 15454 at remote sites to increase bandwidth rather than deploying more fiber. In addition, the Cisco ONS 15327 has been deployed at several large customer sites to provide robust voice and data services. SureWest Communications Cisco Systems Inc.