The Hindu Business Line : Nortel plans new products, services for SMEs

Communication equipment maker, Nortel said on Tuesday it would give a strong push to its small and medium enterprises (SME) business in India through a new set of products and services.

"Indian SMEs are now turning to information and communication technology to simplify and enhance their businesses. We have recognised this opportunity and shall strive along with our partners towards driving simplification and speed... ," said Mr Ashoka Valia, Managing Director, Nortel India.

The timing is right with broadband and other communication infrastructure in place even in smaller cities and towns across India.

Under this plan, the company will offer plug-and-play products and after-sale support through its own network and contact centre. Nortel has eight channel partners and around 2,000 resellers in India.

SMEs in India are expected to spend $ 7.7 billion in 2006 to strengthen their information technology infrastructure and solutions, according to a study by New York-based AMI Partners.

Companies such as Cisco, who compete with Nortel, are also aggressively tapping the SME market in India by introducing tailor-made products for the SME segment and reaching out to smaller cities and towns.

"Small businesses will have to compete hard with big players to attract and retain customers these days," he said.

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