Computers Today June 1998 Country Buzz Pg 2

June 1998 COUNTRY BUZZ

PSUs Rush to Set up Data Networks with VSATs

Shashi Ullal: Network deals With the realisation of benefits of networking finally dawning, government organisations are hastening to set up secure data networks. Last month, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and 27 nationalised banks adopted a project called the "VSAT networks for the banking and financial sector". To be implemented by Hughes Escorts Communications Ltd. (HECL), a joint venture between Hughes Networks Systems (HNS) and Escorts Group, the project is valued at Rs 300 crore.

Informing this, Shashi Ullal, president and managing director, HECL, said that initial orders for 450 VSATs have already been received. Of these, 33 VSATs will be marked for internal use of the RBI, leaving the rest which have been ordered by individual banks for their respective segments of the network. Computers Today notes that the project, expected to be operational by July last year, got postponed on several occasions due to inadequate funds and the unexpected failure of the INSAT-2D satellite. It was then decided to set April 15 of this year as the deadline for the banks to place orders for their networking needs.

In another project, Bharti BT is implementing a 209-site VSAT network that will enable nationwide connectivity for Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (BPCL). Telstra V-Comm has also lately bagged a contract from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), to build, operate and manage a voice, image and data network. The contract is valued at $1.28 million.The Unit Trust of India (UTI) is also planning to network all its 71 centres including 20 registrar firms spread all over India. The company has asked HCL Comnet Systems & Services Ltd. to build the VSAT-based communications link.

Software Exports Register 65% Growth

After a slowdown in 1996-97, India's software exports have registered a growth of 65 percent in 1997-98. The total export of computer software and services has been estimated at Rs 6,800 crores, while the overall exports of electronics and computer software and services registered a growth of 38.5 percent, claimed the annual survey of Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC). According to R.H. Naqvi, executive director, ESC, the overall export in electronics and software and services sector has touched Rs 12,500 crore in 1997-98.

The leading software export companies last year were Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro Ltd., Infosys Technologies Ltd., Tata Infotech Ltd., Pentafour Software and Exports Ltd., Cognizant Technology, and Satyam Computer Services Ltd., Naqvi said. This impressive growth has come in the face of many discouraging factors, Naqvi explained. "These include the South East Asian currency meltdown, recessionary trends in the principal markets and a general slowdown in the Indian industry."

Computer hardware and peripherals exports touched Rs 1,100 crore in the same period.

HCL's Visual Online Info System For Stock Brokers

Mohan Rao: Boon for bourses HCL Tradewatch, which HCL Infosolutions Ltd. calls India's first visual online information system developed specially for stockbrokers, was launched last month in Mumbai. The software is aimed at equipping stockbrokers with online, comprehensive and detailed information against a range of critical trading parameters including impact of every trade by a client on his gross exposure, net exposure and market to market status.

The new system also allows a National Stock Exchange (NSE) broker access to online client- or scrip-wise day volume, net status and trade details. It also enables stockbrokers to perform predictive analysis on net positions of his clients. In addition, HCL Tradewatch is capable of computing client-, scrip-, and day-, and settlement-wise information on general or specific global trading limits, claimed A. Mohan Rao, COO, HCL Infosolutions.

The software can be installed at any chosen location within the network and can be installed on desktop PCs with configuration of 100 MHz processor, 540 MB hard disk, and 16 MB RAM. A multi-coloured and audio alert mechanism is activated on reaching 80, 90 and 100 percent of his limits providing the stockbroker adequate time to take preventive action.

ORGA Launches 16K SIM Card in India

Germany-based smart card manufacturing company, Orga Kartensysteme GmbH, has launched 16K SIM cards for the cellular industry in India. At present, most of the existing cellular operators in India provide 8K cards. According to Jon Twigg, managing director, Orga, "Besides providing additional capacity for existing functions such as more entries in a phone book, and additional short messages, the 16K card is likely to drive the multiple applications on a card. This means that the SIM card could be used to operate as a bank accountant, an ATM (Automated Teller Machine), or even a vending machine."

With the 16K card, Smart Chip Ltd., the smart card system integrator for Orga, is especially geared up to take up projects which include smart card-based systems for vendor and inventory cards for inward goods, dispatch cards for distributors and retailers, and employee cards for time, access, facilities, canteen, pay, and cash, and health and insurance.

Said Sanjeev Shriya, director, Smart Chip, "The 16K will soon become the preferred choice of operators offering sophisticated services to customers."

Though a niche market at present, Shriya believes the smart card technology would soon sweep across all aspects of business operations in the country. He expects 40-50 million smart cards to be in circulation in India by 2000, of which his company expects to corner a 40 percent share. Smart cards are credit card-sized plastic cards with an embedded micro-chip which can be programmed for uses based around the identity and mobility of the holder. The micro chip stores data, holds security keys and encryption algorithms which ensure privacy and secrecy.

Smart Modular Opens SW Unit in B'lore

Smart Modular Technologies of US has decided to open its India Design Centre in Bangalore, the only other such facility outside Fremont, California, where it is headquartered.

Smart Modular Technologies is a designer and manufacturer of integrated circuit boards for speciality and standard memory modules, communication products, and embedded computers. According to Jeff Miller, vice president of Smart Modular, the company has a 10 percent market share in its range of products. It outsources for OEM customers like Intel, Compaq, Samsung, Fujitsu, Texas Instruments, IBM, Allied Signal, Hewlett-Packard and Cisco. The products supplied address functionalities from wireless and landline PC card, data/fax modems, pool boards, internal desktop modems, to telecom, networking, image processing and industrial process control products.

The Bangalore centre will assume complete design responsibility for many of the company's key product lines, particularly in the design of embedded computers for a wide range of electronic applications. The India Design Centre has been set up at a cost of Rs 10 crore, not including the year-long training offered by Smart to its initial team of engineers. It employs 12 systems engineers who will swell to 20 by year end. According to Gopal Krishnan, director, Smart Modular Technologies India, the company would organise joint partnership programmes with leading Indian technology institutes to develop and encourage talent in systems design.

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