"Getting caught in the net may be easier than most people think"

"Hooked in Cyberspace"

ith the introduction of basic Internet access in September, and, the coming on-stream of the country's first full-service Internet access provider, InterServ Limited, last month, the net seems even more inviting and mysterious than before.

It has also become an exciting place for people to just roam and explore.

This easy access for multi-million dollar corporations, as well as the small sole trader, makes the net one of the most cost effective media for businesses to display their goods worldwide.

"The unique thing about the world wide web that makes it different from television, radio or practically any other type of advertising medium, is that when a customer goes on the web he is looking for something.. even if it is only information- and he is ready to buy," says Paul Pereira, Managing Director of InterServ.

"It is even more enticing when you realise that your Internet experience can incorporate more than just photos or written text. It is an interactive playing field where you can travel the world in an instant, and, video or audio clips ensure that you don't miss out on any of the sights and sounds along the way.

"Can you imagine, without packing a bag, a person can visit any country in the world and experience the full textures and cultures of the islands. Through three dimensional digital imaging, a visitor has the option to take a quick glimpse of the sandy shores of our exotic paradise or tour several hotel rooms before making a choice about reservations!

"All this and more is what the net promises," says Pereira.

Net business

"This is part of the reason why the net is so dynamic. Putting it into the perspective of commerce, it impacts directly on the efficiency and reliability of advertisers on the net."

Everyone has the same information about the market and everyone is competing on the same level playing field. This means that price becomes less of a factor as product differentiation will come via the quality of service or product on sale.

"As the Internet is new to Trinidad, we are facing a unique problem where our clients do not know what they want or even what is available. We are breaking new ground so, as a service provider we cannot just go to sell a product... we have to educate as well.

"To add to this, the Internet has been getting a lot of publicity, so there is the demand for more information about the system," says Pereira. "So our challenge is to get people aware and educate them about the services, the limitations, the opportunities and what is available on the net.

"Even within InterServ, technology about the world wide web is moving so fast that by the time we fully understand one program with which we have been working. We have to be preparing ourselves for updated versions, more challenges and new opportunities.

"Our aim is to be a reliable full service Internet provider, from building home pages initially for organizations and businesses wanting to get on the net, to providing support services for individuals surfing the net.

"So far we have more than 500 individual clients, and that was before our service came on- line. About 20 corporate clients have already paid for some form of service - from home page development to network administration and staff training programs.

Net server

"This response has been encouraging. We have the most advanced system in the region. The system is the latest offering of the Digital Alpha Servers, featuring 64 bit processing power, running on a fully redundant back-up system.

The system offers full Internet access with no limitations and includes full ISDN readiness, enabling it to facilitate video conferencing and real audio with ease. There is a lot of excess capacity on the system so we are also in a position to offer the service not only to Trinidad, but to the region as well. Pereira adds that the options available on the net are so wide that it can be a valuable asset for any type of business wishing to expand their horizons.

"For the individual or sole trader most Internet access providers offer the basic dial up service which can include giving clients an e-mail address allowing them to receive and send e-mail.

This is important for businesses which do a lot of trading abroad and need to communicate through an inexpensive medium.

However, the dedicated dial- up service is for more sophisticated companies which need access to the net all the time and cannot wait until a modem is available.

One step further is the dedicated high speed leased line service. This is generally used by corporations with local area networks which need access to the web for numerous persons, from various departments, 24 hours a day. At this stage it is more cost effective and convenient to get the leased line, as access is guaranteed.

The more advanced hook-ups include Internet servers which provide a dedicated server hosted at InterServ's Network Operations Centre. This server is connected directly to InterServ's "backbone server."