El Segundo, California-based Infonet, which provides a range of managed VPN and network services through partnerships with telecom operators, began setting up operations in the Indian market in January 2003. So far it has partnered with local network provider i2i Enterprises, which counts IT services company Wipro and American express amongst its clients. Infonet claims to be the first to provide global managed network services to Indian clients, and will launch officially in the country in early June.
We have already had an explosive number of orders for public and private VPNs from software developers, financial services companies, and manufacturers that have set up off shore operations in India, Hibbert told ComputerWire. We have also had a lot of interest in VoIP services to link call centers and offshore offices in the financial services sector, as one of the largest markets for VoIP is in bypassing international call charges.
Hibbert also said that Infonet expects to win more business in the country as its existing western clients move operations to India. Currently, companies in India manage their own VPN networks, or work with local third parties to broker network capacity.
Morgan McCall Molthrop, Infonet’s vice president of investor relations said: Typically, CIOs do not want to manage their company’s networks. For example, the CIO of Wipro told us that he wanted to outsource network management because his senior management come down on him when there is a network failure. What they really want is for the IT department to focus on serving clients’ needs.
China is another Asian country where Infonet claims to be gaining market share, and Hibbert said that growth in the country is stratospheric and not slowing.
Source: Computerwire
