Nortel Boosts Voice Over Wireless LAN Capabilities

Nortel this week announced 802.11e support for its wireless LAN system, including access points and switches, and introduced a new wireless VoIP handset. The vendor also detailed two partnerships that will add real-time location tracking and security capabilities to its WLAN platform.

The new voice quality features based on IEEE 802.11e standards are available on the Nortel Wireless LAN 2300 Series. The new capabilities will help ensure that voice quality is maintained even in the face of heavy data traffic on a wireless network.The Nortel WLAN Handset 6100 Series, slated to be available in the second quarter, will work with Nortel's enterprise VoIP and WLAN platforms and support 802.11 a/b/g standards.

On the partner front, Nortel introduced its Asset Tracking and Management application. The app combines real-time location technology from Ekahau with the Nortel WLAN 2300 series to enable companies to locate as many as 10,000 people or assets within two to three meters using their wireless LANs.

Nortel also rolled out an intrusion-detection upgrade that uses WIPS technology from AirDefense to turn Nortel WLAN 2300 access points into sensors that can detect breaches and safeguard the wireless LAN from 230 types of threats.

Nortel says this feature can be used to secure a single location or hundreds of offices, and includes security policy management and enforcement.