NEW YORK, March 10 — Cisco Systems Inc introduced its first major new routers in six years and said they can be configured to handle Internet traffic up to 12 times faster than rival products.

While analysts said the upgrade was significant and could help boost sales to phone carriers grappling with surging Web use, they said the news fell short of Cisco’s earlier promise to unveil a technology that “changes the Internet forever.”

Shares of Cisco ended the day unchanged at US.13 (RM87.27), after gaining 4 per cent the previous day, a rise that was in part in anticipation of the announcement.