Nortel Powers iHub

LONDON -- iHub, a UK-based telecom provider, has today launched a new way for small and medium businesses (SMBs) to start on a path to unified communications, using an IP Powered Business Solution from Nortel(1) (TSX: NT)(NYSE: NT).

iHub is now able to offer reliable, resilient, hosted services for channel partners to resell to the SMB market. iHub's SIP-based offerings mean that SMBs have access to a range of communications methods including instant messaging, multimedia conferencing and IP telephony. iHub's deployment of a Nortel technology solution enables SMBs to benefit from the minimal initial cost and complexity of iHub's hosted solution today, while putting them on the road to realising additional cost-saving benefits and productivity gains associated with a full unified communications solution in the future.

"Nortel believes in providing SMBs with the opportunity to choose the best communications solution that meets their individual needs," said Peter Newcombe, president, Carrier Networks EMEA, Nortel. "We have a highly successful range of IP-PBX offerings, but not every SMB wants to build and run its own enterprise communications system. Recognising this, we've been working with forward-thinking telcos, like iHub, to ensure that reliable, resilient hosted services are another option available in the market."

"iHub has selected Nortel's Communication Server 2000 IP multimedia switch to be at the heart of our platform," said Mike Webb, CEO, iHub. "The Communication Server 2000 ensures the delivery of a robust service for end users, ultimately providing a highly reliable and secure communications environment that can grow as the business grows."

In a related announcement, Westcon, a leading value-added distributor of convergence, security and mobility solutions, announced its partnership with iHub to launch 4SureConnections. The "white label" solution will enable Westcon resellers to provide a hosted telecommunications solution - helping increase their overall value proposition to end-users and allowing them to benefit from predictable revenues.

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