INTERCONNECTS

High-Speed Network Enhances Capabilities for Worldwide Communications: The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China's preeminent natural sciences institution, is enhancing its capabilities for real-time sharing of scientific knowledge with local and international research organizations by upgrading its communications network with Metro Ethernet technology from Nortel. To ensure a network with higher quality, reliability, scalability and cost-effectiveness, CAS is deploying Nortel Optical Multiservice Edge (OME) 6500 systems - integral components of Nortel's Metro Ethernet Solutions - in Beijing and Hong Kong. The new infrastructure will connect its science and technology network into the Global Ring Network for Advanced Applications (GLORIAD) which links up global networks across countries including China, the US and Russia. Believed to be the first Optical Ethernet networking deployment in China's science and technology sector, the new infrastructure will provide CAS with a high-speed, high-bandwidth 2.5G network capable of expansion to 10G to meet future networking requirements. According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nortel's leading-edge technology and its proven record in delivering networks of high quality and reliability were key factors in their selection of the OME 6500 solution. The Chinese Academy of Sciences is looking to this advanced, future-proof network to help it improve communications and collaboration with other scientific institutions in China and around the world. "Nortel is committed to supporting China's academic and scientific endeavors with high-performance optical networks that make communications simple and efficient," said Jackson Wu, president, Greater China, Nortel. "Our selection by this prestigious state-owned academy once again spotlights Nortel's leadership in helping customers increase bandwidth capabilities and network flexibility while lowering the costs of operating a world-class optical network." More than 10,000 education customers worldwide have installed communications solutions from Nortel. The Nortel OME 6500 is a next-generation optical convergence platform that blends multiple services and network layers onto a single platform for significant capital and operating expense reduction, dramatic network simplification and cost-effective support of broadband services. The OME 6500 has been deployed in over 115 networks globally. The Nortel Metro Ethernet Networks portfolio includes solutions for multiservice optical, carrier Ethernet and wireless backhaul. The portfolio enables service providers to address the growth of high-bandwidth video and data applications in their metro networks by deploying Ethernet as the universal transport layer for any service they wish to offer, including next-generation services such as triple and quadruple play, wireless video and data and Ethernet business connectivity.