over the helm of BT Northern Ireland last October feels that this is particularly significant for businesses in Northern Ireland,
“Northern Ireland’s peripheral status within Europe is no longer an issue as Internet development continues and firms increasingly recognise the savings to be made by embracing e-business. In the world of e-commerce geography has no relevance.
“We predict that within five years up to 20% of all trade will be conducted electronically. The Internet is the way of the future. It provides us with not only the level playing field which we have been craving for so long but allows us to leapfrog ahead of what is happening around the world. It is a great opportunity but it needs to be exploited.”
We are undoubtedly working and living in very exciting times in terms of the radical impact that new technologies and the ‘Online’ Revolution is having economically and personally on our lives. BT in Northern Ireland is committed to helping Northern Ireland grasp these new opportunities. The ‘Online’ Revolution is not just something for twenty-something techies. Everyone should look at the opportunities it offers. Old companies and old methods are being replaced by thrusting new business people with new ideas and
opportunities. We can all gain from the increased efficiency of information technology that can now be developed, which is not just a fad.
Businesses today can no longer hide from these technology developments – IT has arrived and it is here to stay, so we must get with it! It is predicted that Europe will be the fastest-growing region for e-commerce with a 118% annual growth rate. Internet business-to-business growth will be six times greater than business-to- consumer transactions. However we must not ignore the home shoppers and the net companies that serve them. E-Commerce is the biggest revolution since the invention of money. Shops are already having to rethink. Rather than bricks and mortar it is now clicks and mortar. In terms of the ‘Online Revolution’, America is five years ahead of the rest of the world and has a huge pool of talent and resources. Europe however is a largely untapped market but it is ready to explode!
It has been estimated that the value of the global internet will reach £1,700 billion by 2003, which is about 7% of world gross domestic product. Currently today’s internet is not fast enough for reliable commercial operations and almost £1,000 billion a year will be needed to support growth. E-business alone will grow annually at 86% to top £800 billion in 2003, with thousands of businesses shifting to the web from traditional methods.
BT Northern Ireland is playing its part in encouraging the Internet revolution in Northern Ireland and has invested £500,000 in a groundbreaking initiative aimed at putting the region’s small firms on the first rung of the Internet ladder. Under the unique scheme every firm in Northern Ireland is entitled to a free website, effectively giving them free space to advertise their business on the Internet. The site is designed and hosted by BT and housed in a
Page 72 Hanif Lalani
Chief Executive BT Nothern Ireland
new virtual business park for the region entitled NI for Business.
We already offer firms free Internet access, this initiative is about taking it further and giving firms a free Internet presence. We’ve removed the hassle associated with having your own website – cost and expertise – and we’re encouraging thousands of firms to take advantage.
BT is planning investment of up to £100 million per year on new information highways technology which will allow the company’s customers to have simultaneous phone, fax, video and Internet access – all down one phone line.
The aim is to continuously add value to peoples’s lifestyles, providing them with the products and services they need, be it to enable them to work from home or save them time and money. One such example is Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). Besides its obvious uses for business communication, this technology also opens up possibilities such as video on demand – where you simply call up your favourite film on the phone and then watch it on your TV. This ultimately will impact the corner video store. We have the choice to either ignore and hope this ‘Online’ Revolution will go away or, we can open our minds to the new opportunities this new IT era can bring and make the conscious decision to get on board – be it by simply getting online at home or in the office, or investing in a solution that will bring significant benefits to your business.
It is up to us, especially the young, to discipline ourselves, to exploit the opportunities offered, concentrate on the advantages and avoid the time wasting. Globalisation, about which we hear
so much, is being made a reality by IT. Everyone can circumnavigate the globe at the touch of a button without moving from the office (or home) or chair – IT is there 24 hours a day.
Even those businesses which already have an Internet presence will have to change their attitude and start using the web in more practical ways.
“The number of firms who are making
transactions on the net is doubling every month – they are saving money and making money. Businesses will have to go much further into e- commerce and start working their way down the supply chain.
BT has been at the forefront of the frenetic pace of change in Internet development.
Advancements in technology has meant significant investment by BT in Northern Ireland - £40 million each year over the last 10 years – in infrastructure alone.
As Hanif Lalani puts it,
“The Internet can bring business here two things: savings.com and makingmoney.com. That is what we are all about. Our challenge at BT Northern Ireland is to continue to provide the products and services which will help businesses and individuals to leapfrog ahead of their competition: to make them competitive with access to the latest technologies. Those businesses that join us in embracing the concept of e-business will find rewarding and lucrative opportunities awaiting them.”
7.2
Cable & Wireless - Ireland’s leading communications company
A leading provider of IP solutionsCable & Wireless is a global telecommunications business with annual revenues of over £9 billion and customers in 70 countries. The company offers a range of services spanning broadband data, Internet and voice services within Ireland, North and South and around the world.
Cable & Wireless’ priority for expansion is the fast growing market of IP and data services for business customers. Cable & Wireless is continually investing in the development of advanced networks and services in the US, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region to build the world’s leading global IP infrastructure. With the capacity of this advanced infrastructure and its presence in key business markets, Cable & Wireless holds a unique position in terms of global coverage and services.
Operating in Ireland for the past 10 years, Cable & Wireless is continually investing in its Network 2000 strategy that is giving Irish businesses access to the very latest in technology. As a result of this Cable & Wireless can offer customer solutions designed to ensure their business works at maximum efficiency.
Global Network
Cable & Wireless’ global network provides one of the most resilient and future proof networks in the world and is the result of a £3.6 billion investment. It incorporates the latest
developments in speed and capacity to deliver solutions to the business world.
The Cable & Wireless network in Ireland is a wholly fibre SDH/Sonet based network, that allows provision of customised solutions for businesses comprising an integrated portfolio for voice, data, Internet and video applications. Cable & Wireless’ network is monitored 24/7 by the Global Network Management Centre, providing the security customers need to ensure that their business can communicate wherever and whenever need be.
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