SA consultancy wins Dubai contract

Orion Sitronix, a joint venture between two South African companies, has won a R30 million deal to supply technology consulting and building integration services for a development in Dubai, reports Business Day.

The company, formed by the Sitronix subsidiary of Sandbox Holdings and ECH Management Solutions, has opened an office in Dubai to handle the contract. The Dubai team will also bid for other contracts created by a construction boom taking place in the United Arab Emirates.

Technology used in the buildings will collate information on air conditioning systems, closed circuit security cameras, access control, fire detection, people counting, concierge services, asset tracing and maintenance, and send it to a central command centre to be managed. In the long term, the management software could link to other Al-Futtaim buildings in Dubai or across the region.

According to an IDC study, mobile business is becoming more common in South Africa as companies recognise changing work patterns, reports NetworkWorld.

The study, titled Market Opportunity for Mobile Solutions, was conducted by IDC on behalf of Research In Motion, developer of the BlackBerry. Researchers found that more than half of South African companies have rolled out mobile business products to up to 25% of their workforce, but only 20% of companies have mobilised 50% or more of their workforce.

The report stated that technology such as smartphones help ensure that "employees can be flexible to the company's needs and work in a way that allows them to balance their professional and personal life in an optimal way".

Telecommunications company ZTE has been awarded a contract from Chinguitel, a telecom carrier under Expresso Telecom Group, to help Mauritania build its first 2.5GHz mobile WiMax commercial network, says Press Releases.

Under the agreement, ZTE will provide core network equipment, wireless access devices and various communication terminals for indoor and outdoor use.

ZTE will provide Mauritania with the core network equipment to establish its WiMax 16e commercial network and help the country establish a CDMA and WiMax integrated network infrastructure.