Nortel Networks has won its biggest cable TV contract of the year, to supply equipment for Philadelphia-based Comcast's national IP backbone...

Nortel Networks has won its biggest cable TV contract of the year, to supply equipment for Philadelphia-based Comcast's national IP backbone. Comcast is building a network to offer analog and digital video, high-speed Internet, commercial business, and digital voice services to customers in 35 states. The network's converged IP and optical technology will make it easier and less expensive for Comcast to add new services. "Comcast has been an innovator in the introduction and delivery of advanced services, and a visionary in the convergence of optical and IP networking," says Dan Mondor, general manager of global cable solutions at Nortel. "The industry-leading capabilities offered by Nortel's next-generation optical solutions will enable Comcast to meet the dynamic service demands of their broad customer base."

The deal is Nortel's 24th cable contract this year.

At the same time, Comcast said it will work with Nortel and Cisco on a program to improve the interoperability between optical and IP network layers and compatibility among multiple vendors' equipment within Comcast's network.