Ribbon and Cisco Demonstrate 1.2 Tbps Interoperability at OFC 2024

First reported display of interoperable multivendor ecosystem for highest commercial transmission speeds available

Plano, TX - March 19, 2024 - Ribbon Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: RBBN), a global provider of real time communications technology and IP optical networking solutions to many of the world’s largest service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure operators to modernize and protect their networks, today announced that it has achieved interoperability of 1.2T optical transmission in partnership with Cisco. The demo, which will be public at OFC 2024, shows interoperability between the Ribbon Apollo 9408 and the Cisco NCS 1014, which both incorporate Acacia’s CIM 8 140Gbaud transceiver, and conforms to the OpenROADM bookended model for transponder interoperability while uniquely extending this model for multiple vendors.

“We’re launching a new era with this demonstration and showcasing a proven interoperable multivendor ecosystem for high performance optical transmission that is a new direction from what has previously been the industry’s focus,’ said Sam Bucci, Chief Operating Officer, Ribbon. “We’re proud to collaborate with Cisco on this critical update, giving operators the confidence to access and deliver 1.2 T transmission speeds without resorting to a single closed solution.”

“This demo marks an exciting development in the high-performance coherent space.” said Kyle Hollasch, Lead Analyst for Transport Hardware at Cignal AI. “Interoperability is a rarity in optical networking, and typically relies upon lowest-common-denominator technology. Network operators will derive tremendous value from the ability to open up their networks to multiple vendors while simultaneously delivering superior performance.”

“With the growth of AI and other emerging technologies, network operators are challenged with the complexity of managing multi-vendor networks to keep up with the growing demand for faster speeds.” said Bill Gartner, SVP/GM Optical Systems and Optics from Cisco. “Together with Ribbon, we are demonstrating that now our customers can take advantage of interoperability at the transmission level before standards have been put forth, enabling them to stay on the cutting-edge without being locked into proprietary solutions.”

About Ribbon

Ribbon Communications (Nasdaq: RBBN) delivers communications software, IP and optical networking solutions to service providers, enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors globally. 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 software-centric solutions, cloud-native offers, leading-edge security and analytics tools, along with IP and optical networking solutions for 5G. We maintain a keen focus on our commitments to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters, offering an annual Sustainability Report to our stakeholders. To learn more about Ribbon, please visit rbbn.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this release, including those regarding the expected benefits from use of Ribbon Communication’s products, 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. 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 representing Ribbon Communications' views 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.