HeadLine :SONATA TO BUILD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE IN HYDERABAD

POLICY
POLICY ON IT INVESTMENT REGIONS SOON
Moumita Bakshi Chatterjee, New Delhi
The Hindu Business Line In line with infotech industry's demand for creation of integrated modern townships in the country, Ministry of Communications and IT has prepared a draft policy on setting up of Information Technology Investment Regions (ITIRs).
According to sources, the Department of IT has already sought views of other ministries and departments including Urban Development, DIPP, Civil Aviation, as also the Planning Commission on the issue, and has received feedback from some of them. "We are waiting for other Ministries to respond, after which we will consider the feedback before preparing a cabinet note," sources said.
The ITIRs would be larger than IT SEZs in terms of format and include residential, office, commercial space in addition to schools and hospitals. Sources, however, pointed out that the Government is yet to finalise the policy.
"It is envisaged that the State Governments could propose the locations of ITIRs. At this stage the Ministry has not identified the places for setting up of integrated townships in the country," sources pointed out.
It may be recalled that the IT industry has been calling for strengthening of local infrastructure, with a Nasscom-McKinsey report in 2005 emphasising that India needed to deliver on both basic (power, public transport, international connectivity) as well as business infrastructure (office and retail space, security services).
"Between today (2005) and 2010 we estimate that the IT and BPO industries will have to employ an additional workforce of approximately one million workers near five Tier I cities (New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai), and about 600,000 workers across other towns in India," it had said.
The report had pointed out that IT and BPO sectors needed at least five new 'Gurgaon-plus' and five to seven new 'Pune-plus' integrated townships, and noted that the resulting burden on urban infrastructure was likely to be substantial.


INDUSTRY
MEXICO PRESIDENT TO VISIT INDIA'S TOP TECH FIRMS
New Delhi
The Economic Times Mexican President Felipe Calderon was expected to visit top technology companies in Bangalore on Tuesday, a day after he held talks with Indian leaders to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Calderon planned to tour the facilities of Infosys Technologies Ltd. and Wipro Ltd., India's second and third largest software exporters, according to an advisory released by the Mexican Embassy. He is also scheduled to tour the laboratories of Biocon Ltd., India's top biotechnology company.
The visit to Bangalore is intended to help Calderon understand the success of Indian outsourcing companies and encourage them to invest more in Mexico. Several Bangalore-based information technology companies operate centers in Mexico to provide services to US-based clients.


MEXICO TO SET UP KNOWLEDGE COMMISSION
Chicago
The Economic Times Mexico City is taking a leaf out of India's National Knowledge Commission (NKC) and is taking the help of its chairman Sam Pitroda to turn the megapolis of 20 million people into "the knowledge capital of Latin America."
The initiative has come from Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard who recently hosted Pitroda in the first in a series of visits to help evolve a plan that is expected to be operationalised by the end of the year.
He said when former city Mayor Manuel Camacho visited New Delhi and Bangalore he came back convinced that Pitroda's "enormous" success in building India's information and communications technology sector in the 1980s as well as his work at the Knowledge Commission could be leveraged in Mexico City.
"We are well aware of the amount of work Sam Pitroda put in to turn India into an ICT powerhouse it is today. We are also aware of what he is trying to accomplish through the Knowledge Commission. His visit made a big impact in terms of the clarity and practicality of his vision," Camacho said.


SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC TO SET UP MANUFACTURING PLANT IN HYDERABAD
Hyderabad
The Financial ExpressSchneider Electric is setting up its 10th manufacturing plant in Hyderabad with an investment of euro 5 million. The proposed plant will be used to manufacture high technology products used in electrical distribution, industrial control and automation for the global markets.
''We will further develop Schneider Electric India's global capabilities such as R&D, projects and services, software development. Besides, we leverage the capabilities in India to develop regional competency centres in projects and solutions,'' he said.


NOIDA SET TO GET GPS TECHNOLOGY FOR POLICE
Kapil Datta, Noida
Hindustan Times (Delhi edition)With the Noida authority sanctioning Rs 1.08 crore for a hi-tech police control room, Noida will probably become the second in India after Delhi to have Global Positioning System-based technology to track the patrolling vehicles and decrease response time.
Noida authority Additional Chief Executive Officer Y.K. Bahl said, "Noida Board on Monday approved the Noida Police project of hi-tech police command and sanctioned Rs1 crore. However police would be told to have tender process rather than giving it to HCL as proposed by them. HCL can also compete for the project. The company with the lowest price and better technology will be selected to implement the project."


IT PARKS/SEZ
NCCL BAGS RS 272-CR ORDERS
Hyderabad
The Hindu Business LineHyderabad-based Nagarjuna Construction Company Ltd (NCCL) has announced that it has bagged new orders totalling Rs 272 crore. Out of this, the major orders comprise a project for construction of shell and core in the SEZ Infocity in Hyderabad for Satyam Computer, worth Rs 96 crore. The second contract entails construction of a mall for Market City Mumbai project in Mumbai for Offbeat Developers, worth Rs 60 crore, a company release said.


LAND ACQUISITION FOR TECHNOCITY BEGINS
Thiruvananthapuram
The Hindu Business LineThe process of land acquisition for the proposed 'Technocity' project in Thiruvananthapuram has been initiated.
The Kerala Chief Minister, V.S. Achuthanandan, said in State Assembly on Tuesday that of the 507 acres of land identified for the project, draft declaration had been published for 205 acres and the work in respect of survey of the remaining 302 acres, after discussions with the land-owners was progressing at a brisk pace. The Technocity project is envisaged as the fourth phase of development of the existing Technopark.
Replying to questions, he said that Technocity would encompass projects that have huge development potential such as information technology, biotechnology and knowledge-based industries. Meanwhile, the acquisition of 100 acres of land for the third phase of development of Technopark is nearing completion.


VCF/PVT. EQUITY
FXLABS TO RAISE $5MN VC FUND
K Rajani Kanth, Chennai/ Hyderabad
Business Standard FXLabs Studios, a Hyderabad-based developer of game products for PCs and video game consoles, is in the process of raising $5 million (approximately Rs 20.5 crore) venture capital fund to steer its growth plans, including pitching in for more PC games based on popular Bollywood movies.
The company is a joint venture between Sashi Reddi, chairman and CEO of Philadelphia-based software testing firm AppLabs Technologies, and city-based Suresh Productions. Thus far, around $6 million (Rs 24.6 crore) has been infused into the company, with half of it invested by Reddi in his personal capacity.
"We have started negotiating with a few US-based venture capital firms, which have a proven track record in gaming, to add impetus to our plans. The fund-raising exercise should be completed in the next four to six months," Reddi, founder and chairman of FXLabs, told Business Standard.


M&A
ONMOBILE BUYS VOXMOBILI
Bangalore
The Hindu Business Line OnMobile, a telecom value added services (VAS) provider, has acquired the France-based Voxmobili for an undisclosed sum.
With this acquisition, OnMobile will strengthen its VAS data products offerings and accelerate its position within the global telecom VAS industry.
The acquisition of Voxmobili will add customers such as Orange, Cingular-AT&T, France Telecom, T-Mobile, Wanadoo and Turkcell to OnMobile's clientele. In addition, it will augment its current domain and technology competence due to the depth and breadth of Voxmobili's IP and cutting-edge proven data products.
Voxmobili's core products are centred on synchronised address book and advanced phone backup wherein mobile phone users can backup all their personal data including calendar and contacts onto a secure network-based server, and mobile paparazzi wherein mobile phone users can publish information, photographs and videos directly from their phones to Websites and mobile sites.


ZYLOG SYSTEMS EYES GLOBAL ACQUISITIONS
T.E. Raja Simhan & M. Ramesh, Chennai
The Hindu Business Line Zylog Systems Ltd will spend $10 million (Rs 41 crore) from the recent IPO to acquire two or three small companies in the US or Europe, the Chairman and CEO, Sudarshan Venkatraman, said.
The company had raised over Rs 575 crore through the IPO, issuing over 1.64 crore equity shares at Rs 350 each.
The Chennai-based IT company is looking at companies that specialise in providing software for the BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) vertical, he said.
Venkatraman said the acquisitions should be completed before December. Zylog is looking at companies to enhance the domain competence in areas like BFSI and telecom; expand service lines; obtain access to new markets/verticals and enhance technology footprints.


GENESYS PLANS TIE-UPS WITH TCS, RCOM
Rajesh Unnikrishnan, Melbourne
The Economic Times (Mumbai edition)Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, a subsidiary of French conglomerate Alcatel, is planning technological tie-ups with two of India's leading technology firms, TCS and Reliance Communications.
Speaking on the sidelines of GForce 2007, Sunny Rao, managing director, Genesys Telecommunication Labs India, said they were in the process of finalising alliances with TCS and Reliance Communications. "We will announce both these alliances formally very shortly," he said. While TCS is planning to develop new software applications for core banking and ERP by using software applications developed by Genesys, the US firm will manage Reliance's call centres as well as the small-sized call centres managed by Reliance Communications. Genesys, the leader in the call centre technology, recently unveiled some key technologies that could have an impact on the contact centre industry in the Asia Pacific region in the next 3-5 years.
At G-Force Melbourne, an event hosted by Genesys Telecom Labs USA recently in Melbourne in Australia, the entire global contact centre industry converged to discuss trends on technologies related to enhancing customer service and experience standards. Speaking at G-Force Melbourne, Wes Hayden, president & CEO, Genesys Telecom Laboratories, said they are expanding operations in India.


SOFTWARE
TECH MAHINDRA DEPLOYS SOLUTION FOR KUWAIT TELECOM FIRM
Mumbai
The Economic Times DNALeading software provider Tech Mahindra has successfully deployed the Adjunct Rating Solution (ARS) for telecom service provider Zain in Kuwait that would help it reduce operational costs and improve flexibility.
Zain Kuwait is the leading mobile telecommunications provider in the Middle East and Africa. The company operates under the Zain brand in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Sudan.
Tech Mahindra has used RateIntegration's PriceMaker Enterprise Pricing Server product, which has reduced operational costs, time-to-market for new services and improved the flexibility of the entire billing process for Zain in Kuwait, a company statement said here today.
This is Tech Mahindra's second installation of the Adjunct Rating Solution after a successful deployment at Zain in Jordan.


SONATA TO BUILD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE IN HYDERABAD
Bangalore
The Economic Times Deccan Herald Bangalore-headquartered Sonata Software Ltd, on Tuesday announced that it would set up its second development centre in Hyderabad as part of its growth strategy.
The company has been allotted seven acres of land in SEZ being set up by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, for setting up an IT campus, a company statement said. The land is located in the emerging IT hub at Kokapet, near Gachhi Bowli.
Sonata plans to invest Rs 100 crore to build the state-of-the-art campus, which will function as a dedicated facility for its global clients.
Sonata's present facility in Hyderabad has modern infrastructure, computing and working environment, the statement said.


RENAULT-NISSAN'S R&D CENTRE TO WORK ON CARS FOR GLOBAL MARKETS
S. Muralidhar, Chennai
The Hindu Business Line India's hopes of becoming the preferred global product development hub for small cars will receive another boost with the setting up of the Renault Nissan Technology and Business Centre India Pvt Ltd (RNTBCI).
Nissan's big plans for the centre include product development work for new vehicles that will be sold in other markets, in addition to developing India-specific vehicles. The Renault Nissan Technology and Business Centre India Pvt Ltd is a 50:50 joint venture between the French and Japanese automobile alliance partners.
Speaking exclusively to Business Line, Colin Dodge, Senior Vice-President, General Overseas Market (GOM) operations, Nissan, said that the new technology and business centre being set up here will play a key role in the Japanese automobile company's product development plans for many markets.
By 2010, when the RNTBCI unit will be fully staffed, it is expected to employ about 1,500 technicians, designers and information systems professionals. About 60 to 70 percent of the employees at the centre will be attached to the Nissan Technical Centre in Japan and will be involved in core product development activity, Dodge said. He added that at the initial stages, the RNTBCI would be providing basic CAD (computer-aided design) services, but will later scale up to cover the entire spectrum of product development work.
Design and development at the centre will also cover components that may be sourced from India for export and vehicles that are to be manufactured here for export to other countries.


SATYAM TO EXPAND PRESENCE IN ASIA-PACIFIC
V. Rishi Kumar, Hyderabad
The Hindu Business Line Mumbai Mirror IT services provider Satyam Computer Services Ltd today said that its business and revenues from Asia-Pacific are poised to grow with the company stepping up presence in Malaysia, China, Singapore and the region in particular.
From 85 per cent revenues few years ago from the US, the mix has changed to 20 per cent from Europe and 18 per cent from Asia-Pacific and this is likely to go up, B. Ramalinga Raju, Chairman of Satyam Computer, said.
Raju said that the company adopted 'follow the customer model' that suits their business requirements.
Earlier, Satyam announced 500-seat Global Solutions Centre (GSC) and expects to ramp this to about 2,000 people and has initiated work on the campus. The facility was inaugurated in the presence of Malaysian officials. The GSC with mostly Malaysian IT engineers, supports Satyam's ASEAN, West Asian, and American customers.
The GSC accelerates the consolidation of Satyam's Global Delivery Model 2.0, an integral part of the company's strategy to provide a distributed delivery capability for global customers. The GDM 2.0 calls for components of large-scale projects to be completed wherever it makes the most business sense, rather than having an entire programme in a single facility. This delivers cost reductions and in quality enhancements.


SYBASE TO TAP SMBS FOR POWERBUILDER 11.0
Vinay Umarji, Mumbai/ Ahmedabad
Business Standard The Indian subsidiary of one of the largest global enterprise software companies, Sybase Inc, intends to focus now on small and medium businesses (SMBs) in the country for its 4GL rapid application development (RAD) tool PowerBuilder 11.0.
The company initially set a target of promoting its newly-unveiled product in at least 5-6 tier-II cities including Ahmedabad, Kochi, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Dehradun and other cities.
PowerBuilder 11.0 is the latest version of one of the most popular products of Sybase's among application developers and enterprises across the world.
The tool enables developers to develop applications without incurring a significant cost or learning curve to understand new technologies. The RAD tool provides updated database support and support for Win32 and NET platform.
Post-launch, sales of licenses and upgrades have tripled for the company, informed Dave Fish, senior technical evangelist, Sybase Inc. He added that the company is eyeing a big growth for the market in its product, especially among the SMBs where the company sees a high potential for its usage.


IBS PLANS TWO CENTRES OUTSIDE KERALA
Thiruvananthapuram
The Pioneer IBS Software Services, a leading provider of new generation IT solutions to the global travel, transportation and logistics (TTL) industry, is planning to set-up shortly two new development centres outside Kerala, with the aim of growing into a Rs 1,000-crore company in three years, VK Mathews, chairman and managing director, IBS group, said.
Speaking at the tenth anniversary celebrations of the group here last week, Mathews said that IBS was now well equipped to seize the opportunities that the future will undoubtedly bring, in the dynamically expanding TTL domain, leading the company to the next level of growth, evolution and innovation.


HARDWARE
INDIAN INGENUITY FUELS HP'S PRINT 2.0 THRUST
Anand Parthasarathy, Singapore
The Hindu Business Line An online consumer photo storage and print service — a key element of global printer-leader Hewlett Packard's newly announced Web-enabled thrust — has a strong India connection: Snapfish, its hugely successful, Internet-based photo resource where registered users can store their family albums — and have them printed and delivered when required — is the brainchild of Indian Institute of Technology alumnus, Bala Parthasarathy who went on to co-found a US-based company of the same name in 2000.
By the time HP acquired the start-up in 2005, Snapfish had acquired 13 million customers who liked the way the free resource allowed them not just to put their pictures on line – but also to have them printed almost overnight when ever they needed prints.
This combo of secure storage and painless printing has seen the membership grow to 40 million today – using 4 peta bytes or 4 million gigabytes of storage, Parthasarathy Business Line, on the sidelines of HP's annual technology showcase here on Tuesday. Now the Vice-President of the printer major's Digital Imaging division, he added that Snapfish would soon be offered in an Indian edition — the planned launch is late 2007. While Indian members can already enjoy the online storage and album sharing features, HP is currently establishing links with printer players in as many Indian cities as possible before the 'desi' launch. "We will also Indianise much of the content like greeting card tools," Parthasarathy added.
Snapfish is one of the crucial ways HP is reinventing itself for what is being called Web 2.0 — the newly emerging 'Net-enabled' consumer era. Its own realisation is being called Print 2.0 – a mix of wireless printing, touch-based access technologies, kiosk-based printer services, and 'smart' solutions for printing content from the Web.


FISCAL SOPS IN NEW HARDWARE POLICY
Vrishti Beniwal, New Delhi
The Financial ExpressThe $35-billion hardware industry has a reason to cheer with the government all set to cut duties and taxes by almost half, bringing them on a par with the Asean level of 12-16%. At present, all the levies add up to about 30-32%.
The much-awaited hardware policy, which has been finalised by the department of information technology (DIT) and expected to be announced shortly, is likely to rationalise the taxes to give a fillip to the sector by encouraging competition, investments and employment.
"The hardware policy for the sector is almost ready and will be released shortly after consulting all the stakeholders. About 90% of the issues have been sorted out and it is in the final stages of formulation," a senior official in the department of information technology said. "To ensure that the domestic industry is not at a disadvantage, the policy will aim to bring taxation in India on a par with Asean."
The policy is also expected to address issues such as infrastructure and skill development besides specifying measures to leverage on research and development skills to make India a hardware hub.


SHARP LAUNCHES SOLAR BUSINESS IN INDIA
New Delhi
Business StandardJapanese firm Sharp today announced the launch of its solar business in India with an aim to take over 20 percent of the Rs 600 crore domestic market by 2010. "We hope to achieve Rs 100 crore turnover in the next three years from our solar business in India, but the company's internal targets are much higher," said Sunil K Sinha, managing director, Sharp Business Systems India. The solar energy business in India, estimated at Rs 400-500 crore, is expected to touch Rs 600 crore in three years and the company is eyeing a 20 percent share of this market. Sharp Business Systems India is one of the three subsidiaries of Sharp in India which sells multimedia projectors, facsimiles, electronic registers, LCD displays and electronic calculators in the country.


AMD LAUNCHES QUAD-CORE PROCESSOR
Bangalore
Business Standard The Economic Times (Delhi edition)Chip manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) on Tuesday unveiled its quad-core microprocessor Opteron, code named Barcelona, for servers used by data centres and enterprises. It is aimed at delivering higher performance, power efficiency, enhanced virtualization and upgradation. AMD Director (Marketing & Sales) Michael O'Brien said, "The Opteron processor-based servers, rolled out by original equipment manufacturers and system integrators, has shown 50 percent increase in energy efficiency, enhanced virtualization performance, investment protection when upgrading from dual core using the same power to reduce IT infrastructure costs.