Axians

Infinera and NK Networks & Services Partner to Bring Digital Optical Networks to Central Europe

Sunnyvale, California and Cologne, Germany, June 25, 2007 – Infinera and NK Networks & Services have entered into a marketing, sales, and support partnership to enhance the market coverage of Infinera’s Digital Optical Networks in the markets of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.  The relationship between Infinera and NK Networks combines the advantages of Infinera’s Digital Optical Networks architecture based on its photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with NK’s well-established reputation for providing quality technology, service, and support to the central European region.
 
The partnership has already scored a significant success, with the decision by EWE Tel, a leading alternative carrier based in Oldenburg, Germany, to deploy Infinera as the backbone optical provider for its German network supported by NK Networks & Services (see separate announcement). NK Networks has also supported deployment by freenet AG of Infinera’s Digital Optical Network. Freenet is one of the leading Internet service providers with a nationwide network in Germany. NK maintains at its headquarters in Cologne a multi-vendor interoperability lab for demonstrating the capabilities of the Infinera DTN, including the capacity of Infinera’s GMPLS network intelligence to automatically discover the network topology and dynamically provision end-to-end optical capacity across the network.
 
With a staff including 70 technical experts and professionals, headquarters in Cologne, and offices in all major German cities and support centers throughout the region, NK Networks & Services is known for providing leading service providers and large enterprises in the German, Austrian, and Swiss markets with next-generation technology, carrier-class network design and implementation, and highly reliable service and support. NK Networks & Services, doing business under the global brand name Axians, has customers that include major service providers, banks, and insurance companies, as well as the Munich and Frankfurt Airports, and the German national parliament in Berlin.
 
“NK Networks & Services, with its extensive network throughout central Europe, will enable Infinera to meet the needs of more customers in this region,” said Tom Schmitt, Infinera vice-president of sales for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. “NK Networks & Services’ team of designers and engineers are highly respected in the region.”
 
Based on Infinera’s own large-scale photonic integrated circuits, the Infinera DTN combines highly scalable bandwidth, integrated digital switching, and GMPLS-powered service intelligence in a single platform, and is designed to simplify operations and deliver a dramatic improvement in the speed of installation and deployment of new services.
 
“We are excited to be working with Infinera and we see very significant opportunities for their solution,” said Tonis Rüsche, President of NK Networks & Services. “Service providers here are looking for optical solutions which help them meet the growing demands for bandwidth while delivering low operating costs for carrying integrated voice, data and video traffic.”

 “The European market is an important region for Infinera,” commented Infinera CEO Jagdeep Singh. “European service providers are dealing with many of the same challenges as Infinera’s US customers, including fast-growing and highly unpredictable network traffic, as well as a need to reduce operating expenses and time to market.  We believe that the Infinera platform is ideally suited to provide European carriers with the flexibility to respond quickly and cost-effectively to demand for new circuits and new services.”   
 

For further information:

For NK Networks & Services GmbH:
Ellen Winter
Tel. +49 (2203) 1025-100
ewinter@axians.de

For Infinera Europe:
Emmanuelle Rouard
Johnson King PR
Tel: +49-89-894085-12
emmanueller@johnsonking.de

For Infinera in North America:
Jeff Ferry
Tel. +1 (650) 273-2100
jferry@infinera.com  

About Infinera
Infinera provides Digital Optical Networking systems (the DTN System) to telecommunications carriers, cable operators and other service providers worldwide. Infinera's large-scale photonic integrated circuit (PIC) incorporates 100 Gigabits per second of transmit and receive capacity and the functionality of more than 60 discrete optical components into a pair of indium phosphide chips. Infinera's DTN system and PIC technology are designed to provide optical networks that provide operating simplicity, enhanced revenue generation, faster time-to-service and capital cost savings. For more information, please visit www.infinera.com. 
 
About NK Networks & Services
Under the global brand AXIANS of VINCI Energies, NK Networks & Services focuses on designing, delivering and maintaining next-generation networking technology that helps customers extend and maintain their competitive momentum. The solution portfolio includes Optical Transmission, IP Service Infrastructure, IP Services, Network Protection, and Professional Services as well as Network Management and Application Acceleration for enterprise customers, carriers and service providers.
NK Networks & Services employs 150 people in Germany and offers a German-wide service network. Companies across a wide range of industries are clients, including banks, insurance companies, utility companies, carriers, ISTs, mobiles, transportation companies, the public sector and universities. Among others Munich and Frankfurt airports, the German parliament, EWE Tel, QSC, Freenet and Tiscali favour networks designed by AXIANS. More information under www.axians.com.