A growing number of South African firms are starting to do business overseas - and a lot of that business is taking place on the Internet. It`s for this reason that South African companies trading internationally are using local Internet service providers that have links with those that operate in foreign markets.
These ISPs have a good knowledge of the particular needs of an international client base and can handle the logistics of managing the delivery of services internationally.
Now, instead of dealing with a foreign service provider, it`s possible to deal with SA`s largest provider of corporate Internet connectivity directly in Europe.
Internet Solutions (IS) has established a European hosting presence in conjunction with its London-based associate company, Baltic Internet Services (BIS). IS is able to offer South African firms hosting services in Europe, which are functionally equivalent to those offered by IS in SA.
Says Geoff Rehmet, a consultant at IS: "With the growing development of global online commerce, many South African companies are doing more business offshore, and need to be able to reach overseas markets.
"This requires that their online presence is developed in a way so as to optimally serve clients who are accessing their electronic business services from locations outside SA," he says.
Says Rehmet: "By locating Internet-based business services closer to overseas customers, organisations are able serve them better. Companies can make considerable savings on Internet bandwidth, as well as providing an enhanced user experience as a result of locating services closer to end-users."
If a company`s customers have to connect to a server located in SA to visit their Web site, it`s a lot slower than doing so over a shorter distance. The further away a Web site is, the slower the connection.
"By making use of IS`s international hosting service, South African customers are able to deal with a service provider, with whom they have an existing relationship, rather than having to establish relationships with overseas service providers," he says. IS`s international hosting solution in London includes the following services: hosting space, Internet bandwidth, backups, monitoring and hardware leasing and management.
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Internet Solutions (IS) is SA`s leading provider of infrastructure foundations for electronic business and the forerunner in providing companies with effective connectivity solutions.
At present, it connects over 1 500 organisations to the Internet and over 3 000 sites through its range of VPN Solutions, thus forming the primary electronic business community in SA.
IS offers a fully managed environment together with expertise in areas such as internet access, VPNs, hosting, dial-up, security and data management. Its best-of-breed infrastructure is without equal and has been the preferred choice of leading companies since 1993.
As the Internet industry leader, IS is also dedicated to sharing its success with others by providing improved access to education and information to all South Africans, particularly previously disadvantaged communities.
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