Avantel to offer end-to-end VPN solutions

HYDERABAD: Avantel Softech Ltd., a Hyderabad-based e-services provider is
planning to offer complete solutions for Virtual Private Network (VPNs). In a
bid to establish itself as a provider of total solutions for VPN, the company is
planning to associate itself with some US based manufacturers of switches.
"We are looking forward to providing a complete solution for VPNs,
including a modem, a switch and security firewall. We are already in talks with
some US-based manufacturers of switches regarding that, and we are hopeful of
the product to be released in about six months time," said Avantel managing
director A Vidyasagar.

The company, which started its software division in 1998, offering both
offshore as well as onsite development, is working closely with Nisus Inc., a US
based wireless application provider. It is developing software for PDAs like
Palm, RIM and pagers. "We are working on Rule Markup Language in developing
the software, which is used for the customization of PDAs. We are trying to
build intelligent systems. The idea is to build intelligence into databases and
we call it ‘expert systems’," he explained.

The company has also forged an alliance with a Singapore based company Venkye
Information Technologies, to develop B2C applications. "We are already in
the process of developing a portal www.legalinfo.com
which would cater to legal queries of the users for the Singapore based
company." He said. "I believe that our main strength is the facility
for in house research and development in Hyderabad. Recently, we have received a
loan of Rs 1.3 crore from Technical Development Board (TDB) for undertaking
research and development of HDSL systems."

The company is in the process of expanding its US operations by increasing
its members from the present 7 to about 25 by the end of April 2001. "We
opened our US office in Boston primarily to focus on software development with
an initial investment of around $250,000. This figure is likely to go up to
$800,000 as we are planning to expand our team there," he explained. The
company, which employs 150 people generated Rs 12 crore of revenues for the year
ended March 2000. This year, the company expects to generate around Rs 16 crore.