TOKYO and MOSCOW, July 3 /PRNewswire/ --

TransTeleCom Company CJSC (TTK), Russia's leading telecommunications backbone operator and NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), announced on July 3 that the Hokkaido-Sakhalin Cable System (HSCS), which directly links the two companies' telecom networks via an undersea cable between Nevelsk, Sakhalin in Russia and Ishikari, Hokkaido, Japan, began commercial operation on July 3.

The two companies jointly started to construct the fiber-optic submarine cable HSCS in 2007 and the work was completed in December 2007. HSCS measures 570 km in length and has a capacity of 640 Gbps. Its startup gives NTT Com the shortest route between Japan and Europe, compared with existing cable routes through southern Asia and the United States, by connecting the cable to the TTK's extensive backbone network in Russia, which exceeds 55,000 km.

The HSCS route will enable NTT Com to provide the following high-reliability, high-quality services:

-Global Leased Line

NTT Com will provide additional offering in Arcstar Global Leased Line Service utilizing the new route and taking orders starting on July 3. It is estimated to shorten the latency within the company's backbone by 20 to 30% compared to the existing routes.

-Global IP-VPNs

The HSCS route will be added to the backbone of NTT Com's secure, scalable Arcstar Global IP-VPN Service (MPLS) beginning August 2008.

-Transit Service

The HSCS route will be added to NTT Com's global IP Tier 1 network covering Asia-Pacific Europe and North America, with connection to major ISPs worldwide, beginning on July 3.

NTT Communications Corporation

NTT Com delivers high-quality voice, data and IP services to customers around the world. The company is renowned for its diverse information and communication services, expertise in managed networks, hosting and IP networking services, and industry leadership in IPv6 transit technology. The company's extensive global infrastructure includes Arcstar(TM) private networks and a Tier 1 IP backbone (connected with major ISPs worldwide), both reaching more than 150 countries, as well as secure data centers in Asia, North America and Europe. NTT Com is the wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, one of the world's largest telecoms with listings on the Tokyo, London and New York stock exchanges. Please visit http://www.ntt.com/index-e.html .

About TransTeleCom Company

TransTeleCom Company CJSC (TTK) was founded in 1997. Its main shareholder is "Russian Railways". TTK operates and services the largest fiber network in Russia, which is more than 55,000 km long. The network is laid along the country's railways, has more than 1,000 access nodes in all regions of Russia and connects Europe and Asia. Being one of the leading telecommunication operators, the company ensures 45% of the rent of National Private Lines, occupies 46% in the segment of trunk Internet access and 34% in IP VPN market. Consolidated income of TTK group companies in 2007 made 24,1 billion rubles, and the profit amounted to 2.6 billion rubles, which exceeds the same index of 2006 by 18%.

Contact: NTT Communications Corporation Global Business Division (Ms.) Shihoko Kato or (Mr.) Go Akimoto Tel. +81-3-6800-4500 E-mail: marketing-gl@ntt.com TransTeleCom Company Ilya S. Fabrichnikov Tel. +7-495-784-6670 ext. 7371 (Available for English or Russian only)

Web site: http://www.ntt.com/index-e.html

Ms. Shihoko Kato, or Mr. Go Akimoto, +81-3-6800-4500, marketing-gl@ntt.com, both of Global Business Division of NTT Communications Corporation; or Ilya S. Fabrichnikov of TransTeleCom Company, +7-495-784-6670 ext. 7371, (English or Russian only)