Nortel Networks Moves Enterprise Voice Solutions to Intel Architecture

Business Wire, March 9, 1999

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 1999--

Signals Acceptance, Trend of Standards-Based Products Using

Intel Architecture for the Telecommunications and

Networking Equipment Industry

Intel Corporation and Nortel Networks today announced a broadening of Nortel Network's use of Intel Architecture as the foundation for the company's extensive suite of enterprise voice solutions, shifting them to a more open set of offerings that include Intel's microprocessors.

Nortel Networks' announcement represents an important design relationship with Intel and illustrates how Intel Architecture-based solutions are increasingly being used in the telecommunications market segment for a variety of solutions such as call centers, voicemail, unified messaging and other systems. Intel Architecture provides a reliable and flexible foundation that growing, high volume businesses and industries require, along with lower entry price points and total cost of ownership expenses.

"With today's announcement we are increasing our use of Intel-based hardware," said Susan King, vice president, industry relations, Enterprise Solutions, Nortel Networks. "Intel Architecture not only provides the reliability and availability that the telecommunications industry expects but also supports a standards-based, non-proprietary platform that can enable rapid software development and application innovation."

"We are delighted with Nortel Networks decision as the telecommunications and computer industries are changing rapidly and the Internet presents the common challenge for both industries," said Sean Maloney, Intel senior vice president and director of sales and marketing. "We are committed to making the Intel Architecture a standard building block for the Internet."

According to Salomon Smith Barney, the worldwide telecommunications equipment market is expected to total $250 billion in 2000.

Nortel Networks believes this change to a more open set of Intel Architecture-based solutions will help deliver products to market more quickly, while easily responding to changing market segment needs, allowing the company to more readily pursue its vision of "Unified Networks."(1)

The migration of telephony services and applications from closed, proprietary architectures to an Intel-based architecture will continue with products that will begin debuting later this year. Nortel Networks already has telecommunications solutions based on the Intel Architecture including Symposium(1) Call Center Server, CallPilot, Symposium OPEN IVR (Interactive Voice Response), and others.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.> Nortel Networks delivers value to customers around the world through Unified Networks(1) solutions, spanning mission-critical telephony and IP-optimized networks. Customers include public and private enterprises and institutions; Internet service providers; local, long-distance, cellular and PCS communications companies; cable television carriers; and utilities. Additional information about Nortel Networks is available at www.nortelnetworks.com.

(1) Third party marks and brands are property of their respective holders.