Low Cost Networking System Launched

Jamaica’s Information Technology (IT) sector is set to benefit from a low cost technology system, the Net Integrator, which will soon be available on the local market at a cost of US$5,000 to US$15,000.
The Net Integrator is a complete small office network in-a-box with several unique and special features built-on to take care of all office networking, web hosting and e-mail services, while providing security, remote access, printing and database management needs.
Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell today (July 9) officially launched the award-winning product at the Jamaica Promotions Corporation’s (JAMPRO) head office in Kingston, where he was also presented with one of the systems for the country’s postal service.
The Minister congratulated Net Integration Technologies Incorporation (Inc.), a Canadian-based company and developer of the system and Coysam Limited, a local-based IT company and approved partner, for taking the initiative and seizing the opportunity to introduce the product to the local market.
The Minister noted, “in looking at Government’s commitment to transforming our nation to a knowledge-based society, we see the issue of the affordability of technology as a crucial drive in our development and so I am very happy to launch a product that is poised to level the playing field and bringing us one step closer to realizing that knowledge-based society”. He informed that the Net Integrator provided businesses with total IT services that include file, print and web-sharing for windows and Macintosh users, e-mail, web hosting and caching, built-in firewall for security, remote access and integrated backup.
Other key features of the product, he said, include fast disaster recovery, secure inter-branch office connections, support for two Internet connections and remote workstation management.
The Minister said that for the past three years, the Government has been diligently pursuing a path aimed at creating an information communications technology (ICT) environment that promoted competition, increased service offerings and improved quality at a reduced cost, while protecting consumers and encouraging universal access.
He said that based on JAMPRO’s recently published, ‘Jamaica Internet Market Study’ it was clear that there were many opportunities in the ICT sector for small and medium sized businesses. “A product such as the Net Integrator can significantly reduce the technological expenses associated with starting and maintaining a company,” he pointed out.
Endorsing the new product, Julian Robinson, Investment Promotion Manager at JAMPRO said, “we are excited to be involved in this new initiative, which we think is going to have a significant impact on bringing access to technology in the realm of being affordable to small and medium size businesses”.
Noting that one of the findings of the JAMPRO survey was that only 56 per cent of businesses had websites, Mr. Robinson said the technology would “enable small businesses to get on-line . to be involved in e-commerce and other related initiatives which can only help to grow our economy.”
Net Integration is recognised as a leader in its class, receiving the industry’s highest accolades from such publications as PC Magazine for Best Networking Product of the Year 2002; eWeek award for Most Innovative and Advanced Product in Networking Infrastructure Technologies, while Computer Reseller News (CRN) awarded the company the Editor’s Choice Award 2001.
The system is available in four different models: Lite, Mark 1, Mark 11 and Mark 111. A seminar will be held tomorrow (July 10) at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston, to familiarize persons with the product.