Cisco (News - Alert) today unveiled what might be its most advanced next-generation networking product yet – the Cisco CRS-3 Carrier Routing System -- designed to serve as the foundation for the Internet of the future, where cloud computing and mobile video will dominate.

 

As one example of its power, Cisco said the routing system has enough power to download 'the entire printed collection of the Library of Congress in just over one second.'

“The next generation Internet is upon us and we are confident that the Cisco CRS-3 will play a crucial role as service providers like AT&T deliver an exciting, new array of video, mobile, data center and cloud services,” said Pankaj Patel (News - Alert), senior vice president and general manager, Service Provider Business, Cisco. “The Cisco CRS-3 is well positioned to carry on the tradition of the Cisco CRS-1, become the flagship router of the future and serves as the foundation for the world’s most intelligent and advanced broadband networks.”

 

The CRS-3 is armed with 12 times the traffic capacity of the nearest competing system: It’s the designed to accelerate the delivery of compelling new experiences for consumers, spur new revenue opportunities for service providers and create new ways to collaborate in the workplace.

 

In addition to allowing for unified service delivery of cloud-based services and Internet, the Cisco CRS-3 also provides “unprecedented savings” with investment protection for the nearly 5,000 Cisco CRS-1 deployed worldwide.

 

International operator AT&T, recently tested the Cisco CRS-3 in a successful completion of the world’s first field trial of 100-Gigabit backbone network technology, which took place in AT&T’s (News - Alert) live network between New Orleans and Miami. The trial advances AT&T’s development of the next generation of backbone network technology that will support the network requirements for the growing number of advanced services offered by AT&T to consumer and business customers, both fixed and mobile.

 

“We are entering the next stage of global communication and entertainment services and applications, which requires a new set of advanced Internet networking technologies,” said Keith Cambron, president and CEO, AT&T Labs. “AT&T’s network handled 40 percent more traffic in 2009 than it did in the previous year, and we continue to see this growth in 2010. Having leading edge experience in managing the largest global data network, we are pleased to continue our close working relationship with Cisco and its groundbreaking Cisco CRS-3 platform.”

 

Cisco shares rose slightly in after-hours trading, after ending the regular session nearly 4 percent higher at $26.14, according to reports.

 

Pricing starts at $90,000.

 

In yet another sign that LTE (News - Alert) will ultimately prevail over WiMAX as the new standard in wireless communications, Cisco is reportedly exiting the WiMAX access network market, which it entered when it acquired Navini (News - Alert) Networks in 2007, TMCnet reported on Monday.