Ciena colleagues and friends,
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all of us in some way. First and foremost, as with every company, Ciena is taking extensive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees and our extended family of customers and partners around the world. We have activated our Business Continuity Plans to ensure that we continue to operate with minimal disruption. The vast majority of our employees are working remotely, not traveling and are practicing appropriate social distancing and hygiene recommendations. And, we have shifted our engagement strategies to digital platforms and virtual collaboration tools so we can remain in touch with one another and our customers.
At a higher level, as an industry, we are stewards of the immense networks that connect and bind us together. In a world where social distancing is now the norm, it is the network that keeps us connected to loved ones, friends, colleagues and important services. The network and its ability to connect people has a tremendous role to play in helping the world navigate and overcome the challenge of this coronavirus global pandemic.
Ciena is dedicated to making our contribution in these difficult times. As a key enabler of innovations that drive network connectivity, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to ensure that network operators can deliver critical next-generation connectivity at all times, especially during this crisis. Our customers are reporting rapid growth in bandwidth demand resulting from the dramatic shift in how we are living today. These demands stem from the exponential rise in remote working to maintain the flow of business and commerce; to distance education so our children continue to learn and develop; and e-gaming and streaming entertainment for the reprieve we all need. Importantly, our technology is essential to enabling the healthcare community – from first responders to hospitals and telemedicine to medical research – to treat patients and work to contain the spread of COVID-19; as well as for governments to coordinate efforts and communicate instruction to citizens.
We are on this journey together, and I am honored that Ciena plays a critical role in serving the world’s connectivity needs. We have the industry’s leading innovation, the global scale and reach, and the financial and operational strength to deliver on this promise now and as this situation continues to evolve. We remain focused on delivering networks that can successfully adapt to ever-changing demands so that people and companies can maintain their connections.
Stay safe and healthy.
Gary B. Smith
President & CEO
Ciena
