MantraNet to set up Indian subsidiary

BANGALORE: US-based MantraNet., which is into Internet applications, data

networking, and broadband networks is starting its subsidiary in India by the

name Mantra Broadband Pvt Ltd. The Indian subsidiary will focus on the

development of software and hardware products in India. The development team

located in the Indian subsidiary and the development team in the US operations

will jointly develop the products at their respective locations. The modules

developed will then be integrated either at US or at the subsidiary facility,

depending on the product and project, tested and released.

Speaking about the India operations, MantraNet President Neil Snyder said,

"The software development will be in the Internet and communications domain

in the first two years and the company wishes to enhance the scope of

development to other domains from third year onwards in the subsidiary."

On its business plans, Snyder said, "Presently Internet market is

growing in India It is in the early stages, so to achieve the globalization

plans, Mantra's immediate and unanimous choice has been to set up a development

center in India." Speaking about the Mantra's solutions he said that the

company is planning to bring its Intelligent Bandwidth Exchange (IBeX) to India.

"IBeX enables Service Providers to market, sell, and cross-sell the

delivery of multi-tiered services across heterogeneous network and application

infrastructures. IBeX integrates with existing management systems, business

support systems, operational support systems, network elements, and applications

platforms to streamline and automate the Service Provider's business processes.

The IBeX e-business solution allows providers to determine the build-out of

their infrastructure, and the cost basis for the services they provide. Capacity

is divided into build-out and premium service pools. A cost basis is associated

with each service. The build-out design is reduced from a lengthy and complex

process to a few clicks using Mantra's solution", he said. On this regard,

Mantra Broadband is in talks with few ISPs in India. We are finalizing the deal

in three to five months says Snyder.

For its India operations, the company is planning to invest around $4 million

in the first year and plans to invest around $25-30 million by the year 2003.

Mantra is planning to recruit 90 employees in the first year and to reach 500 by

the end of three years of operations.