Business needs a change of mindset on online data, says Paratus

Business must change the way it deals with its data connectivity in order to benefit from latest technology, leading internet service provider Paratus Telecom Zambia has urged.

As the data connectivity landscape has evolved in Zambia, businesses need to switch to thinking about their online requirements in terms of bandwidth rather than the bundle-based approach used by consumers.

“It’s important that business houses should change their mindset and seek appropriate internet connectivity to support business performance and customer service,” said Paratus sales executive Andrew Shaw in a presentation to the British Chamber of Commerce Zambia.

Mr Shaw told business executives:

”Most businesses depend on a fast, reliable internet connection for all aspects of their business. Fewer of them understand what separates bundle-based consumer products from the enterprise solutions that provide efficient and robust systems and professional support to enable them to move to the next level and benefit from MPLS (office to office connectivity), secure data storage and hosted servers and services.”

The meeting, dubbed “Internet Data: Why Business Needs a Change in Mindset”, was held at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka and attracted businesses, individuals and members of the British Chamber of Commerce Zambia.

Paratus emphasised the importance of keeping data safe. No company can survive if all its data is lost such as accounting information, customer accounts or stock inventory, said Mr Shaw, who emphasised the need for companies to ensure data is backed up securely and safely. It was also crucial that businesses realised that this facility was available at low cost, now, in Zambia.

Speaking at the same function, NetOne Chief Executive Officer Bejoy Nettikadan explained that with institutional data constantly growing it was critical that organisations considered the dependencies on their data and how the business will plan for consistent access to this data at an optimal cost. Organisations are looking more closeely at how to ensure business continuity in the event of system failures and how companies can ensure the lowest recovery times possible in the event of such failures. With the volume of data residing in institutions today, businesses look to ensure more of their data is localised, reducing costs of international internet traffic.

“Several of the country’s top companies are taking business continuity very seriously. However more has to be done to educate businesses that this can be achieved in Zambia in a very cost effective way.” Mr Nettikadan added.

(Source: Langmead & Baker Ltd)