Internet Solutions (IS), a leading converged communications service provider, has announced a partner agreement with Odirile IT Holdings, a broad-based black economic empowerment company with focus in the ICT sector.
Odirile has extensive government experience and played an integral role in IS`s recent bid and subsequent awarding of the tender to act as the ISP to the government.
"Odirile has all the necessary skills and services to partner with us on the SITA project," says IS National Sales Director Tony Walt. "We started our relationship specifically to handle the SITA bid but our agreement could extend beyond that and we are currently exploring these opportunities and synergies."
Jerry Mashinini, Executive Chairman of Odirile IT Holdings, is bullish about the SITA project and future joint projects with IS.
"The country needs good, solid infrastructure to enable all levels of business to grow, especially the SMMEs and rural communities. Odirile`s involvement in the delivery of services to SITA in conjunction with IS broadens our scope of products, allowing us to provide these communities with additional services."
IS technicians will be working closely with Odirile, providing hands-on coaching and mentoring. Skills transfer and SMME support is imperative to facilitate more than 800 local government offices coming online over the next five years.
Mashinini concludes: "We`ll be working closely with IS to achieve these goals while providing each region with robust and reliable connectivity. We`ll build the capacity in each area, create jobs and bring the power of the Internet to communities that currently have no access."
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Internet Solutions (IS) has transformed its business model and become a leading converged communications service provider in the country.
The business was founded on the principle of developing a robust infrastructure in order for corporates to conduct e-business. Over the past decade IS has established itself as a leader in this space, attracting over 80% of SA`s top businesses as clients.
During its 10-year life span, IS has evolved and grown its service offerings. Today, the company is the leading hosting service provider and security service provider in SA, as well as having significant market share in the virtual private network and application service provider space.
Internet Solutions, with an Empowerdex BBB rating, has earned an impressive collection of accolades, including eight First National Bank "Most Admired" awards, two Financial Mail Best Company to Work For awards, a place in the Top Unlisted Company Awards, first place in the ISP category for ComputerWeek Strategist`s Best of Breed IT Awards, 2004, and 8th in the Top ICT Companies, 2005.
The company partners with major players such as Cisco, Microsoft, Oracle BT and AT&T and in 2002 was certified as a Cisco Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), the first and only company outside of the US to be awarded this accolade.
Odirile IT Holdings
Odirile IT Holdings is a subsidiary of Odirile Investment Holdings. As an investment holding company, Odirile is committed to fostering the growth and development of black economic empowerment in carefully selected sectors of the South African economy, including the ICT industry, mining and industrial supply, and professional consulting services.
Established in January 2004, Odirile Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd is a broad-based black economic empowerment company that represents the shareholding interests of a dynamic team of entrepreneurial professionals, a group of black-owned small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs), the Tshwane Women`s Forum, and two community-based organisations - Umkhonto We Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA-Tshwane) and The Solomon Mahlangu Trust.
Odirile regards true broad-based economic development of historically disadvantaged communities as a non-negotiable foundation of its business and investment philosophy.
For more, visit www.is.co.za.
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