Nortel is a leading global provider of communica-tions solutions with 1996 consolidated revenues of US$12.8 billion. Nortel, which commercialized digital technology to the telecommunications industry in 1976, provides telecommunications equipment and related services in North, Central and South America, Caribbean and Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia/Pacific. Nortel also provides products and services to the telecommunications and cable television industries, businesses, universi-ties, governments and other institutions worldwide.