Alcatel sees more SMEs moving towards IT

Alcatel, the European leader in voice systems for small and medium enterprises, expects more and more SMEs, not only in the Philippines, but elsewhere in the region, to move towards information technology and avail of systems that can integrate voice, Internet, and data services into a single e-communications appliance.

This, as the company launched its Alcatel OmniPCX integrated communication system for SMEs. It is a pre-configured sever that integrates a full array of communication services, including telephony (circuit switch or voice over the Internet Protocol), controllable Internet access, e-mail server, network security services, and 10/100 LAN switching.

"The need among SMEs is there, and we see more of these enterprises going one step further, especially now that information and communications technology is being pushed in the country, according to Alcatel e-Business Distribution Inc. president Gilbert Paggabao.

Among the industries that the company is eyeing are retail, manufacturing, finance, and even government.

Alcatel is also focusing more and more on data, rather than voice. At least 70 percent of sales of Alcatel worldwide for instance came from data in 2000 as against five percent in 1995 when voice was still the dominant contributor.

It has also transformed from a conglomerate to a telecommunications-focused company. Telecommunications in 2000 account for 85 percent of the Alcatel’s Euro 31.4 billion sales as against 39 percent in 1995. It now has leading positions in Internet broadband access, optical networking, and e-business solutions, and provides end-to-end integrated solutions.

Paggabao said Alcatel is a player committed to the SME market. Around two million lines of Alcatel Office is sold per year, aside from a growing range of data products for SMEs as well as new products in the pipeline.

Alcatel Asia Pacific e-business networking division’s Marc -Alexis Remond, for his part, explained that communication needs are changing, with voice no longer the dominant communication means, as evidenced by the popularity of e-mail and the Internet.

Remond, who is product marketing manager, said that the challenge for SMEs is how to manage the increasing information flow coming from different networks like telephone, fax, e-mail, and pagers; assure customer satisfaction; access new markets and reach new clients; more to the e-business; while at the same time optimizing telecom equipment costs and protecting their investment.