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Pirelli Launches World-Proven Sirocco(R) Blown Fiber System for Fiber Optic Network Applications in North American Market

Posted on: Tuesday, 23 March 2004, 06:00 CST

LEXINGTON, S.C., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Pirelli Cables and Systems North America announced today that Pirelli's world-proven Sirocco(R) Blown Fiber System, which uses technology licensed from British Telecommunications plc (BT) - the originators of blown-fiber technology - is now available in North America to offer network owners and operators a cost-effective, flexible and easily expanded solution for fiber optic networks.

Pirelli's Sirocco(R) system is ideally suited to enterprise networks, local access and fiber to the premises (FTTP) applications, where reduced initial expenditure, rapid return on investment and the ability to deploy capacity on demand are essential. The Sirocco(R) Blown Fiber System enables optical fibers to be deployed on demand from one point of a network to another (internal or external), using compressed air to blow fiber units into pre- installed tubes.

"Pirelli's Sirocco(R) system has been proven around the world in a range of environmental conditions, in an assortment of applications and for a wide variety of customers," Kevin E. Riddett, president and chief executive officer of Pirelli, North America, Inc., said. "As technology budgets have tightened, return on investment and total lifecycle costs of a network have become primary concerns. Pirelli's Sirocco(R) system has inherent advantages in these areas."

"The Sirocco(R) system improves a customer's flexibility to defer investment in a fiber optic network until the capacity is needed, and the cost of adding to, changing or expanding a network is significantly reduced compared with traditional fiber installations. As new fiber types emerge, customers can quickly and easily upgrade their fiber infrastructure, which means they won't be stranded with obsolete technology," he added.

Pirelli's Sirocco(R) system consists of Enhanced Performance Fiber Units (EPFU) in a range of fiber counts; tube cables of varying number and size for both outdoor and indoor use; installation equipment such as compressors and regulators; and accessories such as tube connectors, tube distribution units and splicing joints.

Customers install a tube cable and make connections of individual tubes to create pathways. Fiber units, available in single-mode and multimode and in various fiber counts, are then blown in as needed. If the type of fiber or the quantity of fiber needed at a particular location subsequently changes, the fiber unit can be removed and a new unit blown in. The removed fiber unit can be reused elsewhere. New pathways can be added to extend the network using simple push fit connectors, reducing the cost of network expansion. If additional capacity is needed later, fiber units can be blown in when and where needed at a much lower cost than installing a new fiber cable.

Brian DiLascia, vice president and general manager of Pirelli Communications Cables and Systems North America, explained, "Sirocco's many advantages such as reduced lifecycle cost, shortened ROI timelines and improved network flexibility make Sirocco a logical choice for both enterprise and service provider networks." Primary applications for the Sirocco(R) system in North America include structured cable and enterprise networks, local access and wide area networks, as well as FTTP connections.

Pirelli holds a worldwide patent license from BT Exact, the research, technology and IT operations business of BT, one of Europe's leading providers of telecommunications services, which enables it to manufacture and sell the Sirocco system using BT's patented blown fiber products, processes and technology. The BT license extends to Pirelli's customers, which means they too can purchase and install the Sirocco system without the need to obtain a separate license or pay separate royalties to BT for their use of Sirocco products and systems.

Pirelli produces more blown fiber units than any other manufacturer. Its Sirocco(R) system has been proven in WAN and LAN applications in regions as varied as the U.K., Malaysia, Bulgaria, South Africa, New Zealand and Sweden, in fiber-to-the-home applications in Sweden and Finland and in campus premises applications in the UK and Bulgaria. In addition, Pirelli UK supplies 100 percent of the blown fiber unit requirements for BT's UK internal and external networks.

The Sirocco(R) system compliments the portfolio of cable products offered by Pirelli in North America. Pirelli's fiber optic cable products include outside plant cables designed for both long-haul backbone networks and metropolitan rings, premises cables to meet virtually any LAN installation or campus application need and last-mile solutions that include integrated optical networking equipment and cable for central office, multiple access and single-point applications.

About BT Exact

BT Exact is BT's research, technology and IT operations business. It specializes in telecommunications engineering, leading-edge network design, IT system and application development and has extensive expertise in business consulting and human factors. Its knowledge helps its customers across BT Group and in selected other businesses gain maximum advantage from their investments in communications networks and IT systems, develop new capabilities and open new opportunities.

BT Exact brings together the technological expertise of BT's research laboratories and the operational experience of the teams that design and operate BT's IT systems. Backed by a team of over 6,000 technologists, it is active and influential in setting global standards.

BT Exact builds on the insights and expertise developed by its research to address the demands of the next-generation internet, as well as advanced data services, information and network security, and software systems to support communications networks worldwide.

BT Exact has people based worldwide - including locations across the UK and in Asia, continental Europe, and North America. For more information about BT Exact, please go to bt.com/btexact .

About Pirelli

Pirelli is a global producer of Tires, Energy and Telecommunication Cables and Systems. With more than 33,000 employees, 77 production sites, and total sales of 6.679 billion Euros at 31st December 2003, Pirelli is one of the world's leading companies in all these industrial sectors. It focuses its R&D, production resources and competencies on leading-edge technologies, as demonstrated by the advanced Pirelli Labs in the photonics and new materials fields and by MIRS - Modular Integrated Robotized System for tire production. In particular, Pirelli is today one of the most technologically advanced companies in designing and manufacturing premium optical fibers: Pirelli has developed a complete portfolio of optical fiber types, ranging from Multimode G651 fibers for premises cables to G655 NZD fibers for high bit rate, long haul applications, and the latest generation of G652 fibers with the tightest specification available on the world market today.

Pirelli Cables and Systems North America

CONTACT: Lee Bussell of CNSG, +1-803-254-8158, or lee.bussell@cnsg.com

Web site: http://bt.com/btexact

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