XO Communications Deploys New Optical Equipment for Nationwide Network Capacity Upgrade

March 21, 2006; 01:35 PM
Today at the CompTel Spring 2006 Convention & Expo, XO Communications announced it will deploy new optical equipment across its nationwide long haul fiber optic network that will significantly expand network capacity and enable XO to offer a wider array of higher capacity data services to enterprises and service providers.

XO will deploy the Infinera DTN optical system to upgrade its 18,000-mile nationwide fiber optic long haul network which connects more than one million miles of XO’s metro fiber across the United States. The new Infinera equipment will enable XO to upgrade to the simplicity, flexibility and efficiency of digital fiber optics. Among the benefits, XO will double its network capacity, boost reliability, enhance management of its network infrastructure, and significantly accelerate the provisioning and delivery of services.

“XO’s focus on digital fiber optics will yield a quantum leap in the management and performance of our network,” said Randy Nicklas, vice president of engineering at XO Communications. “Rising market demand for high-capacity IP-based and transport services requires faster response times to deliver capacity when and where customers need it. This major initiative optimizes the value of our network investment, and empowers XO to pursue new opportunities that will drive revenue.”

With its nationwide long haul network and extensive metro fiber networks in forty markets, XO is uniquely positioned to offer data and transport services that provide door-to-door delivery of customer traffic. The capacity expansion will enhance the competitiveness of XO’s current DS1 through OC-48 inter-city data services by making these services available on a broader basis. In addition, XO will be able to offer enterprises and service providers higher speed data and transport services nationwide, including:
• Private line services at OC192 speeds
• Gigabit Ethernet, 10Gbps Ethernet, and 40Gbps Ethernet services
• 2.5 Gbps and 10 Gbps speed services

“We are very pleased to supply the Infinera DTN system to XO Communications,” said Jagdeep Singh, co-founder and CEO of Infinera. “Digital Optical Networks, based on our unique large-scale photonic integration, offers capabilities which are unique in the industry, including 100 Gigabits per second of service readiness on every line card as well as integrated reconfigurable switching and GMPLS-based network intelligence.”

XO selected Infinera as a major long haul equipment vendor because of the significant advantages offered by Infinera’s “Digital Optical Networking” technology. This technology will further enable XO to quickly and efficiently perform a variety of functions, such as adding or dropping customer traffic, monitoring performance, and activating, distributing and managing bandwidth at any location along its long haul fiber network.

About XO Communications
XO Communications (OTCBB: XOHO.OB) is a leading provider of national and local telecommunications services to businesses, large enterprises and telecommunications companies. XO offers a complete portfolio of services, including local and long distance voice, dedicated Internet access, private networking, data transport, and Web hosting services as well as bundled voice and Internet solutions. XO provides these services over an advanced, national facilities-based IP network and serves more than 70 metropolitan markets across the United States. For more information, visit www.xo.com.