My First Network
This is the name of an innovative initiative from Cisco in Chile in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy to support and help small companies to use the network as a competitive advantage—to improve processes, increase productivity, reduce operational costs and improve competitiveness.
With the broadband penetration in Chile close to nine percent of the population, the highest in Latin America and one of the best in Emerging Markets, Chile is Latin America’s most competitive economy according to a yearly survey by the World Economic Forum. The Global Competitiveness Index 2009-2010, released earlier this week, cited Chile’s ability to stimulate the economy in the current slowdown, its sophisticated business sector, and how it effectively absorbs technology and knowledge coming from abroad.
Chile is using ICT to improve competitiveness and increase productivity. With this new initiative, Chile will use the network as a platform to make a huge difference for small companies that want to reach out to new markets, export, and innovate.
The idea here is to provide small companies with resources, financing, training and equipment to start implementing their first network, a basic one, to share data and voice and perhaps video.
Interestingly, the initiative will also provide technology “as a service”. Managed services are one of the most effective methods for companies to reduce IT costs while gaining access to innovative network technologies that can establish a competitive advantage. The service provider manages and administers the network equipment and applications, reducing hardware and operational costs for the client. The company pays a monthly rent per-user basis.
It’s a good start. Perhaps in the future we will announce “My first Data center” or “My first Medianet” solution. But for now, Chile is taking a leap frog with strategic IT initiatives like My First Network to make their economy more competitive in a networked world. Private and public sector are working together to make things happen.
Congrats!
Guillermo Moya from Cisco Chile talks about my First Network
Posted by Felipe Lamus at 02:03PM PST
Bryce Harper Sep 18, 2009
I have worked with and hired many university graduates from Chile. They have many people going into the IT field more specifically in networks. I am excited to see Chile grow in the future because I believe they will become a Cisco powerhouse in South America.