-NIXU LTD: Finnish Internet consulting company lands major project.

M2 PRESSWIRE-23 October 1998-NIXU LTD: Finnish Internet consulting company lands major project (C)1994-98 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:221098

-- Nixu Ltd. Launches an Internet backbone network project in Saudi-Arabia

Finnish Internet consulting house Nixu Ltd. will be planning and launching technologically high-quality Internet services in Saudi Arabia. Nixu Ltd. has concluded a three-year project agreement with the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The total value of the project is approximately $6,5 million.

During the project, Nixu will launch a maintenance centre for the Saudi Arabian backbone network in the capital city of the Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. The centre will enable establishment of the necessary international connections, domain name service for Saudi-Arabia's sa domain and other functions of the backbone network. Once the services have been set up, Nixu will take care of the backbone network maintenance. At the same time, Nixu will train local staff who will be responsible for these tasks once the project is over.

KACST is a Saudi-Arabian science and technology centre monitored by the committee led by the King. KACST promotes and supports scientific research and coordinates the activities of research institutes that specialise in different fields. The task of KACST is to build and develop the infrastructure required by research institutes, including establishing a data communications network and granting funds for scientific research. KACST also monitors research institutes subordinate to it in the fields of solar energy, astronomy and geophysics, space research, petrochemistry, nuclear energy, environmental studies and natural resources, information technology and electronics.

"Saudi Arabia has only recently cancelled prohibitions and restrictions concerning the use of the Internet, and legislation now permits the establishment of companies providing Internet services. The project to be launched will make the Internet available all over the country while taking its unique national requirements into account. A filter mechanism preventing connections to sources which are immoral or religiously or socially undesirable will be built in the system," says Nixu Ltd. Managing Director, Oiva Karppinen.

The services of the Internet backbone network will also be utilised by local Internet service provider companies which offer both permanent connections and connection via telephone networks for both private individuals and companies. KACST grants licences for service provider companies. Seventy companies have already applied for licence.

Small Company Beat Big Corporations

Several large international teleoperators, computer companies and consulting companies contended for the project. "The customer felt that our offer was technologically superior. We are pleased with the recognition. This project will be a very important future reference for all our activities," says Oiva Karppinen.

Nixu has established an office in Riyadh for the Saudi Arabian project. Ten Nixu staff members are presently working in the project, most of them at the Riyadh office in cooperation with Saudi Arabian partners. The project breaks new ground for Nixu Ltd. The company is seeking new employees who are experts in the field of Internet technology.

"We have sound expertise coupled with good experience in planning and launching high-quality technology Internet services in collaboration with Sonera (former Telecom Finland). Several companies specialising in information technology and network security are our customers and partners, for example, Nokia, DataFellows, SSH Communication Security and Ericsson," says Karppinen.

"While preparing this project, it has become evident that Finland has a good reputation as an expert in information technology. This also influenced the decision of the subscriber," says Karppinen.

The value of the concluded agreement has remarkable effect on Nixu's growth for this and coming years. "We have taken great care in preparing the project and received invaluable support and expert opinions from many individuals and communities," says Karppinen. "Nixu has received valuable advice and support from Finnish Foreign Trade Association, Finnish Guarantee Board and also from German university consultants, who helped KACST to design the project."

Nixu is an Independent Consulting Company

Nixu Ltd., an independent consulting company, was established in 1988, and its staff holds the majority of shares. The company specialises in Internet technology and network security. Nixu both plans and launches practical solutions for communication network services for teleoperators, data communication suppliers, and organisations specialising in other fields.

"We create solutions that provide safe remote work connections, extranet solutions that serve company's customers and partners, and intranet solutions for large companies", Oiva Karppinen explains. The company also provides Internet and Unix support services.

"We have versatile and extensive knowledge in network security. We build TCP/IP firewalls and encrypting systems, conduct surveys to determine the customers' data networks, and plan and launch required network security systems. Companies may order the services of our Tiger Team, which carries out attacks in order to check the security of their network systems."

Nixu's specialty is information system integration. "One of our integration solutions is our own invoicing system, which is connected to the ePostLetter server of the post office via e-mail. We send invoicing message internally via e-mail to our ePostLetter server, which sends them to the post office ePostLetter system. The post office then prints them out to be sent to the customer in the form of a letter," explains Karppinen.

CONTACT: Oiva Karppinen, Nixu Ltd. Tel: +358 9 478 1021 e-mail: Oiva.Karppinen@nixu.fi

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