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Mets, Nortel Team Up at Citi Field


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Breakthrough Technology Partnership Supports Operations to Enhance Fan Experience at New Mets World-Class Home Opening in 2009
FLUSHING, N.Y. – The New York Mets and Nortel [NYSE/TSX: NT], a global leader in Unified Communications, today announced a new partnership at Citi Field**, the new Mets world-class home opening in 2009. The Mets have selected Nortel to develop a robust, secure Unified Communications solution that will enable the Mets to increase the pace of their business operations and fan services.

The Nortel solution serves as the foundation for future applications that can provide access to player statistics via wireless LAN, special IPTV replay viewings, and special multimedia based communications to various areas of Citi Field. In addition, Nortel will provide applications to facilitate ticket sales, concession sales and incident response.

Nortel – as lead systems integrator, custom application developer, and sole architect of the complete Unified Communications solution – will play a significant role in the behind-the-scenes, day-to-day operations of Citi Field through a number of breakthrough technologies that will enhance the fan experience through game presentation and new ticketing technologies as well as food and beverage ordering and delivery support.

“Together with Nortel, we are advancing the state-of-the-art in ballpark design and technological innovation,” said Dave Howard, executive vice president, Business Operations, New York Mets. “More than just sharing our vision, Nortel has enhanced it, offering a solution that will seamlessly integrate technology into our business operations to help increase our productivity and service to fans.”

“This new Unified Communications solution will enable the Mets to deliver a whole new fan experience at their new home,” said Joel Hackney, president, Enterprise Solutions, Nortel. “Because the Mets will be able to reach the right person at the right time via the right device, ballpark and corporate staff will be more efficient and effective. This speaks to the power of Unified Communications: the ability to determine if a person is available and the best way to reach them instantly, increasing the tempo of business operations and enabling a much more nimble enterprise.”

In addition to providing a platform for fan-friendly amenities at Citi Field, Nortel’s Unified Communications solution will extend to the Mets’ minor league affiliates at Tradition Field (Port St. Lucie, Fla., home of Mets Spring Training and the St. Lucie Mets), and KeySpan Park (Coney Island, N.Y., home of the Brooklyn Cyclones) as well as its new Dominican Baseball Academy (Boca Chica, D.R.).

The Mets’ solution will be based on secure, energy-efficient Nortel voice and data communications products that consume up to 40 percent less energy while costing less than half to own and operate compared to the leading competitor, according to independent testing by The Tolly Group and Info Tech.

Nortel’s unified communications solution for Citi Field will include Nortel Communications Server 1000 for VoIP services; Ethernet Routing Switches from Nortel’s Data Networking portfolio; Nortel wireless LAN products; Nortel’s Contact Center solution and a range of Unified Communications Services from Nortel’s Global Services portfolio, including network management and threat protection. In addition to advanced communications capabilities, Citi Field network design will incorporate Nortel’s approach to Layered Security, enabling them to conduct business operations in a secure, reliable manner.

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 General Motors Place in Vancouver. 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.

The Mets partnership with Nortel at Citi Field is the latest in a series of significant announcements since the Mets’ November 2006 landmark strategic partnership with Citi. The Mets last month announced a breakthrough partnership with Union Square Hospitality Group** to provide best in class food, beverage, and hospitality at Citi Field. The Mets in March announced their first Signature Partnership at Citi Field with Anheuser-Busch**. The Mets, in conjunction with their construction partners Hunt-Bovis and HOK, in 2006 began construction of the 42,000-seat Citi Field in the outfield parking lot between Shea Stadium and 126th Street.
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.

*Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel Networks.
**This is a 3rd party link as described in our Web linking practices.



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