Nortel Enhances Enterprise IP OSS

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Nortel Networks (NYSE:NT)(TSX:NT) has announced enterprise deployments and product enhancements designed to enable enterprises to quickly and easily roll out converged networks, centrally-manage security, and control infrastructure to enable business-critical applications like IP (Internet Protocol) telephony and video.

The new Enterprise Network and Service Management (ENSM) capabilities -- including the industry's first network management solution to provide proactive voice quality for IP telephony -- are designed to help enterprises drive reduced costs while improving critical network service performance and availability.

"Converged enterprise networks can increase employee productivity and drive business process improvements while minimizing total ownership costs," said Clive Foreman, vice president and general manager, ENSM, Nortel Networks. "Without the ability to proactively manage the network and tune the infrastructure to serve advanced applications, those cost and productivity benefits will prove elusive. The enhancements to the ENSM portfolio are designed specifically to enable deployment and management of converged networks with unprecedented fidelity."

Nortel Networks ENSM portfolio -- including Nortel Networks Optivity Policy Services and Nortel Networks Optivity Network Management System -- extends network management and control suite functionality. In addition to enabling critical network applications, the ENSM portfolio also provides a fast way to establish a comprehensive, centrally-managed security posture for the enterprise.

Southern Company, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, has deployed Nortel Networks Optivity Policy Services to maximize the effectiveness of its network for power grid control, IP telephony, and advanced customer service applications. Greater network control has allowed Southern Company to increase the performance of its existing infrastructure, deferring the need for costly upgrades while delivering sophisticated capabilities.

"Our local economy and our customers rely on us for uninterrupted power," said Tom LaCorti, principal IT architect, Southern Company. "Our power grid control and customer service applications are critical to our business. At the same time, we've got to minimize operational expenses while increasing the functionality of the network to support advanced applications like voice over IP and streaming media. Using Nortel Networks Optivity Policy Services, we've been able to do exactly that. This enables us to focus on our goals, meeting the power needs of our customers."

Manchester City Council, one of the largest metropolitan districts in the U.K., is deploying a converged network based on Nortel Networks solutions to provide enhanced voice and data communications for 450 UK locations. Using Optivity Network Management System, the Council will be able to simplify and centralize network management to promote higher network performance. The Council anticipates that the network will pay for itself by reducing operating costs.

"We need two things from a converged management solution," said Crossley Crowcroft, IT manager, Manchester City. "We need an integrated view of both the voice and data components, and we need to be able to roll out Quality of Service (QoS) across this network in a consistent, scaleable and easy-to-use fashion. The evolution of the Optivity portfolio gives us a clear migration path to converge management. We already enjoy the benefits of Nortel Networks Optivity Network Management System for its comprehensive troubleshooting capabilities, and we will also shortly be deploying Nortel Networks Optivity Policy Services to fully enable QoS on this network for IP-based voice services."

Nortel Networks Corp.