Village_Domino, a joint venture of IBM, Lotus,
and Telecom Italia, has launched, offering Italian businesses turnkey
solutions to the Web.
More than just e-mail, newsgroups and chats, the “total
package” concept of Village_Domino,
according to a recent
statement, provides the hardware solutions of IBM, for those customers
needing equipment, the software know-how of Lotus, and the Internet
backbone of Telecom Italia.
When a business client, large or small, joins the “Village,” a sales
representative first evaluates their needs. Next, depending on the specific
requirements, Village_Domino can offer them everything from simple ISP
access to enhanced Web service and office intranet.
According to a spokesperson for Village_Domino, “IBM, with its Netfinity,
is the number one business network server in the world. Lotus, with Domino,
is on the cutting edge of software applications for both Internet and
intranet. And Telecom Italia, with its Village concept, is the undisputed
leader in advanced telecommunications in Italy.”
Telecom Italia, through its sister company, Telecom Italia
Network (TIN), maintains a 50 percent share of the country’s Internet
customers, based on a Databank report for July 1998. Italy’s top 11 ISPs,
after TIN, hold 36 percent of the market, while nearly 600 other companies
share the remaining 14 percent.
The Village_Domino partners are hoping to achieve similar success with
Italy’s business sector. The goal is to increase commercial Internet usage
for day-to-day operations, as well as enhance business sales through Web
marketing, meaning more Web site design and maintenance.
“There is no need for companies to invest large sums,” explained a
Village_Domino spokesperson. “We provide the know-how, the personnel to
set-up and maintain a company’s communications system and the customer
support. We offer software solutions to fit the client’s need. All a
business is required to have is at least one computer. And we can also
assist with that, if required.”
