Nortel Passes DoD VOIP Test

WASHINGTON -- Nortel Networks (NYSE:NT)(TSX:NT) today announced that it was the first networking vendor to pass voice over IP (Internet Protocol) interoperability testing for the U.S. Defense Department's Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) and receive the intent to certify. JITC certification testing is required for all products that support voice, data or video communications connecting to the Defense Switched Network. "Our latest voice over IP research concludes that 76 percent of IT executives rate standards compliance and interoperability as vital or very important," says Robin Gareiss, principal research officer for Nemertes Research. "Receiving the Defense Department's voice over IP intent to certify underscores Nortel Networks ability to address this compelling concern among IT professionals across all industries. Given the stringent requirements of the Defense Department for reliability, interoperability, and cost-effectiveness, its acceptance of Nortel Networks products validates that voice over IP is quickly becoming a mature, dependable technology." "Demonstrating that Nortel Networks portfolio can perform under the most trying circumstances is critical not only for our military customers, but also for enterprises requiring secure, reliable solutions that are proven to withstand operations under worst-case scenarios," said Jim Biard, vice president, Federal Business, Nortel Networks. The JITC certification process, coordinated by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), entails an arduous regimen of system and interoperability tests. JITC certification ensures that products are secure, operate without performance degradation in a multi-vendor environment, possess exacting levels of resiliency and redundancy to ensure reliability under duress, and offer the unique military features and functionality required for national security. As a combat support agency, DISA is responsible for planning, engineering, acquiring, fielding and supporting global net-centric solutions and operating the Global Information Grid to serve the needs of the president, vice president, secretary of defense, joint chiefs of staff, combatant commanders, and other Defense Department components during both war and peace. The JITC-tested voice over IP solution from Nortel Networks includes:

Nortel Networks received VoIP interoperability intent-to-certify notification from DISA on February 24, 2004. In August 2000, Nortel Networks was the first manufacturer to achieve JITC certification of any kind, and Nortel Networks offers a broad range of JITC-certified networking solutions. Achieving JITC certification strengthens Nortel Networks' leadership position in meeting the networking needs of the Defense Department. Nortel Networks Corp.