Nortel Carrier VoIP Solution Receives Certificate of Conformance for Russia

JUNE 23, 2006, MOSCOW - Nortel’s [NYSE/TSX: NT] carrier-quality voice over IP (VoIP) solution, the Nortel Communication Server 2000 superclass softswitch, recently received a 3-year Certificate of Conformance (OS-1-K-005) from the Ministry for Communications and Informatisation of the Russian Federation.

The certificate confirms that the Nortel Communication Server 2000, can be used in the Russian public switched telephone network as a transit automatic switching node with packet switching capabilities and signaling subsystem. The system is a key part of Nortel’s roadmap for an evolution to next generation IMS-based services.

“We are committed to making it simpler for our customers to deploy Nortel solutions in Russia,” said Sorin Lupu, president Eastern region, Nortel EMEA. “This latest certification means that service providers can confidently deploy Nortel digital switching products in their nationwide next generation networks and provide customers with advanced voice, data and multimedia services.”

This is the third Russian Certificate of Conformance awarded to Nortel, making it easier for telecommunications carriers in the Russian Federation to deploy Nortel Next Generation Network (NGN) technology. Previously issued certificates approve the use of NGN equipment in public communications networks as transit and terminal nodes on the local telephone network and as a combined station. These certificates enable network operators to use Nortel’s NGN equipment to provide local, regional and long-distance phone services.

According to the new certificate, the Nortel Communication Server 2000 superclass softswitch meets the technical requirements for the transit trunk long-distance phoneline gateway and the specifications for the mobile networking application subsystem of a signaling subsystem OKS 7 for the national communications network of the Russian Federation. Support of MAP protocol allows long-distance operators to provide services to the mobile network operators. This is key functionality for those mobile networks operators with licenses to provide long-distance call services. The MAP application subsystem is a part of the protocol stack OKS 7 for GSM cellular phone networks. An important application of the MAP subsystem is Optimal Routing capability that enables the deployment of the Nortel CS2000 carrier class softswitch as a fully functional transit switch for GSM mobile networks.

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