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Equant named global customer partner by Nortel Networks

Announcement posted by Equant 24 Sep 2003

Selection underscores Equant's strong track record leveraging Nortel Networks products and its unique product supply and support capabilities
Equant (NYSE: ENT) (Euronext Paris: EQU), a recognised industry leader in global data and IP services for multinational businesses, has been named a Global Customer Partner (GCP) by Nortel Networks*.
As a Global Customer Partner, Equant will be recommended by Nortel Networks to its top enterprise customers as a single source to meet their entire communications needs. The Nortel Networks Global Customer Partner Initiative (GCPI) is intended to help its major clients reduce their vendor management costs and increase consistency and accountability of their fulfilment and maintenance capabilities by streamlining the number of partners with which they need to work. Each GCP is selected on its pan-regional capabilities, experience with the Nortel Networks enterprise portfolio, overall training and skills, and technical support across both voice and data products. Equant is the only telecommunications service provider chosen as a GCP and is the only partner chosen for three Nortel Networks sales regions: Europe, Middle East and Africa; Caribbean and Latin America; and Asia-Pacific. "As part of our 'One network. A world of choice.' enterprise vision, we are looking at the best ways to serve our customers," said Malcolm Collins, president, Enterprise, Nortel Networks. "Equant's exceptional product supply and support capabilities enable it to act as a single point of contact for our customers across entire regions. Equant was selected as a 'Global Customer Partner' because of its strong track record leveraging Nortel Networks products and its unique global capabilities."
Equant has unmatched coverage with a seamless network that connects major business centres in more than 220 countries and territories, with local support in more than 30 languages in 165-plus countries. No other company has so many high-skilled field engineers in so many countries to respond to mission-critical customer needs. Equant's dedicated staff of more than 10,000 employees are the foundation for its leadership in cutting-edge data and IP technologies, including IP VPNs, converged voice, and integration and managed services. Among these employees are 1,500-plus network and telephony engineers specialised in Nortel Networks or other leading vendor platforms. Equant has more than 300 Logistics Centres and Strategic Stock Locations (SSLs) worldwide.
"We are delighted to expand our relationship with Nortel Networks and look forward to the opportunity to work even more closely with their top accounts," said Howard Ford, president of Sales and Marketing of Equant. "We see this Global Customer Partnership as a true win-win situation for Equant, Nortel Networks and its customers."
This new partnership builds on the strong Equant-Nortel Networks relationship of more than 12 years, during which time Equant has deployed more than 1,900 Nortel Passport* switches and other Nortel Networks products in its global network. In mid-2001, Nortel Networks named Equant its first Global Solutions Partner. In May 2002, the two companies announced an agreement to deliver an expanded portfolio of innovative products to enterprise customers, including next-generation telephony solutions, secure IP virtual private networks and optical Ethernet.
About Equant
Equant (NYSE: ENT) (Euronext Paris: EQU) is a recognised industry leader in global data and IP network and integration services for multinational businesses. The Equant network has unmatched seamless reach, connecting key business centres in 220 countries and territories, with local support in more than 165 countries. Building on more than 50 years of experience in data communications, Equant serves thousands of the world's top companies with the industry's most extensive portfolio of managed network services, including the market-leading IP VPN used by more than 900 global businesses as of June 30, 2003. Equant, a subsidiary of France Telecom, was named Best Global Carrier 2002 at the World Communication Awards and consistently leads industry surveys in corporate user satisfaction. *Nortel Networks and Passport are trademarks of Nortel Networks. Use of the terms "partner" and "partnership" does not imply a legal partnership relationship between Nortel Networks and any other party.
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This release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements related to Equant that involve risks and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that these statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future results or events. Readers are referred to the documents filed by Equant with the SEC, specifically the most recent filing on SEC Form 20-F, which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including, among other things, risks relating to Equant's history of operating losses, the unpredictability of growth in Equant's markets, changing technology, uncertain and changing regulatory restrictions, Equant's international operations, dependence on suppliers, network security issues, competition, and volatility of Equant's stock price and risks relating to the combination with Global One. All forward-looking statements are based on information available to Equant on the date hereof, and Equant assumes no obligation to update such statements.