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DAILY NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE GLOBAL GRID COMMUNITY / SEPTEMBER 15, 2003: VOL. 2 NO. 37

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Breaking News - Networking:

Buckeye TeleSystem To Deploy Mahi Mi7

Mahi Networks, an industry-leading supplier of Metro Core Aggregation Systems (MCAS) that maximize carrier performance, announced that Buckeye TeleSystem of Toledo, Ohio has deployed Mahi's Mi7 MCAS to aggregate and switch multiple SONET rings for its hub switching facilities. For the initial application, Buckeye has cutover existing service from several SONET facilities that serve a large local institution with more than 70 sites, and aggregate the associated rings onto the Mi7. By aggregating SONET rings at a fraction of the cost of using back- to-back Add/Drop Multiplexers (ADMs), the Mi7 MCAS deployment will allow Buckeye to re-deploy the decommissioned ADMs to other remote sites. This provides continued positive capital management by allowing Buckeye to reallocate capital that would normally be needed for the purchase of new SONET ADMs.

The Mi7's scalable architecture and IP/OSI DCC control capability gives carriers a cost-optimized solution for aggregating and remotely monitoring up to 4,096 heterogeneous, multi-vendor SONET nodes onto each Mi7 system, eliminating significant numbers of ADMs, DSX-3 bays, coaxial cabling and cable infrastructure in a central office.

"The Mi7 will immediately allow us to reduce our capital SONET costs by almost 80 percent," said Joe Jensen, president of Buckeye TeleSystem. "Additionally, there are significant operational savings by reducing the number of network elements and manual cross-connects that we have to maintain. In space savings alone, the Mi7 could collapse 16 bays of our current generation SONET ring termination solution into one bay, delivering some of the most compelling economic and operational advantages that I've seen."

The Mi7's integration of transport and packet switching will be a key building block in Buckeye's transport, business data, and cable offerings, Jensen added.

"Our mission is to be the preferred, innovative, community-leading provider of high-quality voice, data, and video services. Mahi Networks' full interoperability with our existing ADM suppliers, coupled with the Mi7's ability to eliminate layers of expensive infrastructure, will play a key role in our ability to deliver services on time, within project specifications, and always with consistent value," he said.

In addition to significant operational and capital savings, the Mahi Mi7 MCAS offered an extremely smooth transition from a labor-intensive architecture to a far more efficient one. "There have only been a few instances during my career when the installation, commissioning, and cutover of a core network element was completed so smoothly and professionally, and the installation of the Mahi Mi7 was one of these rare occasions," said Jensen. "The Buckeye team was delighted by Mahi's attention to detail in all aspects of the installation, including Mahi's inventory management, quality assurance, documentation, network design, and professional services. Their responsiveness to our needs complemented their product's technical prowess very well. They genuinely went the extra mile during this installation."

Chris Rust, president and CEO of Mahi Networks said, "We are thrilled to have Buckeye TeleSystem as a customer, and we are proud to help Buckeye deliver cost-optimized telecom and datacom services to their customers. This installation represents another important step in the transformation of carrier networks. The Mi7 marks the next architectural wave of technology innovation that delivers significant space, power, and capex savings, as well as operational efficiencies and service delivery benefits. Carriers that embrace this architecture will have a fundamental advantage over those that choose to stay with their current method of networking."

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