Pirelli to display fiber optic cables and advanced optical fiber

March 15, 2001

Mar. 15, 2001--Pirelli Cables and Systems will display a comprehensive line of fiber optic cables and optical fibers during OFC. Pirelli's display will focus on fiber optic cables for outside plant, premises, last-mile and FTTx connections.

Pirelli Cables and Systems will display a comprehensive line of fiber optic cables and optical fibers during the 2001 Optical Fiber Communication (OFC) Conference and Exhibit (booth 3144; March 19-21; Anaheim, Calif.; Convention Center). Pirelli's display will focus on fiber optic cables for outside plant, premises, last-mile and FTTx connections.

Pirelli's Outside Plant product line ranges from cables containing only a single fiber to high-fiber-count cables for metropolitan applications. Pirelli's introduction of its 1152-Fiber RILT (Ribbon-In-Loose-Tube) cable in 2000 marked the third time Pirelli had developed the highest fiber count cable commercially available in North America.

Pirelli's Premises fiber optic cables offer network designers, network installers, OEMs and computer manufacturers a single source for cable solutions to meet any LAN installation or campus application. At OFC 2001, Pirelli will introduce a Ribbon Distribution Cable that simplifies the transition and connection of high-fiber-count OSP (outside plant) ribbon cables from the splice vault into the customer's communications center.

The OFC display will also showcase Pirelli's role in bringing fiber the last mile -- into the building, into the home, and to the desktop.

Additionally, three types of Pirelli-manufactured fiber will be on display:

* FreeLight fiber, a non-zero dispersion shifted (NZDS) single-mode fiber used for long-haul network applications,

* WideLight fiber, also NZDS, used in metropolitan applications, and

* DeepLight fiber used in submarine applications.

Fiber optic cable continues to play a major role in the expansion of communications network capacity, with investment in global cable deployment expected to exceed $9 billion in 2001. Pirelli Cables and Systems, with its portfolio of communications and energy cable product lines, has established itself as the world's largest cable manufacturer.

About Pirelli Cables and Systems:

Pirelli Cables and Systems North America is headquartered in Columbia, S.C. It provides fiber optic cable for the communications industry and energy transmission and distribution cable for the utility and commercial building industries. For more information, visit www.pirelli.com or www.na.pirelli.com.