TIE-UPS: New Delhi Beckons Jerusalem

Fifteen top Israeli telecom vendors were in India
recently to explore business development opportunities in the field of telecom
and related services. Looking at India as a big opportunity for their products,
these companies met with India’s top telecom service providers. Most of the
companies were optimistic and excited about the current pace of telecom
deregulation in India. While a few of these companies have been present in the
country either directly or through their local partners, for many this was a
maiden business trip to India.

The companies which formed part of the delegation were
Arelnet for VoIP products and solutions; Audio Codes for VoIP gateways and ATM
access devices; Rad Data Communications for data communication; Axerra Networks
for multi service over IP/MPLS); Ceragon Networks for broadband wireless network
solutions; Allot communications for policy based network solutions); Tdsoft for
voice over new generation access solutions; Airslide for offloading solution for
wireless network; Formula Telecom Solutions for telecom management solution
provider; MER Group for communications infrastructure; Commatch for carrier
grade VoIP Access Gateways; BATM Communication for LAN switching and routing
products; and VocalTec (VoIP solutions). Some of these companies have already
been in India for some months

Most of these companies have a long-term plan for
India. In fact they are looking beyond just selling their products here. Many of
them are actively scouting for local partnerships. For instance, Arelnet is
looking at both competing and cooperating with other companies in the Indian
market. In fact, it has already appointed two distributors. Audio Codes is also
looking for partners and value-added resellers with good technical support and
software capabilities. TDSoft is also looking for partners. Radware, which
offers Internet traffic management solutions, will soon be opening its office in
Delhi with branch offices in Bangalore and Mumbai. Another company, Optibase is
here with its broadband digital video streaming server.

The MER Group, which was in India for the first time,
is not only looking at exploring business relationship but also at supporting
operators in the design and planning phase of their networks. The company offers
a range of smart monopoles for cell site location. VocalTec, the IP telephony
pioneer already has representations in India through Enkay Group and Nirvana
Management Group.

RAD Datacom has Mro-Tek as its partner. On the product
front, the company is focussing more on voice compression system and multiple
service access platforms mainly for carriers.

Allot Communications, the policy-based networking
vendor is looking at integrators and value added resellers who can target the
service provider market in India. Allot is presently doing a pilot with Hughes
Tele.com. Ceragon Networks is focussing on broadband carrier infrastructure
market and its focus areas are SDH, Sonet, wireless, IP, and ATM. Airslide
Systems deals in SMS over IP gateway, SS7 offload solutions and Internet
signalling offload systems. In India, the company is focusing more on SS7
expansions.

Ravi Shekhar Pandey