IN THE PAPERS
In the papers 18 December
18-12-2007
by Sylvia Leatham
SWS to open Polish base | Eircom to launch 12Mbps business broadband product
The Irish Independent reports that Cork-based SWS is investing just over EUR1 million to establish an operating centre in Poland that is expected to employ 400 people within five years. The business process outsourcing (BPO) arm will handle some accounting and data management functions for companies including the London Independent and Belfast Telegraph. General manager Jim Costello said the move into Poland was prompted by a difficulty in sourcing staff here.
The Irish Times reports that Eircom is set to introduce a new business broadband product that will cost more than EUR2,450 a year. Eircom is set to introduce a new high speed 12Mbps broadband product for business customers priced at EUR204.49 a month including VAT, which will be available from 49 exchanges. An Eircom spokesman said "there will be greater value for broadband customers on offer in 2008". He also said the new product was not intended for consumers but for the "specific needs of a small number of high bandwidth users".
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is making plans to launch the iPhone in Japan. Sources familiar with the situation say Apple chief Steve Jobs recently met with NTT DoCoMo's president, Masao Nakamura, to discuss a deal to offer its iPhone through Japan's dominant mobile operator. These people said Apple has also been talking to No. 3 operator Softbank and executives from both companies have made multiple trips to its Cupertino, California headquarters. Spokespeople at Apple, DoCoMo and Softbank declined to comment.
According to the Financial Times, Tradus, the internet auction site formerly known as QXL Ricardo, has recommended a STG946 million offer from Nespars which will see the South African media group expand into Eastern Europe. The deal is worth STG18 per share in cash and represents a 19.2 percent premium to the share price the day before Tradus said it had had a bid approach in early November.
The paper also notes that Chinese PC maker Lenovo said it may have to scale back its launch into the European consumer market next year, if the credit crisis and economic slowdown worsen. Milko Van Duijl, president of Lenovo's EMEA division, said the company was monitoring the situation closely and would take a final decision in the first quarter.
The paper also says that leading Indian IT firms are bracing themselves for a US backlash against the industry in the run-up to the 2008 presidential elections. "It will be a potent combination of a weak economy and an election year," warned Nandan Nilekani, co-chairman of Bangalore-based Infosys Technologies. "Concern about [the transfer of US] jobs could rise and we are preparing for that." Ron Somers, president of the US-India Business Council, an advocacy organisation representing top US companies investing in India, said he was worried that "a backlash against global sourcing could rise up yet again".
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 