Cedarcom Announces Deployment of Layer 2 Switching services over MPLS as Business-Grade Broadband Wireless Access in Lebanon

Beirut, Lebanon, June 14, 2005 - Cedarcom, SAL, a nationwide wireless data provider in Lebanon offering business class broadband wireless access (BWA) services, announced today the launch of its of Layer-2 switching services portfolio over its MPLS enabled network on a nationwide level.

Cedarcom provides wireless data connectivity and last-mile access solutions to Lebanese banks, multi-branch organizations, ISPs, ASPs, universities, and SMEs.

“Cedarcom has completed its full country wide coverage deployment”, said Mr. Ibrahim S. Ibrahim, General Manager of Cedarcom. “We are now able to deliver a one stop shop solution to all banks, SMEs, and multi-branch organizations, offering true broadband connectivity at speeds ranging from 512 Kbps to NxE1” covering all the Lebanese territory, continued Mr. Ibrahim.

The MPLS solution was provided by Cisco Systems, the pioneer vendor in MPLS. Cisco offers operators the most comprehensive suite of MPLS based solutions such as MPLS based Layer-2 and Layer-3 services, MPLS VPN, MPLS traffic engineering, advanced quality of service capabilities for bandwidth services, service flexibility, policy control, and resiliency.

“We are pleased that Cedarcom has selected Cisco to help them continue to evolve their networks, a move that shows they are on the leading edge of network provisioning in the country,” said Yasser Elkady, Cisco Systems General Manager for North Africa and Levant.

Fadi Moubarak, Cisco Levant Area Manager added that “Our MPLS solutions are easily integrated into operator infrastructures and offer tremendous interoperability that, in the end, provides operational savings and the seamless delivery of new services.”

Imad M. Tarabay, chairman and CEO of Cedarcom, said, “We have proved in the past months the delivery of our commitment: exceptional quality of service, a wide range of broadband services and applications, and scalable and rapidly deliverable solutions. We have achieved that thanks to the diligent work of our engineering and technical teams”.

Mr. Tarabay continued detailing Cedarcom’s many FIRSTS, "We are the first carrier to implement MPLS in Lebanon, the first in the Middle East to deploy broadband wireless MPLS based services, and the first to deploy WiMax based broadband MPLS Layer 2 Switching services”. The use of MPLS and Layer 2 Switching has enabled us to deliver Class of Service and dynamic switching required mainly by banks and large institutions, allowing better service performance and higher availability, contributing to Cedarcom's market leadership in wireless broadband. With Layer 2 MPLS services, we surely closed all competition doors in front of frame relay based services offered by competitors”.

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About Cedarcom

Cedarcom is the first and only Fixed Broadband Wireless Data Provider in Lebanon, providing a breadth of data communication, secure access and last mile solutions to the local industry. Cedarcom holds a wireless data networking license under decree number 10172, allowing the deployment and operation of a country-wide wireless data network with the advanced Broadband technology. Cedarcom has licensed spectrum in the 2.6 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 7.5 GHz frequency bands, and provides secure wireless access, data networking and last-mile solutions to banks, ISPs, ASPs, insurance companies, universities, multi-branch offices, etc. The company is the first wireless operator to deploy MPLS based services and MPLS VPN in the Middle East. For more information on Cedarcom, go to www.cedarcom.net 

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, this year celebrates 20 years of commitment to technology innovation, industry leadership and corporate social responsibility. Information on Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.  Cisco equipment in Europe is supplied by Cisco Systems International BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

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