Nortel (Northern Telecom) and MCI Systemhouse Team to Market and Deliver New
Millennium Kiosk Solutions
(PR Newswire; 06/08/98)
DALLAS, June 8 /PRNewswire/ - Nortel (Northern Telecom) and MCI Systemhouse
today announced a teaming agreement that enables the two companies to jointly
market and deliver Nortel's new Millennium Kiosk solutions. This new
relationship between two market leaders in telecommunications products and
information technology services enables Nortel and MCI Systemhouse to deliver a
full service public access solution that can be customized to meet the unique
needs of any enterprise. The Nortel Millennium Kiosks offer new methods of
generating revenue and provide organizations with a cost-effective way to bring
their products and services to a greater number of people.
The new Millennium Kiosk provides users with quick access to a virtual
storefront that can offer information, goods, and services 24 hours a day, 7
days a week. The kiosk's interactive touch screen makes it easy for individuals
to access services such as online shopping and banking, electronic mail, news,
libraries, educational institutions and government services. Millennium Kiosks
will be located primarily in high pedestrian traffic areas such as shopping
malls, airports, hotels, sports stadiums, government agencies, universities,
retail stores, hospitals, banking and healthcare centers.
Pilot projects involving the Millennium Kiosk solutions are currently
underway with a number of organizations including an international
pharmaceutical company and a Bell Canada project with a large Canadian
university.
``MCI Systemhouse is uniquely positioned to leverage the telecommunications
services expertise of parent MCI in marketing and delivering these
comprehensive public kiosk solutions,'' said John Jacquay, chief operating
executive, Regulated Industries Unit, MCI Systemhouse. ``The Millennium Kiosk
solutions are a key enabling technology for organizations striving to extend
their customer reach and achieve the benefits of becoming a network enterprise.
We are pleased to collaborate with Nortel in this important endeavor.''
MCI Systemhouse will provide network operations management, technical
support services and project management expertise to assist customers with
installation, network connectivity and terminal maintenance for Nortel's
Millennium Kiosk solutions. In addition, MCI Systemhouse will market the
product to its customers on a worldwide basis.
The Millennium Kiosk features a networked multimedia computer, touch screen
monitor, stereo speakers, ergonomically designed keyboard and optional
peripherals. The kiosk also includes a universal handset to support telephony
functions. Up to three printers can be included to provide users with airline
or concert tickets, receipts, coupons, and screen printouts. In addition,
Nortel's Millennium card reader is conveniently located on the kiosk unit to
offer customers additional payment choices, such as smart cards and credit
cards.
Each kiosk terminal is monitored and controlled from a centralized
location, which makes system management more simple and cost effective. The
Millennium Kiosks automatically report information to a centralized database
and perform real-time system updates. In addition, Millennium kiosks are based
on a set of open standards that are designed to deliver content in the most
effective way possible. As a result, customers and content developers can use
standard Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) to develop a customized user
interface, as well as kiosk applications.
MCI Systemhouse, The Network Enterprise Company, is MCI's global
information technology services company. The industry's only single-source
provider of convergence products and services that address businesses' total
networking, communications and consulting needs, MCI Systemhouse has 120
offices and approximately 9,400 professionals worldwide. With a comprehensive
offering of Network Enterprise solutions and services for the new millennium,
MCI Systemhouse serves major corporate, mid-sized and public sector clients
throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.
Millennium Advanced Public Access Solutions is part of Nortel Enterprise
Networks, a business unit of Nortel, a diversified provider of market-leading
communications equipment, services and network solutions for business, commerce
and entertainment. Nortel had 1997 revenues of $US 15.5 billion and has
approximately 73,000 employees worldwide.
SOURCE Northern Telecom Limited
-0- 6/8/98
/CONTACT: Frank McNally, Nortel, (703) 712-8374,
frank.mcnally(at)nortel.com; Laura Powers, Nortel, (972) 684-5909,
powersla(at)nortel.com; Mary Keating, MCI Systemhouse, (905) 892-0738,
mkeating(at)shl.com; More information about Nortel products and authorized
distributors is available from 1-800-4NORTEL (1-800-466-7835) code PR; For
more information about MCI Systemhouse, visit the MCI Systemhouse website at
http://www.systemhouse.mci.com or call 1-800-234-4586; Or visit Nortel's
web-site at www.nortel.com/
/Nortel's press releases are also available through CNO-Call by fax at
800-758-5804, ext. 122158 or at http://www.prnewswire.com/
/Web Site: http://www.nortel.com/
(NTL. NT)
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