KARACHI, August 17 2006: Singapore Telecommunication has expanded its operation to Pakistan by signing a deal with a local firm to provide Internet Protocol-Virtual Private Network (IP-VPN) coverage in Karachi, the first operation of its kind by the Asian telecom giant in the country. Sources in telecom said the Asian telecom giant has reached a contract with Cybernet, an Internet service provider, to provide IP-VPN coverage in Karachi, which would cater to the needs of international companies operating in Pakistan.
“Initially it requires over $0.1 million investment but it would increase with the passage of time,” said a source close to the deal. The two companies plan to start the project by the end of this year (2006). The source said that the fresh partnership was part of SingTel’s global expansion plan for IP-VPN coverage in the next two years with an investment of 80 to 100 million Singaporean dollars as the company planned to be the top IP-VPN service provider in the Asia-Pacific.
“An IP-VPN enables you to link all your offices, remote workers and mobile employees so you can share information in a cost-effective and secure environment,” the source said. In a world of increasing complexity, the IP VPN continues to provide an opportunity to corporate IT departments that are under pressure to deliver both network cost savings and real business benefits. Throughout Europe, companies are discovering that managed VPNs which are an effective replacement for the area networks created through amalgam technologies like leased lines, ISDN and frame relay.
By utilising protocols like MPLS (multi-protocol label switching) to guarantee qualities of service, IP VPNs are proving significantly more powerful, scalable and cost effective than legacy wide area networks (WANs). Industry people believe that fast growing technology is also effective in terms of cost. “Estimates suggest that with a managed IP VPN, cost savings of up to 25 per cent can be made compared to WANs where enterprises manage their own customer premise equipment, network management tools and security,” added the source.
He said the SingTel marked Pakistan as fast becoming a popular destination among the corporate world for back-end process operations, which encouraged the company take an initiative under its expansion plan. “With increase in demand for lower operating costs, secured remote access and global reach, the customers with international data connectivity requirements will benefit from this agreement as they will only need to work with SingTel to connect to emerging markets such as Pakistan and to the rest of the world,” added the source citing the project details.
He said the agreement provided subscribers the opportunity to have Router Managed Service (RMS) all the way to Pakistan, which was previously unavailable. “SingTel’s partner Cybernet has deployed the country’s first world class IP/MPLS network,” he added. “The new network will support Cybernet’s launch of multiply services including voice, video and data for business and residential customers throughout the country.”
SingTel is Asia’s leading communications group, with a network of 37 offices in 19 countries and territories throughout Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States. It employs about 20,000 people worldwide and has a turnover of $8.12 billion and recorded a net profit after tax of $2.57 billion for the year ended 31 March 2006.
Source: The News
Date:8/17/2006
