Edith Cowan University, Nortel to Launch First Wireless Mesh Network in Australia
Announcement posted by Nortel 11 Nov 2004
PERTH, Australia Edith Cowan University plans to roll out Australias first wireless mesh network before the end of 2004 using wireless mesh and local area network (LAN) solutions from Nortel* [NYSE/TSX: NT]. This new network will give staff and students seamless wireless access to University applications and resources from any campus location, indoors and outdoors.
The Nortel Wireless Mesh Network solution and Nortel wireless LAN technology are expected to make it possible for the University to improve the human experience through communications that provide secure and reliable, low-cost, campus-wide access with the capability of easily expanding to meet future demand for services. The mesh network will cover 132.35 hectares across four campuses, including 168 buildings.
We've been looking for ways to extend the wireless network coverage on our campuses while keeping costs to a minimum, said Jeff Murray, IT manager, Edith Cowan University. "The network had to be powerful enough to provide coverage both inside and outside the campus buildings, scalable enough to meet current and future bandwidth demands, and flexible enough to accommodate future technology such as converged voice, video and data communications. Also, due to the University's geographical spread, it had to be hardy enough to service both metropolitan and rural environments.
"We've determined that up to 70 per cent of mobile calls are from a campus base station to a campus phone, Murray said. Future capabilities of the wireless mesh network can make this service available to all students and staff and can save AU$300,000, which means the new network will basically pay for itself."
Following a public tender process and evaluation of 10 proposals from alternative suppliers, Nortel was assessed as providing the most innovative technology and best value-for-money solution for the Universitys requirements.
With almost 23,000 students including 3,000 international enrollments, Edith Cowan University is a leading education centre for the Australian services industry and the second-largest university in Western Australia. The University has metropolitan campuses in Churchlands, Mount Lawley and Joondalup and a regional campus in Bunbury, a city 200 kilometres south of Perth. It also offers selected programs at regional centres in Broome, Geraldton and Margaret River designed to meet the special and local needs of these areas.
"Wiring large numbers of access points can be a huge challenge and the costs can be prohibitive, said Steve Wood, president, Australia and New Zealand, Nortel. "With our Wireless Mesh Network solution, Nortel has leveraged its global experience and expertise in wireless communications and networking infrastructure to deliver a cost-effective, highly-secure, fault-tolerant and reliable network that easily scales up from tens to thousands of users to deliver the full scope of our converged communications services to mobile users."
Including Nortel Wireless Access Point 7220 and Nortel Wireless Gateway 7250, the Nortel Wireless Mesh Network solution significantly reduces the cost of transporting high-speed wireless data from Wi-Fi networks to broadband networks. The Nortel Wireless Mesh Network solution uses IEEE 802.11 standards, allowing users with Wi-Fi enabled laptop computers or handheld computing devices to access the network without new hardware or software.
Looking ahead, Murray said that the University will trial Nortel Multimedia Communications Server (MCS) 5100 in the next 12 months with a view to enabling converged multimedia (voice, video and data streaming) services over the wireless mesh network.
Murray attended a live demo of a Nortel Wireless Mesh Network solution at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab in Boston in February 2004. Even at that early testing stage, Murray said that he was impressed by the stability and functionality of the solution and felt the technology could meet Edith Cowans requirements.
"I'm confident that we will be leading the way for other universities and learning centres across Australia in the use of this genuinely liberating and cost-effective wireless network technology," Murray said.
The Wireless Mesh Network portfolio complements the award-winning Nortel WLAN 2200 Series, introduced in March 2003. The WLAN 2200 Series provides a complete, end-to-end wireless networking solution for enterprise campus environments, serving as an extension of the wired communications infrastructure.
About Nortel
Nortel is a recognised leader in delivering communications capabilities that enhance the human experience, ignite and power global commerce, and secure and protect the worlds most critical information. Serving both service provider and enterprise customers, Nortel delivers innovative technology solutions encompassing end-to-end broadband, Voice over IP, multimedia services and applications, and wireless broadband designed to help people solve the worlds greatest challenges. Nortel does business in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit Nortel on the Web at www.nortel.com. For the latest Nortel news, visit www.nortel.com/news.
Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the outcome of Nortels independent review and planned restatement or revisions of its previously announced or filed financial results; the impact of the management changes announced on April 28, 2004 and August 19, 2004; the impact of the inability to meet Nortels filing obligations on support facilities and public debt obligations; the sufficiency of Nortels restructuring activities, including the work plan announced on August 19, 2004 as updated on September 30, 2004, including the potential for higher actual costs to be incurred in connection with restructuring actions compared to the estimated costs of such actions; cautious or reduced spending by Nortels customers; fluctuations in Nortels operating results and general industry, economic and market conditions and growth rates; the communication by Nortels auditors of the existence of material weaknesses in internal controls; Nortels ability to recruit and retain qualified employees; fluctuations in Nortels cash flow, level of outstanding debt and current debt ratings; the use of cash collateral to support Nortels normal course business activities; the dependence on Nortels subsidiaries for funding; the impact of Nortels defined benefit plans and deferred tax assets on results of operations and Nortels cash flows; Nortels dependence on new product development and its ability to predict market demand for particular products; Nortels ability to integrate the operations and technologies of acquired businesses in an effective manner; the impact of rapid technological and market change; the impact of price and product competition; barriers to international growth and global economic conditions, particularly in emerging markets and including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of rationalization in the telecommunications industry; changes in regulation of the Internet; the impact of the credit risks of Nortels customers and the impact of customer financing and commitments; stock market volatility generally and as a result of acceleration of the settlement date or early settlement of Nortels purchase contracts; the impact of Nortels supply and outsourcing contracts that contain delivery and installation provisions, which, if not met, could result in the payment of substantial penalties or liquidated damages; the future success of Nortels strategic alliances; and the adverse resolution of litigation, investigations, intellectual property disputes and similar matters. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the most recent Form 10-Q/A and Form 10-K/A filed by Nortel with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. 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.
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*Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel Networks.
The Nortel Wireless Mesh Network solution and Nortel wireless LAN technology are expected to make it possible for the University to improve the human experience through communications that provide secure and reliable, low-cost, campus-wide access with the capability of easily expanding to meet future demand for services. The mesh network will cover 132.35 hectares across four campuses, including 168 buildings.
We've been looking for ways to extend the wireless network coverage on our campuses while keeping costs to a minimum, said Jeff Murray, IT manager, Edith Cowan University. "The network had to be powerful enough to provide coverage both inside and outside the campus buildings, scalable enough to meet current and future bandwidth demands, and flexible enough to accommodate future technology such as converged voice, video and data communications. Also, due to the University's geographical spread, it had to be hardy enough to service both metropolitan and rural environments.
"We've determined that up to 70 per cent of mobile calls are from a campus base station to a campus phone, Murray said. Future capabilities of the wireless mesh network can make this service available to all students and staff and can save AU$300,000, which means the new network will basically pay for itself."
Following a public tender process and evaluation of 10 proposals from alternative suppliers, Nortel was assessed as providing the most innovative technology and best value-for-money solution for the Universitys requirements.
With almost 23,000 students including 3,000 international enrollments, Edith Cowan University is a leading education centre for the Australian services industry and the second-largest university in Western Australia. The University has metropolitan campuses in Churchlands, Mount Lawley and Joondalup and a regional campus in Bunbury, a city 200 kilometres south of Perth. It also offers selected programs at regional centres in Broome, Geraldton and Margaret River designed to meet the special and local needs of these areas.
"Wiring large numbers of access points can be a huge challenge and the costs can be prohibitive, said Steve Wood, president, Australia and New Zealand, Nortel. "With our Wireless Mesh Network solution, Nortel has leveraged its global experience and expertise in wireless communications and networking infrastructure to deliver a cost-effective, highly-secure, fault-tolerant and reliable network that easily scales up from tens to thousands of users to deliver the full scope of our converged communications services to mobile users."
Including Nortel Wireless Access Point 7220 and Nortel Wireless Gateway 7250, the Nortel Wireless Mesh Network solution significantly reduces the cost of transporting high-speed wireless data from Wi-Fi networks to broadband networks. The Nortel Wireless Mesh Network solution uses IEEE 802.11 standards, allowing users with Wi-Fi enabled laptop computers or handheld computing devices to access the network without new hardware or software.
Looking ahead, Murray said that the University will trial Nortel Multimedia Communications Server (MCS) 5100 in the next 12 months with a view to enabling converged multimedia (voice, video and data streaming) services over the wireless mesh network.
Murray attended a live demo of a Nortel Wireless Mesh Network solution at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab in Boston in February 2004. Even at that early testing stage, Murray said that he was impressed by the stability and functionality of the solution and felt the technology could meet Edith Cowans requirements.
"I'm confident that we will be leading the way for other universities and learning centres across Australia in the use of this genuinely liberating and cost-effective wireless network technology," Murray said.
The Wireless Mesh Network portfolio complements the award-winning Nortel WLAN 2200 Series, introduced in March 2003. The WLAN 2200 Series provides a complete, end-to-end wireless networking solution for enterprise campus environments, serving as an extension of the wired communications infrastructure.
About Nortel
Nortel is a recognised leader in delivering communications capabilities that enhance the human experience, ignite and power global commerce, and secure and protect the worlds most critical information. Serving both service provider and enterprise customers, Nortel delivers innovative technology solutions encompassing end-to-end broadband, Voice over IP, multimedia services and applications, and wireless broadband designed to help people solve the worlds greatest challenges. Nortel does business in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit Nortel on the Web at www.nortel.com. For the latest Nortel news, visit www.nortel.com/news.
Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the outcome of Nortels independent review and planned restatement or revisions of its previously announced or filed financial results; the impact of the management changes announced on April 28, 2004 and August 19, 2004; the impact of the inability to meet Nortels filing obligations on support facilities and public debt obligations; the sufficiency of Nortels restructuring activities, including the work plan announced on August 19, 2004 as updated on September 30, 2004, including the potential for higher actual costs to be incurred in connection with restructuring actions compared to the estimated costs of such actions; cautious or reduced spending by Nortels customers; fluctuations in Nortels operating results and general industry, economic and market conditions and growth rates; the communication by Nortels auditors of the existence of material weaknesses in internal controls; Nortels ability to recruit and retain qualified employees; fluctuations in Nortels cash flow, level of outstanding debt and current debt ratings; the use of cash collateral to support Nortels normal course business activities; the dependence on Nortels subsidiaries for funding; the impact of Nortels defined benefit plans and deferred tax assets on results of operations and Nortels cash flows; Nortels dependence on new product development and its ability to predict market demand for particular products; Nortels ability to integrate the operations and technologies of acquired businesses in an effective manner; the impact of rapid technological and market change; the impact of price and product competition; barriers to international growth and global economic conditions, particularly in emerging markets and including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of rationalization in the telecommunications industry; changes in regulation of the Internet; the impact of the credit risks of Nortels customers and the impact of customer financing and commitments; stock market volatility generally and as a result of acceleration of the settlement date or early settlement of Nortels purchase contracts; the impact of Nortels supply and outsourcing contracts that contain delivery and installation provisions, which, if not met, could result in the payment of substantial penalties or liquidated damages; the future success of Nortels strategic alliances; and the adverse resolution of litigation, investigations, intellectual property disputes and similar matters. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the most recent Form 10-Q/A and Form 10-K/A filed by Nortel with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. 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.
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*Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel Networks.