Nortel to Provide Network Foundation for Vancouver Canucks Arena

Vancouver hockey fans will soon have more to cheer about as Nortel* [NYSE/TSX: NT] works with Canucks Sports & Entertainment** to implement a new Unified Communications solution in their home arena.

Beginning in September 2008, Nortel is launching a three-year project to outfit General Motors Place** – Canada Hockey Place for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and home of the Vancouver Canucks** – with the foundation for a complete Unified Communications solution. The solution is designed to enhance arena operations and to provide a variety of fan amenities.

“Canucks Sports & Entertainment is committed to delivering world-class entertainment and sporting events to our fans and partners throughout British Columbia,” said Chris Zimmerman, president and chief executive officer, Canucks Sports & Entertainment.

“Nortel is the official converged network equipment supplier for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games and has experience in outfitting sports arenas,” Zimmerman said. “That certainly helped us make the decision to choose Nortel as the provider for General Motors Place.”

Nortel’s Unified Communications solution will allow executive suite patrons to access instant replays along with team and player statistics. It will also allow them to order tickets, Canucks Team Store merchandise and concessions within the executive suite, reducing time spent in lines and increasing time to enjoy the action.

In the latter stages of implementation, Nortel’s Unified Communications solution will use the installed wireless infrastructure to extend instant replay and other fan amenities to mobile devices throughout General Motors Place, and to enhance arena operations with asset tracking and management and mobile security solutions.

“Like all of our recent sports arena wins, the solution we’re implementing at General Motors Place shows that Unified Communications is about entertainment and productivity,” said Joel Hackney, president, Enterprise Solutions, Nortel.

“Fans get more entertainment options, more amenities, more enjoyment and fewer hassles,” Hackney said. “And arena staff get the tools they need to be more productive - in some cases, as much as 18 percent more productive based on third-party studies.”

Nortel’s Unified Communications solution for General Motors Place will include a range of Unified Communications Services from Nortel’s Global Services portfolio as well as Nortel’s Communications Server 1000 for VoIP, Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 for data and desktop unified messaging, and Nortel wireless LAN products.

Nortel innovations help sports stadiums and arenas bring games closer to the fans by providing new, media-rich applications and services. Nortel solutions have been selected for some of North America’s best-known sports arenas and stadiums, including the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Jobing.com Arena in Phoenix, Bell Centre in Montreal, and Citi Field in Flushing, N.Y. Nortel is also the Official Converged Network Equipment Supplier for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the Official Network Infrastructure Partner for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.