The winner this year could teach American’s a thing or two about rural internet. What started as an accomodation to let the boss work from home after a disabling event turned into a new way to do rural broadband.
From Computerworld NZ
New Zealand’s economy is underpinned by small enterprises, businesses that are becoming increasingly technology-savvy in order to box above their weight in competitive markets….
When, in 2005, IT solutions and training company Canning and Associates decided to build a fast internet connection so owner Bridget Canning could train customers from home while incapacitated, the project was written off as expensive madness by detractors.
Over the next two years, the network grew and now boasts 160 users, a figure that is expected to reach 200. It offers high bandwidth that in turn lets Canning and Associates offer its services and support to rural customers — from home.
[Another project] entered for the Awards is the Sweet VadaXchange that combines phone and customer relationship management (CRM) systems into a single package. Vadacom’s own VadaXchange lets staffers make and receive phone calls anywhere without the company incurring extra costs, thanks to the phone system’s mobile and remote IP extensions.
An open source package, SugarCRM, maintains sales data and provides sales support for staff members. Nokia E61 mobile phones are used by all staff, to allow them to work from home and be more productive.
Image Courtesy Computerworld NZ
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