TORONTO -- MTS Allstream, one of Canada's leading national communications solutions providers, is addressing rapid bandwidth growth in their enterprise and consumer IP services - including Ethernet and MPLS - across Canada with a Nortel optical solution. The solution, which includes Internet services as well, is being deployed as a key element in the expansion of MTS Allstream's national IP converged core network.

"Nortel's Optical Multiservice Edge platform provides us with a reliable and flexible solution to meet the growing demand for carrier-grade, high-bandwidth IP services in our Metro, Regional and National networks across Canada," said Paul Frizado, Chief Technology Officer, MTS Allstream Inc. "We are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with Nortel, as they continue to enable us to expand and enhance our world-class converged network platform for the delivery of our innovative, next generation services."

The expansion of MTS Allstream's leading edge national converged IP backbone network, utilizing Nortel's Multiservice Edge 6500 DWDM optical solution, will also further the Company's efforts to converge all existing and future data services over a single network. The Nortel Optical Multiservice Edge 6500 will also enable MTS Allstream to aggregate multiple services and facilities in its Metro and Regional transport networks seamlessly over a common platform.

"The explosion of IP and multimedia services is changing the dynamic of networks," said Philippe Morin, president, Metro Ethernet Networks, Nortel. "Nortel's Metro Ethernet solutions enable service providers like MTS Allstream to address this bandwidth explosion and also evolve to a converged network that can more cost-effectively transport carrier-grade IP services."

The Nortel Metro Ethernet Networks portfolio, which includes multiservice optical and carrier Ethernet solutions, enables service providers to address the growth of high-bandwidth video and data applications in their Metro, Regional, and long haul networks. Nortel's Global Services include a full range of integrated services for design, deployment, management and maintenance of end-to-end multi-vendor network solutions, including seamless migration to next generation technologies.

Nortel Networks Ltd.