Nortel Networks launches solution to energize optical networks with IP Intelligence

Nortel Networks today launched a groundbreaking solution for delivering Internet Protocol (IP) services over fiber optics, enabling comprehensive network outsourcing for Fortune 1,000 companies and faster, more cost-effective service provisioning than ever before for service providers and carriers.

With the introduction of the IP/Optical Services platform, Nortel Networks is the first Internet solutions provider to address market demand for unlimited bandwidth and cost-effective delivery of eBusiness services with a single solution. The worldwide market for business-class ASP (Application Services Provider) outsourcing in metropolitan areas is expected to grow to US$20 billion in 2003, according to Current Analysis, a leading industry research firm.

"Nortel Networks` strategy brings network-based IP services to an entirely new level in terms of speed of delivery and service versatility to customers," said Mark Ansboury, chief technical officer, ClearData Communications. "The IP/Optical Services platform enables faster delivery of applications and services at lower cost."

"We have first-mover advantage in the race to deliver an integrated IP services and optical solution," said Don Smith, president, Optical Internet, Nortel Networks. "The IP/Optical Services platform is another key enabling capability for localizing the Internet, placing IP services and processing power where they belong - at the edge of the network."

IP services are traditionally delivered to large businesses through network connections requiring equipment to be housed at customer locations. The IP/Optical Services platform delivers IP services to large businesses on optical networks, eliminating the need for extensive customer premises equipment for services such as firewalls, IP VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and content management and distribution.

"This reflects our goal of bringing the speed, reliability, quality and profitability of the high-performance Internet to businesses and neighborhoods," Smith said.

Nortel Networks` vision of the Local Internet combines its industry-leading Optical Internet, Wireless Internet and Internet enabling capabilities (spanning content management and IP services, through IP routing and switching, Internet Telephony and high-speed access solutions). This combination will ignite a new generation of Internet services - from Internet data and storage centers through `bandwidth exchanges` and Application Service Providers (ASPs).

"Next generation network providers must deploy future-proof solutions for flexible service offerings that provide bandwidth-on-demand based on business customer requirements and e-Sourcing delivery of applications or services at real-time levels," said Ron Westfall, senior analyst for Broadband Access with Current Analysis.

"With the introduction of the IP/Optical Services platform, Nortel Networks is the first to deliver on the promise of IP intelligence over optical networks - tapping into the underserved metropolitan network market for ASP business-class outsourcing that continues its rapid growth to [US]$20 billion in 2003," Westfall said.

The IP/Optical Services platform consists of the Nortel Networks OPTera fiber optic transport portfolio and the Nortel Networks Shasta 5000 Broadband Service Node (BSN). Initially, the IP/Optical Services platform uses the OPTera Packet Edge System for end-to-end Ethernet technology on both the OPTera Metro Multiservice Platform and the Shasta 5000 BSN. The IP/Optical Services platform can be managed via Nortel Networks Preside services and network management.

Nortel Networks will demonstrate the IP/Optical Services platform at the National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (NFOEC) August 28-30 in Denver. Customer trials are scheduled to begin this quarter, with first customer shipments expected later in the year.