Louisiana Superdome Sports Nortel Secure Converged Network for Anywhere, Anytime Game Action
Share:
NEW ORLEANS, November 13// -- Nortel Data, IP Telephony, Security and Wireless Solutions Enable Stadium-wide Network Access
Football fans have another reason to cheer this season as the Louisiana Superdome sports a secure IP network featuring hospitality solutions and services from Nortel(x) (NYSE/TSX: NT) and its channel partner Cohesive Connections.
"The Superdome's restoration after Hurricane Katrina is a great symbol of rebirth for New Orleans," said David Stewart, regional manager of technology for SMG Management, the company that owns and operates the Louisiana Superdome. "Working with Nortel and Cohesive Connections, we rebuilt the Dome as one of the most technologically-advanced sports facilities in the world, bringing the games closer to the fans through use of wireless, digital and online technology."
The Superdome's resilient converged voice and data network is comprised of Nortel data, IP telephony and security solutions. Nortel Global Services, in conjunction with Cohesive Connections, provided pre-deployment planning and design of the Superdome network, in addition to building and managing the network.
As part of this network expansion, the Superdome is now seamlessly connected to the New Orleans Arena, which hosts the NBA's New Orleans Hornets. Simplifying communication between the two SMG-operated venues will help reduce operations costs and time, as well as give SMG staff remote access to the network when off-site.
In addition, mobile broadband service is being deployed throughout the stadium in two phases, and upon completion will transform the Superdome into one of the world's largest WLAN deployments in a dome with a non-retractable roof. Powered by Nortel's WLAN 2300, wireless service is now available on the Superdome's ground level and at its entrances. As part of this deployment, staff members are using WiFi handheld scanners to quickly scan and validate tickets at entry points to reduce crowd bottlenecks for faster and more efficient entry to the facility.
"We've had record turn-outs for the Saints' 2006 season-we had more than 70,000 people here on opening night. Using the WiFi scanners at the Dome's entrances helped us quickly move people through the gates, allowing fans to spend less time in line and more time experiencing the game," said Stewart.
Media and photographers covering sporting events are also able to use the completed mobile broadband network to rapidly exchange, upload and update files. In addition, hundreds of wireless and wireline Nortel IP phones are being used in the Superdome to give staff and guests stadium-wide access to voice services.
"With the restoration of the Superdome, New Orleans once again claims its position as one of the leading sports cities in America, and Nortel is truly honoured to be a part of this historic revitalisation," said Steve Slattery, president, Enterprise Solutions, Nortel. "Through Nortel's technology and services, we are laying the foundation to give Superdome guests and staff an extraordinary communications experience that will take them one step closer to the field and one step closer to rebuilding their own lives one cheer, one goal at a time."
At the heart of the Superdome's converged voice and data network is Nortel's Secure Network Access technology that grants secure, flexible, and reliable network access from anywhere in the building. The Nortel Secure Network Access switch provides the Superdome with comprehensive security features to ensure authentication for all users while protecting against intrusion. The Superdome's network expansion also includes Nortel Switched Firewalls to protect the Superdome's data and IP telephony network and Nortel's Enterprise Network Management System. Nortel's Threat Protection System will perform detailed traffic analysis to aid in protecting the network from existing and emerging threats.
In the network core, the Superdome is equipped with Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch and WLAN 2300 solutions designed to ensure seamless, secure and constant wired and wireless network availability. Nortel's Communication Server 1000 delivers the converged IP communications system offering a range of telephony features and multimedia applications to users on the network.
Nortel's Global Services include a full range of integrated services for design, deployment, management and maintenance of end-to-end multi-vendor network solutions, including seamless migration to next generation technologies.
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 world's most critical information. Our next-generation technologies, for both service providers and enterprises, span access and core networks, support multimedia and business-critical applications, and help eliminate today's barriers to efficiency, speed and performance by simplifying networks and connecting people with information. 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 nortel.com/news.
(x) Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel Networks.
Source: Nortel
For further information: Bo Gowan, +1-972-685-8278, bogowan@nortel.com
