SINGAPORE, January 24 /PRNewswire/ --

- Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) Awards Certification to SingTel

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) today announced the certification of its suite of business Ethernet services by the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF), the international standards-setting authority on Carrier Ethernet services.

SingTel's MEF Certification is the first of its kind in ASEAN, and is poised to set new standards for the delivery of carrier grade Ethernet services in the region.

Services that have been certified include SingTel's local connectivity service MetroEthernet and international connectivity services ConnectPlus E-VPN and E-line. To comply with MEF specifications, SingTel had to undergo three stages of certification. This included a detailed analysis of SingTel's Ethernet offerings, as well as more than 300 stringent lab and field tests. These tests verify compliance with key Carrier Ethernet criteria: scalability, reliability, ability to support multiple applications, robust service level agreements and global interoperability.

Mr Nan Chen, President of the MEF, said, "The inclusion of SingTel to the growing list of highly respected service providers who have obtained MEF certification, is testament to the importance and relevance of the certification program to both the service provider community and their clients."

Mr Nitin Bhat, Vice President of Consulting, Asia Pacific, Frost and Sullivan, said, "The MEF certification reaffirms SingTel's position as technology front runner among the Asian carriers. SingTel will be further able to drive enterprises to adopt Ethernet on back of a common set of requirements and standards. The certification will enable enterprises to quickly identify the optimal solution from diverse choices between best-effort and carrier-grade Ethernet services."

SingTel's MEF certification has given its customers renewed confidence in its ability to provide truly world-class Ethernet services. Ms Alice Tan, Chief Operating Officer of Commerzbank Asia Pacific, said, "SingTel's cutting-edge E-Line service is an important part of our long-term strategy for growth in the region. This certification assures us that the service is able to support our mission-critical applications with proven performance, scalability, reliability and flexibility, as it conforms to a specific set of internationally recognised standards."

Mr Bill Chang, SingTel's Executive Vice President for Business, said, "SingTel continues to lead and shape the market by being the first in ASEAN to be awarded with the MEF seal of approval. This demonstrates our unwavering commitment to providing innovative solutions of the highest quality to our customers that guarantee consistent end-to-end service between countries, regions and continents."

Note to Editor:

About SingTel MetroEthernet

This is a high-quality, dedicated Layer-2 Ethernet service that offers granular and scalable private data connections within Singapore. With island-wide coverage, SingTel MetroEthernet Service provides customers with a cost-effective way to connect sites via secure, private and dedicated network infrastructure, with the flexibility to upgrade its bandwidth without disruption.

About SingTel's ConnectPlus E-Line

SingTel's ConnectPlus Ethernet Line (E-Line) service is a highly secure and reliable international point-to-point Ethernet service deployed over SingTel's state-of-the-art global next generation SDH network. Delivered with an Ethernet interface, the ConnectPlus E-Line service simplifies global network management and facilitates seamless network upgrades, making it a highly scalable solution for all businesses.

About SingTel's ConnectPlus E-VPN

ConnectPlus E-VPN is a Layer-2 VPN based on Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) technology using Ethernet Interface as a standard access interface. Deployed over SingTel's state-of-the-art Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, it provides a scalable, reliable and secured network-based Ethernet VPN solution.

About the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF)

The MEF is a global industry alliance comprising more than 140 organizations including telecommunications service providers, network equipment/software manufacturers, semiconductors vendors and testing organizations. The MEF's mission is to accelerate the worldwide adoption of Carrier-class Ethernet networks and services. The MEF develops Carrier Ethernet technical specifications and implementation agreements to promote interoperability and deployment of Carrier Ethernet worldwide.

For more information about the Forum, including a complete listing of all current MEF members, please visit the MEF web site at http://www.MetroEthernetForum.org .

Media Contact: Dylan Tan Coporate Communications Manager Tel: +65-6838-8772 Email: dylantan@singtel.com Web site: http://www.singtel.com http://www.MetroEthernetForum.org

Dylan Tan of SingTel, +65-6838-8772, dylantan@singtel.com