The University of the East, one of the largest universities in the Philippines, is expanding online learning capabilities, enabling new applications, and improving administrative functionality at its Manila campus with an Ethernet networking solution from Nortel.

Upgrading its existing Nortel ATM infrastructure to a high-bandwidth Gigabit Ethernet network will significantly improve speed and performance of student and faculty access to online learning resources and academic records. The upgrade will also support the University's plan for a unified communications network ultimately linking the Manila facility with campuses in Caloocan and Quezon City.

"Leveraging the advantages of technology is very much a way of life at the University, with most of our academic, administrative and financial activities now automated," said Bong Obillo, senior assistant director, MIS, University of the East. "We place the utmost importance on quality, and we continue to invest in Nortel technology to ensure superior network performance and the security of information which is our most important asset."

"Nortel is committed to helping the University of the East enhance the education experience for students and faculty with the latest communications technology," said Tony Pio de Roda, managing director, Philippines, Nortel. "We also look forward to supporting the University's aim, in the future, of linking all three of its campuses with a single, secure and fully integrated Ethernet infrastructure."

The University's campus network solution is based on the Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch (ERS) 8600. Providing a resilient, secure and intelligent network, the ERS 8600 enables Terabit performance and network-wide delivery of applications such as VoIP over 10-gigabit Ethernet links.

More than 10,000 education customers worldwide have installed communications solutions from Nortel. In the Philippines, Nortel has provided an IP telephony system for Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Calamba, a leading educational institution, and an Ethernet switching solution to power a new IT data center and interconnect six campus buildings at the Ateneo de Manila University Grade School.