Nortel takes to the air
By JACK KAPICA
Globe and Mail Update
Nortel Networks throwing its weight behind wireless.
On Monday, the telecom giant revealed a new strategy that unites its interests in wireless local area networks (WLANs), wire-line and enterprise equipment for mobile workers.
The company has announced a portfolio of WLAN products designed for delivering high-bandwidth voice and data services with access to e-mail, voice mail and unified messaging via a personal computer, handheld device or cellphone. Also being offered are services such as wireless digital subscriber line.
Nortel says the strategy is designed to offer mobile professionals and consumers with wireless roaming capabilities across public and private networks, as well as hotspot environments — essentially the same services offered by desktop computers.
Under the strategy, Nortel said it will use common security standards in their wireless products. Many competing wireless equipment offerings, Nortel said in a statement Monday, rely on proprietary standards and after-market add-ons that not only slow network performance but also limit network scalability.
"We are creating a single, seamless, secure mobile environment that will allow consumers and mobile professionals to access the services and applications they rely on, through their laptops, PDAs and cell phones, wherever and however needed," said Nortel Networks CEO Frank Dunn. "Nortel Networks shares this vision with other leading technology suppliers, such as Intel, who are embedding the capability of anytime, anywhere access into a wave of new laptops and other devices to better connect users."
The suite of new products announced today includes a Nortel WLAN Security Switch, WLAN Access Point, WLAN Mobile Adapter and WLAN Mobile Voice Client.
These products, expected to be available in the second quarter of 2003, are being designed to enable high-level security and unrestricted mobility to meet enterprise and carrier needs over existing wired Ethernet and IP backbone connections.
The company intends to offer access to information and e-mail "with a consistent networking experience whether sitting in an airport lounge, moving from building to building on a corporate campus or travelling at extreme speed on a train," Mr. Dunn said. |
