Kapsch CarrierCom Awards Nortel Wireless Contract for Austrian
Railways
Deal Expands Nortel GSM-R Market Leadership, Presence Across Central
Europe
VIENNA, AUSTRIA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- April 18, 2007 -- Austrian
Railways (OBB) has selected Kapsch CarrierCom AG and Nortel(1) (TSX:
NT)(NYSE: NT) to deploy a national network that will deliver vital
uninterrupted communications for staff working on trains and
ground-based operations.
Kapsch CarrierCom will provide OBB with a new digital European
standard GSM-R system for connecting railway staff on board OBB
trains to the European railway radio system. The system will also
create a secure ground-based platform to deliver enhanced voice and
data communications within Austria and abroad. Initially, digital
radio communications will be installed on trains serving OBB's main
international routes, which cross borders to Germany and countries in
Eastern Europe.
Creating the new digital railroad radio system for OBB is a turnkey
project with Nortel as the sole GSM-R infrastructure equipment
provider. Kapsch CarrierCom is the general contractor responsible for
delivering all contractually agreed network elements and services
from network planning through to commissioning and servicing. Kapsch
CarrierCom is also working with OBB-Infrastruktur Bau AG, which is
providing a major part of the infrastructure requirement and with
other Austrian companies.
"Kapsch CarrierCom is a leader in implementing digital railroad
communications in Europe," said Thomas Schopf, director, Kapsch
CarrierCom. "By adding our decades of analogue know-how and the
latest digital knowledge to Nortel's GSM-R expertise we're able to
support OBB's communications services and help them enhance staff
efficiency and deliver passenger satisfaction."
"This win with Kapsch in Austria will expand and simplify digital
railroad communications in Central Europe," said Wim te Niet,
president, Central Region, Nortel. "GSM-R network coverage for this
key railway corridor is vital for creating a uniform cross-border
digital train radio system. Once OBB's system is up and running its
international freight and passenger trains will need only one
on-board communication system."
"This new contract underscores Nortel's continuing commitment to GSM
and we're delighted to be playing our part in establishing a new era
of wireless communications that is making European rail travel more
efficient, simpler, convenient and safe," said Gerry Collins, leader
Wireless EMEA, Nortel, "With Kapsch CarrierCom Nortel has
successfully deployed GSM-R networks in the Czech Republic and
Slovakia. Now that we've secured the major GSM-R projects in Central
Europe, Nortel intends to make tracks into neighbouring countries in
Eastern and Southern Europe."
A world leader in GSM-R technology, Nortel has to date been selected
to deploy GSM-R networks in three continents and ten countries,
including national deployments for the three largest railway
operations in Europe - RFF in France, Network Rail in Great Britain
and Deutsche Bahn in Germany. Most recently Nortel was selected by
the Algerian SNTF for the first GSM-R contract on the African
continent and by TP Ferro for the high speed Figueras-Perpignan line
connecting Spain and France.
Nortel has been a pioneer in the GSM-R standards process since 1992
and works with Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer (UIC) and the
Europe Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) on standards
improvements. Nortel supplied equipment for the initial Mobile Radio
for Railways Networks in Europe (MORANE) trial and was a major
contributor to the European Integrated Railway Radio Enhanced Network
(EIRENE) GSM-R standard.
About Kapsch CarrierCom AG
Kapsch CarrierCom AG is a Kapsch Group company that specializes in
voice and data transmission solutions for landline and mobile network
operators. Kapsch CarrierCom caters for every stage in the process -
from analysis, consulting, design, development, installation and
training to the maintenance and operation of entire networks.
About Nortel
Nortel is a recognized leader in delivering communications
capabilities that make the promise of Business Made Simple a reality
for our customers. Our next-generation technologies, for both service
provider and enterprise networks, support multimedia and
business-critical applications. Nortel's technologies are designed to
help eliminate today's barriers to efficiency, speed and performance
by simplifying networks and connecting people to the information they
need, when they need it. Nortel does business in more than 150
countries around the world. For more information, visit Nortel on the
Web at www.nortel.com. For the latest Nortel news, visit
www.nortel.com/news.
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.
(1)Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel
Networks.
Contacts:
Nortel
Sabine Werb
+49-69-66971906
Email: sabine.werb@nortel.com
Nortel
Greta Brown
+44-1628-432968
Email: gretab@nortel.com
Website: www.nortel.com
