ECI, now Part of Ribbon, Partners with TIM to Modernize and Extend High Speed LightNet Research and Education Network

Upgrade to support the Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG) Region Research and Education Community

WESTFORD, Massachusetts, Sept. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a global provider of real time communications software and network solutions to service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure sectors, today announced that it has been selected to modernize and extend the University of Trieste's LightNet Research and Education Network (REN) in partnership with TIM. Ribbon will deploy its portfolio of  E-Line and E-LAN protected services solution, part of its Neptune and Apollo product lines, to deliver enhanced connectivity to the university's students, faculty and research centers. The company was selected for its outstanding portfolio, proven track record of success, and previous experience in successfully collaborating with TIM.

"Learning environments and research centers have become increasingly digitized or digitally-led, making access to reliable, resilient, and competitive connectivity services essential," said Giorgio Giorgetti, LightNet Technical Director at The University of Trieste. "Our high capacity connections with the national REN GARR, our cross-border links with Slovenia's REN ARNES, and the use of supercomputers for AI simulation and big data analytics have increased our users' need for a high capacity, scalable and adaptable network that cost-effectively meets shifting requirements. We're pleased to be working with Ribbon and TIM for this upgrade."

The three-year, fully turnkey open project, already underway, will replace the existing legacy network infrastructure deployed in the city of Trieste and the regional extension of the network connecting universities and research centers. The solution leverages the Apollo ROADM (Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer) dynamic layer for the underlying backbone, and Neptune to deliver E-Line and E-LAN services. Ribbon's Muse network lifecycle management system will provide the end-to-end management.

"We're delighted to have been chosen to upgrade the LightNet research and education network with next generation network infrastructure technology. This is our eighth consecutive win in this unique sector with similar projects in the USA and across Europe," said Fernando Valdivielso, Ribbon's EVP of EMEA and APAC Sales. "Our high performance, future-proof networking solutions portfolio has demonstrated itself to be particularly well suited to the needs of the REN community worldwide time and again."

About The University of Trieste
The University of Trieste is a public research university in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, in northeast Italy, consisting of nearly a dozen departments serving more than 16,000 students and nearly 1,500 professors, associates and staff. For more information visit units.it/en.

About LightNet
The University of Trieste is currently the leading institution within the LightNet cooperation agreement, established in 2006 by the academic and research community of Trieste and GARR (Italy's NREN). The main goal of the LightNet association is to plan, manage and operate his own local Research and Educational Network infrastructure, implementing the most technically advanced solutions available in the field of fiber optic communications. The network connects to the GARR backbone the institutions involved in such cooperation, linking together various facilities composed by offices, laboratories, libraries, observatories, a synchrotron/free electron laser facility, a science park and many other research plants, supporting multiple applications such as Big Data transfers and analysis, e-learning, multimedia, visual and performing arts, high energy physics, materials science, radio astronomy, earth observation and supercomputing. The LightNet network is a widespread infrastructure, based on the acquisition of about 245 km of dark fiber and the use of self-operated telecommunication devices. At present, the network covers the whole territory of Trieste and is also directly connected to ARNES with two Cross Border Fibre links with Slovenia. Thanks to a 1.5M € contribution from the FVG Regional Government, an expansion of such infrastructure towards a regional extension is underway, together with the co-involvement of new institutions such as the University of Udine. The direct management of the infrastructure has always been a key factor in LightNet and allowed LightNet's institutions to experiment the flexible use of the transmission spectrum, a programmable photonic and packet layers in a disaggregated network model with open line system. For more information visit units.it/notizie/lightnet.

About TIM
TIM is one of the top Information & Communication Technology companies in Europe and the market leader in Italy. It offers its customers fixed and mobile telecommunications, internet, premium digital entertainment content – through TIMvision, TIMmusic and TIMgames – and advanced cloud-based platforms. All with flexible and customizable offers to meet the needs of families and businesses, on platforms accessible from a range of devices. 

TIM is included in the major international sustainability indexes and is committed to becoming the leading telco in the Eurozone in terms of sustainability and social responsibility. The Group includes TIM Brasil, one of the leading players on the Brazilian market; Sparkle, an international carrier and one of the top ten telecommunication service providers in the world, with a 530,000 km network extending across Europe, Africa and Asia; Olivetti, which operates in key sectors such as the Internet of Things and offering cutting-edge hardware and software. For more information, visit gruppotim.it. 

About Ribbon
Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN), which recently merged with ECI Telecom Group, delivers global communications software and network solutions to service providers, enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors. We engage deeply with our customers, helping them modernize their networks for improved competitive positioning and business outcomes in today's smart, always-on and data-hungry world. Our innovative, end-to-end solutions portfolio delivers unparalleled scale, performance, and agility, including core to edge IP solutions, UCaaS/ CPaaS cloud offers, leading-edge software security and analytics tools, as well as packet and optical networking leveraging ECI's Elastic Network technology.  To learn more about Ribbon, visit rbbn.com and for more information about our packet and optical networking portfolio, visit ecitele.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements  
The information in this release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events, including statements regarding the expected impact of the network upgrade, that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this release are forward-looking statements. The actual results of Ribbon Communications may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Ribbon Communications' business, please refer to the "Risk Factors" section of Ribbon Communications' most recent annual or quarterly report filed with the SEC and Ribbon Communications additional filings made with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements represent Ribbon Communications' views only as of the date on which such statement is made and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. While Ribbon Communications may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point, Ribbon Communications specifically disclaims any obligation to do so except as required by law.

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