Nortel delivers `Office Anywhere` mobility solutions

Nortel today announced enhancements to its mobility solutions designed to accelerate the company`s leadership in mobile communications. With new applications and solutions, Nortel makes it possible for workers to take their `Office Anywhere` through reliable, secure mobile access to business applications wherever they are.

Nortel`s Office Anywhere mobility solutions build on the strong foundation of the virtual enterprise, designed to allow dispersed employees to collaborate as effectively as though they were in the same office, regardless of physical location. The solutions further the graceful mobility evolution demonstrated by recent mobility announcements with Research In Motion and on the company`s broadened wireless local area networking (WLAN) 2300 portfolio for enterprises of all sizes.

Office Anywhere solutions are planned to deliver secure remote access, unified communications and collaborative applications across indoor and outdoor WLANs, cellular networks and wired networks to allow workers to increase their productivity whether at home, on the road, or roaming around a business campus.

Industry-leading mobile communications enabler Research In Motion (RIM) has teamed with Nortel to deliver enterprise solutions. Systems integrators including Computer Science Corporation (CSC) are using Nortel`s mobility solutions to provide new services to customers, while leading companies including arvato systems, Goldsmith Agio Helms, Salins du Midi, VeriSign, and Rusk County, Wisconsin, are already embracing Nortel`s `Office Anywhere` approach.

Nortel has been positioned in the `leader quadrant` in the Unified Communications Magic Quadrant, based on Nortel`s vision and ability to execute on the vision. Published by research and advisory firm Gartner, vendors listed in the leader quadrant are performing well today, have a clear vision of market direction and are actively building competencies to sustain their leadership position in the market.

"It`s essential for companies to provide employees with the tools necessary to measure and manage their time as well as their communications," said Steve Blood, research vice-president, Gartner. "Accessing business applications in real-time is just as important for mobile workers."

Nortel has introduced the following new platform capabilities that deliver unified communications to mobile workers, helping enterprises realise the benefits of an efficient, globally-dispersed workforce:

* Multimedia Communications Server (MCS) 5100 Release 3.5 delivers voice, call management and instant messaging to a mobile workforce. The MCS BlackBerry device soft client enables a BlackBerry device user to communicate or to respond to voice calls using instant messaging. In addition, the client enables mobile users to see the status of their instant messaging contact list.

* CallPilot* Unified Messaging Release 4.0 delivers enhanced e-mail capabilities, allowing voice messages to be embedded within e-mail, and real-time message notifications to mobile workers via their BlackBerry device or handheld.

* Nortel`s SSL VPN (Secure Socket Layer Virtual Private Network) Net Direct capability provides mobile workers full network access to internal business applications and services, including IP (Internet Protocol) telephony and multimedia, from SSL-enabled Web devices like computers, cellphones and PDAs.

Nortel`s SSL VPN also provides secure access to partners and customers without having to deploy and support traditional VPN access, requiring specific clients, devices, locations and designated networks.

Companies interested in experiencing Nortel`s "Office Anywhere" solutions can take part in the MCS 5100 Hosted Evaluation Programme, which provides a free 60-day MCS trial. The evaluation allows customers to test-drive the powerful collaboration and multimedia capabilities that enable employees to communicate via the most effective means available, regardless of where they are or how they communicate. Companies interested in participating should visit www.nortel.com/promotions/mcs_eval/index.html.

"We share Nortel`s vision of delivering the means for employees to be more productive and companies to be more competitive by enabling employees to access wireless enterprise applications that enhance personal and organisational workflow," said Mark Guibert, vice-president, Corporate Marketing, Research In Motion.

"Our relationship with Nortel is focused on enabling mobility in the enterprise and providing employees with a means of business communications that gives them freedom from their desks."

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"Nortel`s mobility solutions enable the enterprise to operate efficiently outside of physical boundaries and are designed to ensure both telecommuters and road warriors have the same level of access and mobility they would in an office environment," said Malcolm Collins, president, Enterprise Networks, Nortel. "Nortel is enhancing the human condition by continuing to drive the development of applications on business devices to facilitate the `Office Anywhere` concept. Enterprises are taking advantage of Nortel`s unique mobility solutions, which is a testament to our commitment to enabling communications anytime, anywhere."

Customers are driving increased productivity through Nortel`s mobility solutions. VeriSign operates secure, intelligent infrastructure services for the Internet and telecommunications networks and maintains the Internet directory for all .com and .net top-level domains.

The company uses the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and mobility capabilities of Nortel`s MCS 5100 to provide employees with a single phone number that works in the office, on the road and in other regions and countries, affording seamless availability.

"VeriSign is known for providing reliable, secure services with high availability," said Ken Silva, chief security officer, VeriSign. "We need to ensure that our customers are constantly able to communicate with us, no matter where their primary representative is located." Goldsmith Agio Helms, a private investment banking firm, relies on the ability of its investment bankers to communicate seamlessly with clients, prospects, and among themselves while continuously on the move.

"It isn`t practical to expect our people to be able to provide the meaningful and comprehensive level of service our clients expect if they are only able to work at their desks," said Christopher T Ferski, director, Information Technology, Goldsmith Agio Helms. "Our people travel extensively, and based on our research and selection process, we found there was no other mobile solution that met or exceeded our requirements like the Nortel solution does. Using the mobility solutions from Nortel, our clients will be able to reach our people when needed, regardless of where they might be and what other activities in which they may be engaged."

Salins du Midi, one of Europe`s major salt producing companies, recently deployed a mobility solution from Nortel to broaden remote access to its network and allow employees to communicate with high security and reliability in real-time, regardless of location. Using Nortel`s MCS 5100, the new Salins du Midi network provides highly secure and reliable access to voice, video and multimedia applications anywhere, anytime for enhanced productivity, collaboration and mobility.

Rusk County, Wisconsin, through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, is piloting Nortel`s MCS 5100 and SIP protocol structure with the goal of addressing rural telemedicine. "Rural hospitals and health services in remote areas experience difficulties in providing the same level of health care as those located in major metropolitan areas," said Shirley Van Dam, director, Home Healthcare Services, Rusk County, Wisconsin. "The focus is to demonstrate that virtual nursing, on-site instrumentation and measurements, rapid multimedia communications, timely information, human resource sharing and reliable feedback to all participants can radically improve home healthcare medical applications, even in a remote, resource-limited rural environment like ours."

Computer Sciences Corporation has teamed with Nortel to deliver Xtended Office, a secure mobility solution.

"Nortel`s vision of mobility is wide ranging and allows for people to work efficiently almost anytime and anywhere," said Steve Langford, director, Global Network Service Offerings, CSC. "At CSC we have worked in partnership with Nortel to deliver the XtendedOffice, a focused mobility solution for Enterprises, providing secure remote access for employees based upon Nortel Secure VPN products supporting IP Telephony and Unified Messaging. XtendedOffice is a part of CSC`s collaborative enterprise mobility suite and we expect to continue working with Nortel to introduce new service offerings in the areas of multimedia collaboration and fixed mobile convergence."

Nortel makes its `Office Anywhere` easy to implement with services offered by channel partners and Nortel Global Professional Services including:

* Market characterisation - Nortel and partners evaluate the added services and benefits of teleworking in the dynamic environment particular to a customer`s industry, including identifying new paths to profitability and market differentiation that teleworking may offer. * Network assessment - evaluation of network capabilities and operational resources for remote access. * Network and operations cost modelling - Nortel projects expenditures based on the company`s specific architectures and processes.

Nortel solutions help make telecommuting a seamless and affordable alternative for workers, helping to ease the world`s dependence on oil. By 2020, the world`s oil reserves are expected to be reduced by 50%. If just 175 cars are taken off the road each day, a company with 1 000 employees can save 44 000 gallons of gasoline annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 420 metric tons per year.