A powerhouse brand left behind.

When I was a kid in Canada, Northern Telecom was like government – get a job there, and it was for life.

When I became an adult (still in Canada), Nortel Networks was like money – buy stock, and it returned.

When it came time to find a career in telecom sales (in Canada & the US), Nortel was like selling ice in the desert – I walked into businesses, and the brand spoke for itself.

Now, many (unspecified number) years later, the company that started as the Northern Electric and Manufacturing company in 1895 cannot seem to sell its moniker. Genband, Ericsson, Ciena, Avaya and Hitachi all passed on the big, blue logo that once ruled the telephone landscape.

Update: The bidding just started at $20….

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