LONDON, ENGLAND -- Interoute, the company behind one of Europe's largest and fastest fibre-optic networks, and Cisco Systems today announced that Interoute has selected Cisco's next generation Internet Routers and switches to deploy MPLS (multi-protocol label switching) technology at the core of Interoute's pan-European IP network. Cisco 12400 Internet Routers interconnected at both the edge and the core of the network will provide a capability of up to 10Gbps per link across Interoute's wholly-owned DWDM infrastructure. Leveraging Cisco's extensive experience with MPLS networks, Interoute believes Cisco IOS® MPLS will help enable it to deliver unmatched flexibility to its customers in terms of pricing and service provisioning. Customers can specify a Frame Relay, ATM or Ethernet interface for site-to-site communication, or a fully managed end-to-end IP service with guaranteed Quality of Service. "We selected Cisco's Internet Routers to deploy a robust MPLS implementation, which fits with our vision of creating the most advanced network in Europe. This, combined with our legacy-free, native-IP infrastructure, will certainly put us well ahead in the marketplace," said Alan Lowe, CEO of Interoute. "Deploying MPLS on Cisco routers will help us to deliver traditional Frame Relay and ATM services as well as IP VPNs over a single infrastructure. This approach is a clear differentiator, as it means we can cater to customer requirements for traditional services and migrate them seamlessly at a later time to a fully managed IP-based solution when they are ready." Using a combination of Cisco 12416 Internet Routers in the IP core with Cisco 12410 Internet Routers and Catalyst® 6500 range of Ethernet Switches at the edge, Interoute is building a flexible and versatile MPLS-enabled IP infrastructure that facilitates the delivery of VPNs, Internet access, content management services and applications hosting. With its MPLS VPN service, Interoute will offer customers cost savings through usage-based billing and true any-to-any connectivity for their VPN sites where costs do not escalate as each new site is provisioned. Cisco's 10Gbps-per-slot 12400 Internet Routers also help enable Interoute to dynamically grow its network without the need to forklift out major network elements, whilst at the same time keeping capital costs under control, thereby also minimising Interoute's capital and operating costs. "Interoute's commitment to next generation IP services will help deliver true flexibility and cost savings for its customers," said Steve Priestley, VP, network service provider, for Cisco Systems in EMEA. "With the deployment of Cisco IOS MPLS, Interoute can now offer its customers secure, scalable and reliable access to corporate intranets at any time and from anywhere."