MCI WorldCom Expands Internet Capacity In Europe With MPLS Technology

FAIRFAX, VA, July 21, 1999 - MCI WorldCom (NASD: WCOM) today announced a major upgrade of its UUNET network in Europe, based on deployment of MPLS, or Multi-Protocol Label Switching, technology. Network upgrades to STM-16, the equivalent of OC-48c speeds in the U.S., will increase bandwidth and capacity to 16 times over current levels between key European cities in the third quarter of this year, with expansion plans for links connecting additional cities in the fourth quarter. MPLS incorporates sophisticated traffic engineering capabilities in a single integrated platform, while increasing efficiency and performance of IP networks. The upgrade will enable the UUNET network in Europe to carry more commercial traffic at higher Internet Protocol (IP) transmission speeds. It will also give business customers access to faster applications and connectivity options in Europe.

"Demand for higher speed and higher capacity Internet technologies has skyrocketed throughout the world in the last year," said Mark Spagnolo, president and CEO of UUNET. "This announcement demonstrates our global commitment to deploy the technologies that will significantly impact the evolution of the Internet and meet the growing needs of our customers throughout the world."

MPLS Technology
As the company upgrades its European network to STM-16, or 2.4 gigabits of data per second, it will also begin deployment of MPLS technology in the core of the network. MPLS is the industry's newest technology that addresses the issue of performance optimization of operational networks, allowing UUNET to deliver the highest quality of service to its customers, while enabling the network to scale to accommodate the increasing demand for Internet bandwidth.

MPLS will also support an easy migration path to optical internetworking as UUNET evolves its network to 10 gigabits per second (OC-192c, or STM-64) speeds and higher. With the traffic engineering capabilities of MPLS, traffic can be routed through the network in the most efficient and reliable manner possible.

MPLS will be an additional technology that UUNET will introduce into its IP infrastructure to continue to improve service quality and network scalability. Other technologies such as frame relay and ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) will continue to have vital roles and applications within the network.

Network Expansion Plans
MCI WorldCom is currently upgrading the UUNET Internet network in its main connection points in Europe, including eight circuits in London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. The upgrades in these cities will be complete by the end of September 1999. Additional expansion of STM-16 and MPLS technology will be deployed in Paris and Brussels in the fourth quarter. The UUNET network in Europe leverages the strengths of MCI WorldCom's local, national and inter-country fiber infrastructure. Also in the fourth quarter, the trans-Atlantic Internet bandwidth will be upgraded to the STM-16 level, utilizing MCI WorldCom's Gemini fiber systems.