Net expert has global vision
Advances in technology will result in a single global telecommunications market, Equant's new business development manager for North Asia says.
Alfred Chan, a former senior account manager at Hongkong Telecom and senior international account manager at AT&T (HK), has seen the evolution of the telecommunications industry and the Internet in the territory.
Four years ago, while at AT&T, he co-ordinated the connection of Hong Kong Supernet to its Internet service provider in the United States and was one of the first people in the territory to surf the Net.
'The Internet is a great tool to use to get information from around the world,' he said. 'It's very useful for businesses. It can help sell your products and broadcast your message.' Mr Chan does little recreational Net surfing nowadays, however, preferring to use the Internet to find business information and to send e-mail to friends and family.
He concedes that his use of new technology is limited to a few basic software applications on his recently acquired Texas Instruments Extensa 570 laptop and on his home computer, which is a 'no-frills' model bought in Mongkok that sports an obscure brand name.
Conversely, Equant clients want to make full use of the most recent innovations in telecommunications and are demanding new applications.
'Equant is in the position to combine the existing technology into the latest computer platforms,' Mr Chan said.
'We want to help people get the most out of the network and to do it efficiently and effectively.' Equant, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, is a provider of global voice and data services such as managed data network services, virtual private networks, global voice services and electronic commerce.
Its aim is to extend its communications network to multinationals around the world.
'Every country is looking at different ways to get the [communications] market or different players to go global,' Mr Chan said. 'Eventually, it will be one global entity for the customers.
'They want a service provider which can support them globally.
'The service level should be the same in terms of where they do business, in terms of performance, reliability, service support and with people who can speak their own language.
'Equant will seek to meet their requirements.'
