CAN Info-Tech 2002 opens; receives exciting response

January 25, 2002
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By Ram Sharan Sedhai

KATHMANDU, Jan 25: The Eighth CAN Info-Tech and Nepal Information Technology Show & Conference 2002, the biggest annual event of the Information Technology (IT) in Nepal, opened for public from today at the Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC), has received warm response from the visitors.

The display and test of Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), carried out by Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) was one of the major attractions for the visitors.

ISDN is a technology that provides different services at a time, like voice mail, text, video and data through a single access to the network. In a country, where one has to wait for a couple of years to get one telephone connection, such modern technology would be a boon for the customers for those who own single telephone line.

Deputy General Manager of the NTC, Ratna Kaji Tuladhar said that the test of ISDN has been successful and the Corporation is going to introduce the service to its customers in a couple of months.

Similarly, video conference displayed by Mercantile Office System (MOS), the pioneer IT company, also drew a considerable number of visitors. They watched the live demonstration with great curiosity as it has not yet reached the general public, though the government had opened it for the private sector a few years back. Likewise, the miniature replica of satellite put on display by MOS was observed by a large number of visitors with keen interest.

Most of the visitors were seen just acquiring information on various new products and services while a few were either booking or buying goods and services. Some of the Internet Services Providers (ISPs) were able to attract a good number of visitors especially asking them to drop visiting cards to participate in a lucky draw that gives away free Internet connections up to three months to the winners.

College students were seen lined up in front of IT institutes, which offer special discount packages on various courses. From IT related magazines to personal computer (PC) traders were busy getting subscribed their products. Other attractions of the event include free Internet access and a good number of young visitors stuck to the computers browsing Internet.

A sizeable number of IT professionals and experts attended two separate talk programs organised this morning.

Kumari Bank Limited, Temenos Holdings NLBV and NCAT Trading House Pvt Ltd organised a talk programme on Technology – The Winning Edge in Banking, in which Kim Goodall, Deputy Chairman of Temenos, the world’s leading banking software producer, and others also made presentation on the occasion.

Similarly, another talk programme on Total Quality Management was also held today, in which Lasse Laaksonen, President and CEO of Inbiton Oy presented papers highlighting the need of quality management in software production.

Many IT professionals, experts and interested individuals are awaiting for a two-day international IT conference which begins On Saturday.

According to Lochan Lal Amatya, President of Computer Association of Nepal (CAN), the organiser of the show, Role of Government in Supporting the Growth of IT-enabled Services, Software Export from Nepal and Join the Global IT Revolution: Offshore Software Services from Nepal are the main topics of the conference. A panel discussion on Creating a Network Society in the 21st Century will also be held.

More than 250 IT professionals and experts from 10 countries are taking part in the international IT conference.

An upbeat C N Upadhyaya, Co-ordinator of the CAN Info-Tech 2002, said that the visitor turnout has crossed their expectation on the first day. A total of 15,500 people visited the show today, which is far greater in number compared to the first day of the last CAN Info-Tech.

“We are very much hopeful that the visitors would cross our expectation during the five days,” said Upadhyaya.

Altogether 96 companies are participating in the show in the 5-day show that CAN expects a total of 150,000 visitors, which runs up to January 29.