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Italtel et Cisco annoncent une alliance stratégique visant le marché des fournisseurs de services en , au Moyen Orient et en Afrique Ces entreprises vont développer conjointement des activités de vente et de marketing pour répondre aux opportunités commerciales du marché des réseaux de nouvelle génération et des services de voix.

Issy les Moulineaux, le 03 décembre 2004 – , Inc. et Italtel, leader des solutions réseau pour la voix, les données et l’intégration vidéo annoncent un renforcement de leur alliance technologique et commerciale amorcée il y a déjà 4 ans.

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As part of the alliance, the companies will focus joint development, sales and marketing activities on addressing the migration of traditional voice networks to next generation Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks, and the development of innovative broadband applications for residential users. At the same time, Italtel and Cisco will drive growth of IP Communications into the corporate business voice services segment across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Growth in these respective markets has been demonstrated by current forecasts from industry analysts. According to Synergy Research Group forecasts, the EMEA Carrier Packet Voice market will show a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 52.75% for 2004 to 2008*. For the EMEA Enterprise IP Telephony market, Synergy has forecast a CAGR of 40.4% for 2004 to 2008, creating an EMEA market value of $3.5 billion in 2008**. The next generation VoIP networks built upon Italtel and Cisco technology deliver over 370 Billion VoIP minutes per year. To date, Cisco has installed more than 14 Million VoIP gateway ports and 4 million IP Phones, replacing 6000 TDM phones every day. Today’s market is undergoing a transformation – many service providers are planning the migration of their existing voice infrastructures to IP-based networks, and customers are increasingly demanding IP-based communications solutions replacing traditional PABX. To address such needs, Italtel and Cisco have developed a complete architecture for hosted and managed IP voice services with a standards-compliant next generation network platform. This gives service providers the ability to optimise costs and get their offerings to market faster by taking advantage of their existing voice over IP infrastructure. Reinforcement of the Italtel/Cisco strategic alliance strategy has been positively received by Cable & Wireless who have recently chosen Italtel and Cisco’s Next Generation Communications solutions. Francesco Caio, Chief Executive Officer of Cable & Wireless commented: “Cable and Wireless has recently launched its broadband initiative in the UK. The company is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the opportunities of the Local Loop Unbundling in the country given the reach of its national network, the second largest in the UK. We are now offering an innovative set of services that combine fast internet access and high quality voice over the same line. As part of our investment in networks and systems, we chose to rely on Italtel's softswitch technology, due to its quality and reliability, as demonstrated by the growing number of implementations in very demanding and innovative networks.” Cisco and Italtel will work together to expand the EMEA market, through joint solutions based on Italtel iMSS (Italtel Multi-Service Solutions) and on Cisco IP Communications platforms. The Italtel Multi-Service Solution, based around the Italtel Softswitch, can deliver IP voice services for the business market, innovative broadband applications for residential users and the migration of service providers’ traditional TDM networks to next generation networks with IP technology. “Together with Cisco – commented Chief Executive Officer of Italtel, Mauro Righetti – we have achieved important results in these last few years. We have confirmed our presence among the main Italian operators and acquired several new customers abroad. Our solutions in softswitch technology and those of Cisco in IP Communications and data networking are the best in their class, and our joint offer is undoubtedly one of the most competitive currently present on the market. We have decided to strengthen our alliance in order to render our synergy in the development of innovative solutions for our customers increasingly effective, and increase our possibilities for success in the next generation networks market, which is opening up very quickly”. “Through our closer alliance with Italtel, we have strengthened our value proposition to service providers who are staking their long-term future on IP technology,” said Robert Lloyd, president of EMEA operations, Cisco Systems, Inc. “It is important that we offer customers a clear and cost-effective strategy for migration to next generation networks. Together, we have proven our solutions with telecommunications operators in and in some countries in Western Europe and now, we are looking forward to extending our offering into more than 100 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa.” About Italtel Italtel designs, develops and installs new-generation integrated multi-service networks (voice/data/video) ensuring fixed and mobile operators and ISPs reliable and open to networking and technological developments infrastructures, thanks to its systems integration capability. In the last ten years Italtel has invested a significant part of its revenues in innovation. Revenues for 2003 totaled 591.8 million euro. Since 2000, Italtel main shareholders are Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Telecom Italia and Cisco Systems. Website: www.italtel.com

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Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any of its resellers.

Italtel, Italtel logo and iMSS are registered trademarks of Italtel S.p.A.

Notes to editors: * Synergy Research Group forecasted EMEA Carrier Packet Voice revenue to grow 43.0% in 2004 to $173 million. Their long term forecast predicts a CAGR of 52.75% (2004 to 2008). The introduction of Voice over Packet in Service Provider networks has drastically impacted the traditional Class 5 and Class 4 TDM Phone Equipment market as well as creates an opportunity for non traditional service providers to provide local and long distance calling. (Source: Q1 2004 Carrier Packet Voice EMEA Forecasts, Quarterly Update published 18 July 2004, Synergy Research Group, Inc.) ** Synergy Research Group’s Enterprise IP Telephony forecast is primarily built upon the displacement of Tradition TDM equipment. In EMEA, Synergy has measured current rate of penetration at 21.9%, modelled the forecast to reach a penetration of 30.0% in 2004 and to further reach a penetration rate of 83.0% in 2008. Also taking into account forecasted EMEA GDPs and a stable and/or growing rate of IT capital investment as component of GDPs, SRG is forecasting the EMEA Enterprise IP Telephony forecast to be robust with a CAGR of 40.4% (2004 to 2008) creating an EMEA market value of $3.5 Billion in 2008. (Source: Q1 2004 Enterprise Voice EMEA Forecast, Quarterly Update published 6 June 2004, Synergy Research Group, Inc.)

À propos de Cisco Systems Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ : CSCO), premier fournisseur mondial de solutions réseaux pour Internet, célèbre cette année 20 ans d'innovation technologique, de position de leader sur son marché et d'engagement citoyen. Toutes les informations relatives à Cisco sont disponibles à l’adresse http://www.cisco.com. Copyright © 2003 Cisco Systems, Inc. Tous droits réservés. Cisco, Cisco Systems, le logo Cisco System, Aironet, Catalyst et Cisco Unity sont des marques déposées ou des marques commerciales de Cisco Systems, Inc aux Etats-Unis et dans d’autres pays. Tous les autres noms, marques ou marques commerciales cités dans ce document ou sur le site web de cisco appartiennent à leurs propriétaires respectifs. L’emploi du mot « partenaire » n’implique pas l’existence d’une relation de partenariat entre Cisco et une autre société. (0303R)