BellSouth Extends Convergence Capabilities for Businesses; -- Multimedia Communication Solution Delivers Advanced Applications for Customer Voice and Data Networks --.

ATLANTA, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- BellSouth is expanding its support of voice and data convergence by providing advanced multimedia communications for customers with the Multimedia Communication Server (MCS) 5100 from Nortel. This new customer premises equipment solution complements voice and data communications consolidation by delivering innovative collaboration and productivity applications to the desktop.

"Customers are consolidating voice and data networks for added efficiencies and capabilities, realized by new applications over secure, reliable transport," said Joan Kratz - vice president, BellSouth Business Marketing. "This new solution supports applications that bring tangible value to emerging technologies like voice over IP."

Central Piedmont Community College, located in Charlotte, is the largest community college in North Carolina, offering over 100 degree and certification programs, customized corporate training, market-focused continuing education, and special interest classes. The school is in the process of migrating its voice and data network and was hesitant to invest additional capital on its legacy voice equipment.

"BellSouth showed us how we could seamlessly integrate the Nortel MCS 5100 into our network, providing the support the school needs without demanding significant re-investment in hardware. Our faculty and staff are more productive and efficient by using the teleconference, collaboration, and presence applications that it offers," said Celese Ward - manager, Instructional Technology Services, Central Piedmont Community College. "In fact, our ultimate goal is to make these features available to the student body, and to deploy the video applications as well."

The customer premises equipment operates on a SIP-based platform (Session Initiation Protocol -- the protocol used to enable next-generation applications) and supports a comprehensive list of advanced multimedia applications. Customized call management and advanced routing capabilities allow greater mobility by providing users with anytime accessibility, from almost any device. Enhanced collaboration is made possible through sharing services such as file exchange, Web pushing and white boarding. With Meet-Me Media Conferencing, Video Conferencing, and messaging capabilities like Instant Messaging (IM), every call can be turned into a productive multi-party work session. While the MCS 5100 supports the convergence of voice and data networks, it can be deployed in a traditional, TDM (time division multiplexing) environment as well, bringing the features, benefits and applications associated with IP to customers not yet ready for full migration.

"By deploying the Nortel IP multimedia solution, BellSouth's customers will be able to collaborate in the manner best-suited for their circumstances, whether via videoconferencing, voice, IM or text messaging across the most convenient media for end-users -- with high reliability. Adherence to SIP- based industry standards means this solution is designed to accommodate current and future applications in a multi-vendor environment, which is critical for enterprises seeking a hosted IP multimedia solution," said Malcolm Collins - president, Enterprise Networks, Nortel.

The Nortel Multimedia Communications Server 5100 delivers voice, call management, desktop video calling, collaboration tools, video capabilities with multi-point video conferencing, Instant Messaging capabilities and Web application collaboration that allows applications and documents to be shared in real time.

About BellSouth

BellSouth Corporation is a Fortune 100 communications company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and a parent company of Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless voice and data provider.

Backed by award winning customer service, BellSouth offers the most comprehensive and innovative package of voice and data services available in the market. Through BellSouth Answers(R), residential and small business customers can bundle their local and long distance service with dial up and high speed DSL Internet access, satellite television and Cingular(R) Wireless service. For businesses, BellSouth provides secure, reliable local and long distance voice and data networking solutions. BellSouth also offers online and directory advertising through BellSouth(R) RealPages.com(R) and The Real Yellow Pages(R).

More information about BellSouth can be found at http://www.bellsouth.com/ .

CONTACT: Media, Todd Smith of BellSouth, +1-404-829-8723, or todd.smith@bellsouth.com

Web site: http://www.bellsouth.com/

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