Swisscom’s Carrier Optical Service and Ciena’s Optical Ethernet Platforms Certified by the Metro Ethernet Forum for Carrier Ethernet Services

Swiss market leader offering Ethernet Private Lines using Ciena’s CN 4200 FlexSelect Advanced Services Platform and CN 2300 Managed Optical Services Multiplexer

MADRID (Carrier Ethernet World Congress) – 09/28/2006

Ciena® Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEND*), the network specialist, and Swisscom today announced Carrier Ethernet certification for Swisscom’s Carrier Optical Service (COS) and Ciena’s optical Ethernet platforms - the CN 4200™ FlexSelect™ Advanced Services Platform and CN 2300™ Managed Optical Services Multiplexer - that power COS. Both the Swisscom service and Ciena platforms have been certified to deliver Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) compliant Ethernet Private Lines based on the group’s MEF9 technical specifications for Ethernet Services at the User Network Interface (UNI).

The Swiss market leader in Carrier Ethernet services, Swisscom has been connecting pharmaceutical, banking and other large enterprise customers with rigorous wide area network performance requirements with its Ethernet Private Line services for nearly two years on the Ciena platforms, in addition to offering storage extension and TDM connectivity services. Carrier Optical Service is a transparent point-to-point Layer 1 service for high to very high dedicated bandwidth connecting LAN applications throughout Switzerland. Ciena’s optical Ethernet platforms are sold to Swisscom and supported through a partnership with Ericsson.

The MEF’s Carrier Ethernet Certification Program is designed to accelerate the rollout of Carrier Ethernet services by reducing the time and cost of equipment testing and providing end users with consistent, reliable services across service providers and network equipment. Both Ciena’s platforms and Swisscom’s service were tested by Iometrix in accordance with its MEF-approved “Test Plan for Ethernet Services at the UNI.”

“We’ve seen tremendous uptake in our Carrier Optical Service from enterprises looking for flexible bandwidth options backed by strong service level agreements for mission-critical data center, business continuity and other wide area network applications,” said Thomas Aeberhard, Head of Data Services, Swisscom Fixnet Wholesale. “As customers increasingly move to Ethernet and look for services that are standards-based, this Carrier Ethernet certification will only broaden the appeal of our market leading Carrier Optical Service.”

Ciena’s CN 4200, the flagship product of its FlexSelect Architecture, is the first multiservice transport and service aggregation platform capable of supporting the migration to packet networks using future-ready technology such as ITU G.709 Optical Transport Network (OTN) for service transparency, dynamic wavelength routing featuring a hybrid ROADM solution, software-defined service ports, and remote service provisioning and management capabilities.

“As a Charter Member of the MEF, this certification reflects our early focus on developing innovative optical Ethernet platforms for delivering MEF-certified Carrier Ethernet services,” said Martin Nuss, vice president and chief technologist at Ciena. “Swisscom was the first to deploy CN 4200 and we’ve worked closely with them to ensure our optical Ethernet platforms create a flexible network capable of delivering a variety of Carrier Ethernet and storage extension services with automated provisioning and advanced service level management.”

Based on the recent MEF testing for Ethernet Private Lines, Ciena’s CN 4200 and CN 2300 have been certified for both Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) and Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps). Ciena is committed to supporting standards-based Carrier Ethernet networking through MEF certification of multiple products in its portfolio.



*Effective as of 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, September 22, 2006, Ciena completed a one-for-seven reverse split of Ciena common stock. Ciena’s common stock began trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opened on Monday, September 25, 2006. For a period of approximately 20 days, NASDAQ will append a “D” to Ciena’s stock symbol in order to inform the investment community of the reverse stock split.

ABOUT CIENA

Ciena Corporation is the network specialist, focused on expanding the possibilities for its customers’ networks while reducing their cost of ownership. The company’s systems, software and services target and cure specific network pain points so that telcos, cable operators, governments and enterprises can best exploit the new applications that are driving their businesses forward.

About The Metro Ethernet Forum

The Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) is a global industry alliance comprising of more than 80 organizations including telecommunications service providers, network equipment/software manufacturers, semiconductors vendors and testing organizations. The MEF’s mission is to accelerate the worldwide adoption of Carrier-class Ethernet networks and services. The MEF develops Carrier Ethernet technical specifications and implementation agreements to promote interoperability and deployment of Carrier Ethernet worldwide. For more information about the Forum, including a complete listing of all current MEF members, please visit the MEF web site at www.MetroEthernetForum.org.

About Swisscom

With revenue of CHF 4.8 billion for the first half of 2006 and a workforce of 16,739 full-time employees, the Swisscom Group is Switzerland’s leading telecoms company. Swisscom is present nationwide, delivering all services and products for mobile, fixed and IP-based voice and data communications.
Going forward, Swisscom aims to maintain its market leadership in its core businesses of fixed network and mobile communications, push ahead with systematic expansion in broadband communications and make further inroads on the path to the multimedia future. For more information, visit www.swisscom.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof; and Ciena’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business, which include the risk factors disclosed in its Report on Form 10-Q, which Ciena filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 31, 2006. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Ciena’s expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “should,” “will,” and “would” or similar words. Ciena assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact Information

Nicole Anderson

Press Contact

Ciena Corporation

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