Liberia's Cellcom Provides Nationwide Mobile Communications With Nortel Solution.

MONROVIA, Liberia -- Nortel (NYSE:NT)(TSX:NT) has deployed the first phase of a national mobile network for Liberian operator Cellcom, bringing affordable and reliable wireless services to parts of the country for the first time. The network, based on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology, significantly enhances the country's telecommunication infrastructure.

Nortel's wireless networking solutions and related professional services will help bring mobile services to subscribers in Greater Monrovia, Harbel, Kabkata, Buchanan and Robertsfield, the largest urban areas in Liberia. The first services were launched in November 2004. Cellcom plans to expand its coverage to the entire country by the end of 2006.

"For the first time Liberians will experience the reliability and quality of a true mobile network," said Willis D. Knuckles, Jr., chairman, board of directors, Cellcom Telecommunications Inc. "Our aim is to connect Liberia nationwide and give the country a 21st century technology. This mobile network infrastructure marks the single biggest investment in Liberia's economy since the induction of the National Transitional Government of Liberia in 2003."

Liberia experienced more than 20 years of civil war until a peace deal was implemented in 2003 when the transitional government was put in place after President Charles Taylor was exiled.

"Affordable wireless services such as those offered by Cellcom will help boost economic activity and have a profound impact by connecting people and narrowing the digital divide," said Steve Pusey, president, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), Nortel. "Nortel is focused on enhancing individuals' lives. In Africa that means working closely with companies such as Cellcom to provide mobile services that have a critical impact on the local economy."

Features offered to Liberian GSM users include a US$0.20 per minute rate for local calls with per second billing, making mobile services more affordable to local users. Cellcom is also introducing a virtual phone system, allowing anyone to access the network either wirelessly or through wireline services. Individual subscriber identity module (SIM) cards with 100 minutes worth of local calls can be used in any Cellcom public phone to make calls or retrieve messages. Cellcom is also providing a full e-mail service to and from its mobile phones.

Mobile subscriber numbers in Africa have increased by over 1000 percent between 1998 and 2003 to reach 51.8 million, according to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Mobile user numbers have passed those of fixed line, which stood at 25.1 million at the end of 2003. With the Nortel Cellcom deployment, the Liberian public will now join the more than 1.2 billion GSM subscribers worldwide.

Nortel supplied Cellcom with GSM/GPRS wireless core network and radio access equipment, including Mobile Switching Center, Home Location Register (HLR) and advanced Base Transceiver Stations (BTS). This includes the BTS 12000, which is designed to deliver additional capacity within a GSM/GPRS network while positioning operators to drive lower costs and to offer advanced wireless services based on third generation (3G) EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution) technology. Nortel is also providing professional services and support, including project management, commissioning and training.

Nortel's experience in Africa spans more than 20 years. Nortel has served leading enterprise and service provider customers including Telecom Egypt and SITA South Africa. In March 2003, Nortel also launched Africa's first CDMA2000 1X wireless network for Nigerian operator Multi-Links.

Nortel has designed, installed and launched more than 300 wireless networks in over 70 countries. Nortel was the industry's first supplier with wireless networks operating in all advanced radio technologies (GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA2000 1X and 1xEV-DO, UMTS and WLAN) and is the only end-to-end provider of all next generation wireless solutions.

About Nortel

Nortel is a recognized 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. 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 world's 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.

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