Cisco Networking Technology Brings In-Person Meeting Experiences to the United Nation’s 17th Conference Convention on Climate Change

Cisco Partners with Dimension Data, Neotel and Tata Communications to Provide Network Infrastructure, High-Definition Video Communication and On-line Meeting Solutions at COP17 to Help Attendees Collaborate in Real-Time and Reduce Need to Travel

DURBAN, South Africa, 30 November 2011: The Government of South Africa and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, have appointed Cisco an official networking technology partner for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol, which will be held in Durban, South Africa from 28November to 9December 2011. Cisco® Collaboration solutions including Cisco TelePresence®, Cisco Unified Communication Suite and Cisco WebEx® meeting solutions will be deployed on-site during the conference.

Through onsite technical presence at COP17, Cisco will, together with its key partners, support the UNFCCC with all network operations. Cisco will also provide for virtual collaboration and participation capabilities with the installation of three immersive Cisco TelePresence rooms on-site for use throughout the conference duration. Furthermore, Cisco immersive TelePresence will be available in the UNFCCC digital media lounge at COP17, and Cisco video solutions as well as WebEx will be utilized in side event rooms, UN executive meeting rooms, UN executive offices on-site and the bloggers’ lounge.

Connecting 119 Cisco TelePresence rooms and 36 Tata Communications Public TelePresence rooms, globally, via Tata Communications’ TelePresence network, COP17 will cater for an unparalleled set of video-based virtual collaboration at any large event to date. Neotel and Tata Communications will provide the bandwidth and connectivity to their global eco-system of Public Rooms and Cisco private rooms. They will also provide management and monitoring of this network and scheduling portal from which participants will be able schedule meeting rooms at COP 17 with meeting rooms around the globe.

Highlights / Key Facts:

• From award-winning IP communications to mobility, customer care, Web conferencing, messaging, enterprise social software, and interoperable TelePresence experiences, Cisco brings together network-based, integrated collaboration solutions based on open standards. These solutions, as well as services from Cisco and its partners, are designed to help promote business growth, innovation and productivity. They are also designed to help accelerate team performance, protect investments, and simplify the process of finding the right people and information.
• Cisco TelePresence is designed to provide a virtual in-person meeting experiences for local and remote meeting participants, so COP17 delegates and government officials will be able to update off-site stakeholders in their home countries on the negotiations on the ground, conduct press briefings with journalists in their home countries and globally; consult with experts in their individual regions or around the world, and involve interested parties who are unable to travel to COP17 in discussions.
• Cisco TelePresence facilities will deliver a live, immersive, face-to-face experience via the Tata Communications network. Cisco TelePresence technology allows users to enjoy real-time communication and to collaborate with colleagues, customers and partners even if they are in a different city. Participants sit down at the conference table in one of the Cisco or Tata Communications TelePresence rooms and connect to the other participants with a simple call. Individuals automatically appear on the screen, irrespective of where in the world they may be sitting. The setup of the rooms allows participants to feel as if they are sitting in the same room, even though some participants may be thousands of miles away.
• COP17 delegates and participants will be able book meeting slots in the Cisco TelePresence rooms in advance, on an hourly or daily basis through an interactive 24-hour online booking system.

Executive Quotes:

OJ Winge, senior vice president, TelePresence Technology Group, Cisco

“Cisco and Cisco’s customers across the globe already enjoy the carbon and cost savings that our Cisco TelePresence solution offers. We are delighted that the Government of South Africa and the COP17 organizers have chosen our solution so delegates may collaborate virtually with colleagues and stakeholders around the world. Cisco has now deployed over 1,000 Cisco TelePresence units and over 5,000 personal videoconferencing systems in our offices in almost 250 cities and 70 countries.  Our internal use of WebEx for desktop conferencing has increased about 400% from 2007 to 2011. Because of these deployments, our business-air-travel emissions have been reduced about 38% in absolute terms compared to four years ago.”

David Meads, general manager for Cisco in South Africa

 “Cisco is honored to have been chosen as the key technology partner by the South African Government for COP17, as environmental stewardship is at the core of Cisco’s business. Our products and solutions help Cisco and our customers save money by reducing energy consumption.  Cisco Connected Energy Network products, Cisco EnergyWise, Cisco Connected Workplace, Cisco TelePresence, Cisco WebEx, and our teleworking solutions address greenhouse gas emissions in the utility, building, or transportation sectors, providing significant upside for Cisco’s business and the environment. Our goal is to empower customers to manage their energy and environmental impact through technology, and innovations like Cisco TelePresence technology contribute to the ‘going green’ revolution, a global effort to save our environment for future generations.”

Links / URLs:

• The Network in Africa: http://newsroom.cisco.com/africa
• Cisco South Africa Website: http://www.cisco.com/web/ZA/index.html
• RSS Feed for Cisco: http://newsroom.cisco.com/rss-feeds
• For  details about Cisco TelePresence solutions, visit:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns669/networking_solutions_solution_segment_home.html

• For more information about Cisco’s collaboration news and activities visit the Collaboration Blog or follow us viaTwitter @CiscoCollab.
• Cisco ranked the #1 IT Company in the world based on Cisco’s responses to the Carbon Disclosure Project 2011 investor survey.  In this same survey, Cisco made the global Top 5 (all sectors) for the first time, scoring 98 out of 100.  (We were #5 overall.) https://www.cdproject.net/en-US/Pages/global500.aspx
• Cisco is currently ranked #1 in Greenpeace’s Cool IT Challenge.  Cisco was the top company in both the v3 and v4 editions of this ranking.  The ranking considers a company’s carbon performance, the quality of its GHG emissions solutions, and its advocacy for effective policies to combat climate change. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/cool-it/

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About Dimension Data

Founded in 1983, Dimension Data plc is an ICT services and solutions provider that uses its technology expertise, global service delivery capability, and entrepreneurial spirit to accelerate the business ambitions of its clients. Dimension Data is a member of the NTT Group. www.dimensiondata.com

About Neotel

Neotel is South Africa’s first converged communications network operator. It provides a range of value-added voice and data services for businesses, wholesale network operators and providers and consumers using its pure-IP Next Generation Network, powered by Neotel’s high-performance fibre optic backbone.  Neotel connects the major centres in South Africa to each other and to the world, directly linking the country into Tata Communications’ global Tier 1 network.  Neotel offers fresh thinking, a creative approach, and flexible solutions for communications in South Africa.

About Tata Communications

Tata Communications is a leading global provider of a new world of communications.  With a leadership position in emerging markets, Tata Communications leverages its advanced solutions capabilities and domain expertise across its global and pan-India network to deliver managed solutions to multi-national enterprises, service providers and Indian consumers.

The Tata Global Network includes one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks, a Tier-1 IP network, with connectivity to more than 200 countries across 400 PoPs, and nearly 1 million square feet of data center and collocation space worldwide.

Tata Communications’ depth and breadth of reach in emerging markets includes leadership in Indian enterprise data services, leadership in global international voice, and strategic investments in South Africa (Neotel), Sri Lanka (Tata Communications Lanka Limited) and Nepal (United Telecom Limited).

Tata Communications Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TCL).

www.tatacommunications.com

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO, news, filings) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com.  For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

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