Nortel Embarks on Next Phase of Collaboration With IBM

Nortel Agile Communication Environment to Complement IBM SUT
 
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 04/01/09 -- Nortel(1) (TSX:
NT)(OTCBB: NRTLQ) is teaming with IBM to integrate the Nortel Agile
Communication Environment (ACE) with IBM Lotus Sametime Unified
Telephony (SUT) to offer enterprise customers advanced
communications-enabled business applications. The two companies have
been collaborating on strategic initiatives such as unified
communications (UC), carrier-hosted, and small-to-midsize business
solutions since 2005. This latest collaboration serves as a logical
extension of those ongoing efforts.
 
Nortel ACE is expected to be validated as a complementary option for
the telephony control component of a future release of SUT and will
be delivered primarily by IBM Global Technology Services with support
from Nortel. Customers will be able to communications-enable business
processes via a robust set of defined and/or customized applications
that drive greater accuracy, agility, and speed in day-to-day
communications with employees, partners, and customers. Nortel and
IBM also expect to align their integration efforts around a common
Sametime user experience, providing end users the value of a
consistent and familiar interface.
 
"In today's environment enterprises are seeking new ways to use
communication tools to automate, simplify and accelerate work-flow
and business processes," said Akiba Saeedi, director of unified
communication and collaboration, IBM. "Nortel and IBM are continuing
to work together using open standards and a SOA approach to deliver
leading UC solutions for our joint customers."
 
With increasing alignment around a common Sametime user experience,
and in advance of the deeper integration with SUT, Nortel ACE and
many of the associated business applications are available today as
independent solutions. ACE leverages Service Oriented Architecture
(SOA) and web service standards to openly, simply and rapidly
communication-enable and optimize the day-to-day operations of any
business. These applications can range from independent point
solutions to full integration with contact center or self service
(IVR) solutions that adapt to the customers choice in communications
path and leverage existing infrastructure investments.
 
For example, Nortel ACE can integrate Global Positioning System (GPS)
and WiFi-based location services with voice and instant messaging
(IM) functionality to optimize the tracking and delivery of critical
assets, such as expensive heart monitors in hospitals or delivery
trucks in logistics companies. Deploying applications like Nortel's
GPS logistics and WiFi asset-tracking on ACE can help enterprises
reduce operational expenses up to 10 percent.
 
Nortel ACE can also be used to integrate with healthcare portals and
other clinical support applications in hospital environments to
improve and advance the quality and safety of patient care. The
result is intelligent, real-time communications that helps ensure
that clinicians get the information they need, when they need it,
sent to the appropriate devices of choice (mobile, PC, PDA).
 
Today, Nortel ACE offers customers the following:
 
- Seamless user experience across IP phones, soft clients, TDM phones
and third-party and multi-vendor infrastructure and equipment
including video;
 
- Presence aggregation (IM, telephony, video) within IBM Sametime via
web service interfaces that provide access from any application,
whether wired or wireless; and
 
- Personalization of the communications experience with whatever
device a user chooses, according to individual preferences, for
enhanced employee satisfaction and productivity.
 
"Nortel ACE offers a solid return on investment to businesses by
helping them respond quickly to changes in their environment, lower
costs, drive productivity and expand revenue opportunities," said
Lori McLean, general manager, Nortel-IBM Alliance. "A solution
combining the strengths of Nortel ACE and SUT will amplify the value
proposition to our joint customers and highlights the continued
strength and vision of the Nortel-IBM Alliance."
 
Sametime Unified Telephony is expected to be available from IBM in
July 2009.
 
About Nortel
 
Nortel is a recognized leader in delivering communications
capabilities that make the promise of Business Made Simple a reality
for our customers. Our next-generation technologies, for both service
provider and enterprise networks, support multimedia and
business-critical applications. Nortel's technologies are designed to
help eliminate today's barriers to efficiency, speed and performance
by simplifying networks and connecting people to the information they
need, when they need it. Nortel does business in more than 150
countries around the world. For more information, visit Nortel on the
Web at www.nortel.com. For the latest Nortel news, visit
www.nortel.com/news.
 
Certain statements in this press release may contain words such as
"could", "expects", "may", "anticipates", "believes", "intends",
"estimates", "targets", "envisions", "seeks" and other similar
language and are considered forward-looking statements or information
under applicable securities legislation. These statements are based
on Nortel's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and
projections about the operating environment, economies and markets in
which Nortel operates. These statements are subject to important
assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict
and the actual outcome may be materially different from those
contemplated in forward-looking statements. For additional
information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see
Nortel's Annual Report on Form10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
and other securities filings with the SEC. Unless otherwise required
by applicable securities laws, Nortel disclaims any intention or
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
 
(1)Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel
Networks.
 
IBM, Lotus, Sametime, and Sametime Unified Telephony are trademarks
of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States,
other countries or both.
 
Use of the terms "partner" and "partnership" does not imply a legal
partnership between Nortel and any other party.
 
Contacts:
Nortel
Camille Beasley
972-684-2577
camillbe@nortel.com
 
Nortel
Greta Brown
+44 (0)1628 432968
gretab@nortel.com
www.nortel.com
 
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