IT made easy: IT training and support, when applied properly, can produce remarkable productivity improvements almost overnight. Kevin Kevany reports.(IT TRAINING & SUPPORT)

You've finally accepted that you simply aren't getting the return you need out of your IT system. All your colleagues are flaunting their productivity gains, their iPads and smartphones. And you know you only use about a third of the functions in Microsoft Office.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

So what do you do first: get smart or get help? It's not quite the 'chicken or the egg?' conundrum. But you need to find the right, non-geek-speak experts, replete with firm opinions and armed with experience in applying both, to not find yourself being left behind the opposition.

Pam Martin, the IT dynamo who heads up Positive Connexions and author of Beneath the Knowledge Wave, is also the guiding light behind the Kiwi Computer Challenge - an initiative which might subsequently be seen as more important than the Rugby World Cup for New Zealand, irrespective of whether we win or lose, to ensure 1,000,000 Kiwis will have the internationally-recognised Internet and Computer Core Certificate (IC3) qualification by 2015.

She puts it in her inimitable style thus: "Our local business owners/managers spend more time and care on their company cars - after all, we watch Top Gear; we know about cars! - than we do around our IT systems.

"Yet crashing a car will have less impact on a business than losing all your records because you didn't back up your computer system."

Martin believes IT training should be enhanced to "initiating, familiarising and educating", so the real problem facing SME entrepreneurs, both at the outset and as the business grows, is correctly addressed.

"After all, if you look at the NZTE capability training or the Biz website there is no reference to needing to learn how to use a computer to start or grow a business. Even the 'frequently asked questions' around starting a business don't mention that you need computer skills - before you start.

"In fact, it's worse; most books, courses and mentor/coaching programmes fail to include the need for at least core computer skills," she says.

NZBusiness has a high opinion of both those organisations, but she certainly has a point.

Martin again: "The other key issue is that even if small business owners decide they want to learn how to use a computer, where do they go? The Government has systematically cut funding for level 2 courses (high school level) through Community Education and many other training organisations.

"Yet technology and ultra-fast broadband are lauded as the solution to our low productivity. All that initiative is going to do is 'help' people to make mistakes faster, if they aren't trained."

Stu Lees, founder of the aptly named, Zero Down, is another refreshing and challenging voice on the issue of IT training and support. He puts his money where his mouth is: his customers should expect more than 99 percent "uptime". His message? Do it properly; or don't bother.

"It's essential that the business and the IT support provider establish agreed outcomes, with measurable KPIs, to keep the IT partner 'honest'."

His examples of these agreed support outcomes include:

* A Service Level Agreement on response time and job closure times.

* System uptime targets should be higher than 99 percent.

* System Maintenance Completion and Backup Tests.

* IT Support Usage by Fault Type (where am I spending my money?).

* Most businesses do NOT want to be tied-down to lengthy contracts with penalty clauses for making changes.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"All training requires end-user buy-in to the outcomes for it to be successful. In other words, there's no point teaching someone in accounts on how to create snazzy Powerpoint presentations and, likewise, Excel macro writing is probably completely wasted on the marketing team."

And when last did you hear anything as refreshing as this?

"I've actually heard of IT guys who state in a contract, 'backups are the responsibility of the customer'. But aren't IT people supposed to look after all of the IT? Have you ever calculated the cost of not having backups working 100 percent?

"Don't tolerate this," says Lees. It should be the responsibility of the IT firm to manage your data backups and to prove to you on a regular basis, that the backup solution they've put in place is actually working."

This should be music to anyone's ears. And so different to what Lees cautions against: the "he did, she did" playground twirl you too often hear between the hardware and software provider.

"It's called a lack of accountability. Or blaming other IT vendors or the systems themselves.

I call this the 'IT Vendor Shuffle'. You may have experienced it: the IT guy blames a problem on the Internet provider, who blames the telco, and no-one works together to sort the problem out.

"Your costs can skyrocket in these situations as everyone is charging you, but problems can take a long time to resolve. Your IT provider should be the central point of accountability for all IT matters. Their job is to keep IT stuff working so that you can focus on the business," says Lees.

What's holding you back?

According to Pam Martin, once you are IT aware you can go out and ask for help.

"Finding the right IT support can ensure that you buy the right technology for your business.

Before signing on; do a reference-check. When you are dealing with a subject you don't fully understand, it is important to check references."

So what is holding NZ SMEs back?

Martin again: "The main excuses for small businesses are: "I can't afford it", "I'm too busy", "I don't want staff out of the office", "I don't know what training we need", and "I need to understand the ROI".

Could online training - largely rejected by the corporate IT gatekeepers in the 80s when companies like Boeing were training pilots on the Plato computer-based training system, which achieved "mastery" (or total knowledge) - finally turn out to be the answer?

"Yes," says Diane Coomber of the Kinetics Group, winner of the 2010 Microsoft New Zealand Small Business Solution of the Year Award and three times past winner of a Microsoft New Zealand Small Business Partner Award.

"There are several ways they can do this. Online training is one option. The Microsoft Virtual Academy will help you improve your IT skill-set and help you advance in your career with a free, easy to access training portal. You can learn at your own pace, focusing on Microsoft technologies, gain points and get recognition.

"Another option is personal training at the desk - computer coaching. Kinetics Group has recognised the efficiencies enjoyed by having an expert come to the user's desk to help 'in their context'.

"We've invested in a dedicated coaching team which will visit client sites and deliver training specific to their requirements. Whether it is one-on-one training or in a group session, we believe that our clients should have the best return on their software investment."

Or you could 'grow your own' trainer or get an 'organic' graduate of the Computer Power Institute?

Kate Deans, area manager for the Computer Power Institute, which provides a free Graduate Placement Service from its branches in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, examines the two options.

"Why spend time and money on recruiting for entry-level and specialised IT roles; be they Help Desk and Customer Service support or on through to Network Engineer? The IT industry has the highest growth of all industries at 69 percent growth, so demand for ICT staff is very competitive in the job marketplace.

"Our qualified graduates are industry-ready and available for internships, work experience or for permanent job engagement," Deans says.

Ray Delany, CEO of Designertech, a client of the Computer Power Institute, is enthusiastic about the Graduate Placement Service. "We want the best quality people. The Computer Power Institute needs work experience for their graduates and we need IT work completed. All parties benefit."

Delany leverages the working relationship to ensure only those candidates who match Designertech's job specifications, selection criteria and work-culture are referred.

Deans again: "On the other hand, if you need to upgrade the IT skills of your staff in diploma or certificate qualifications, or in short-courses, it is wise to invest in your key staff to improve their productivity and your IT trouble-shooting.

"Training to improve your staff's skills does have a direct ROI for companies and helps to retain top staff."

Zero Down's Stu Lees believes online training is a very cost-effective model.

"But staff must be 'booked in' with dedicated time focused on the training session - with no distractions allowed. My best advice is to host any online training sessions in a meeting room to achieve this."

Positive Connexions' Pam Martin prefers online training with tutor support. "It is very flexible and allows business owners and their staff to work wherever and whenever they can fit it in.

"All they need is an Internet connection. They can also go over things a number of times if they don't understand. This provides options for all skill levels as they can go as fast or as slow as they like, depending on their current skills.

"They also don't have to be out of the office or pay for travel. It is great value for money," says Martin.

She reckons tutor support is also essential in keeping people motivated to finish the courses.

"This is also where the Kiwi Computer Challenge can help, as it adds an extra element to the training. The IC3 covers all the key skills needed, no matter what job a person does or business they run. It builds confidence around technology, rather than just Word or Excel.

"Gaining certification also ensures they have actually learned the content. I believe a core computer skills course can save approximately 20 to 30 minutes per day, around 120 hours a year."

Positive Connexions also offers company training where a half- or full-day course on particular software is offered, or one-to-one assistance, paying by the hour.

"While this tends to be expensive; it's excellent if customers need help with a specific problem, such as an Excel spreadsheet, etcetera," says Martin. "We often provide this as just-in-time training to get them out of a fix."

What about the in-house versus outsourced support for those organisations approaching the 100 employee mark? What are the criteria to be considered?

Lees again doesn't pull any punches here: "Only large organisations (150-plus staff) with complex IT needs should have in-house IT. That option is best utilised when there is a specialist system to support - for example, enterprise resource planning (ERP) which integrates internal and external management information across an entire organization." Here are his pros and cons on both options:

In-house IT:

* Always available onsite.

* Very aligned with the business goals.

* Available to do 'other' stuff ("I've seen a few IT guys who are also graphic designers and/or software developers").

* Loyal to business.

* Cheaper by the hour ("I actually believe that this is a fool's gold perception; but, it is the perception out there").

* Able to learn application specific skills (e.g. CRM or ERP data management).

Outsourced IT

* Broader range of specialist skills available when you need them.

* Outcome-based.

* Competitively driven (always trying to improve).

* Large scope of experience allowing you to leverage off the mistakes of others.

* Economies of scale enabling better tools and processes to better manage IT.

* Available 24/7 with no impact from annual/sick leave.

* Able to leverage off vendor partnerships to get better product pricing.

* Do not require any training, HR or staff management.

Be assured, IT training and support is a sector stacked with motivated and creative leaders. Leaders who understand and can deliver the various and evolving requirements for New Zealand businesses to become more productive and exploit technological advances as they occur. Talk to them.

RELATED ARTICLE: CLIENT: MOAT SERVICE PROVIDER: ZERO DOWN

CASE STUDY

MOTAT the iconic Auckland Museum, has outsourced all of its IT support to Zero Down for more than two years. Company representatives visit the site twice a week and provide 24/7 remote and phone support to MOTAT staff.

Systems are maintained regularly and Zero Down provides regular and detailed reporting on system and IT support performance.

The partnership between the two organisations has evolved to the point that Zero Down now holds IT strategy sessions every two months; manages IT assets; and helps develop a strategic plan and budget.

MOTAT's CFO Peter Elderkin is impressed that, in addition to being proactive and professional in delivering their customer service, Zero Down staff are friendly.

"That's particularly important given that, in addition to our permanent staff, we have 280 volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. Stu's guys are great at making everyone feel they are part of 'Team MOTAT'.

"They are also creative and cooperative in meeting our unusual exhibition needs and came up with, for example, a Skype link to a Liverpool museum during the 24-hour celebration of museums," says Elderkin.

Kevin Kevany is an Auckland-based freelance writer. Email kevwrite@xtra.co.nz

WEBSITES TO VISIT:

www.positiveconnexions.co.nz

www.kiwicomputerchallenge.co.nz

www.zdown.co.nz

www.kinetics.co.nz

www.computerpower.ac.nz

How to set goals.

COPENHAGEN: At this century's start, leaders from every country agreed to pursue the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals. The ambition was to improve significantly the lot of the planet's most disadvantaged citizens before 2015.

The intention was laudable, but 11 years on, progress in achieving the MDGs has been uneven. As decision-makers start to consider what our aspirations should be after the deadline has expired, it is worth looking back at what worked, what didn't, and how we could do better.

The targets set by the MDGs basically amounted to a list of "things that would be good to achieve." We have made progress on almost all of them, but not nearly enough on most. We have done reasonably well at ensuring that a child born in 2015 is likely to face fewer material burdens than his or her parents. But significant challenges and massive inequalities remain. As always, we should ask ourselves how we could ensure faster progress.

The MDGs comprised eight sweeping statements of ambition: the world decided to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality rates; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development.

These goals were underpinned by concrete targets. We aimed, for example, to halve the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day; to achieve decent employment for women, men, and young people; to reduce by three-quarters the maternal mortality rate; and to reduce by two-thirds the under-five mortality rate.

Nobody could argue with any of these goals. But their formulation is inconsistent. Why aim to reduce poverty by half, maternal mortality by three-quarters, and under-five mortality by two-thirds? Why set specific reduction targets in these areas, and yet remain vague on our desire to "achieve decent employment"?

And why these particular goals? Why aspire to improve access to information technology (the internet, mobile phones) but not to basic energy? Today, 1.6 billion people do not have electricity; when the sun sets, their lives are literally beset by darkness. And why no target to reduce the 1.4 million deaths each year from indoor air pollution, largely caused by the use of poor fuels like wood, cardboard, and dung for cooking and heating?

The MDGs have been helpful in focusing attention on some areas of need. Clean water and sanitation, deforestation, and gender inequality in education are not topics that receive much media attention or focus in developed countries. The MDGs helped to ensure that these issues did not disappear from the policy agenda, and, partly as a result, there has been progress in at least the first two areas.

But we could have gone a step further and paid closer attention to the areas where we could achieve the most good. We actually knew back in 2000 that we were unlikely to achieve the goals: the World Bank estimated that in addition to policy and service-delivery reform in many countries, annual overseas development aid would need to increase by $50 billion.

Instead of agreeing to broad aspirations, it would have been more worthwhile to use the goals to highlight specific, more achievable investments. According to an analysis by Nobel laureates and other prestigious economists for the Copenhagen Consensus Center, these investments include expanded immunization for children, efforts to lower the price of schooling, and initiatives to end the "silent hunger" of micronutrient deficiency.

Despite the MDGs' breadth, one issue received the most attention by far over the past decade: global warming. Indeed, among world leaders and policymakers, no other development-related issue came close. The European Union's climate policy is costing $250 billion a year, enough to have achieved all of the Millennium Development Goals. Yet its impact on global temperature in a hundred years will be immeasurable.

When it comes to "doing good" in the world, there is a big difference between focusing on problems and focusing on solutions. Global warming highlights this contrast. We understandably focus on the problem, and then take for granted that a global carbon-reduction deal is the only logical solution.

But such a comprehensive deal appears to be politically impossible, and has been shown to be incredibly ineffective. While global warming is a serious challenge (and will exacerbate other problems), cutting carbon emissions is a poor solution - and a poor use of funds compared to the alternatives.

Finding the smartest solutions to problems requires prioritizing - an effort that the MDGs do not explicitly make, and which many people find distasteful. But if we do not explicitly choose between policies based on their effectiveness, often the decision is made for us by other factors, including which issue attracts the most media attention or has self-interested corporations and activists pushing for a specific investment.

An overarching theme of the MDGs was to reduce poverty. We will succeed, by 2015, in halving the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day. But this is thanks almost entirely to the massive economic strides taken by China and India, which show how effectively trade can reduce poverty. Yet developed countries have rendered politically impossible reforms that would reduce trade barriers for developing countries. While we have spent all of our time writing a successor treaty to the Kyoto Protocol, we have all but forgotten the Doha Round of trade talks.

Overall, the Millennium Development Goals improved the planet. But when we set new goals in 2015, we will need to be much more honest about focusing on areas where we can achieve the most good.

Bjorn Lomborg is the author of The Skeptical Environmentalist and Cool It, head of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, and adjunct professor at Copenhagen Business School. This commentary is published by Daily News Egypt in collaboration with Project Syndicate, 2011, www.project-syndicate.org.

Daily NewsEgypt 2011

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

PR Newswire Opens New Chengdu Office, Expanding the Horizons of China's Western Region.(Company overview)

CHENGDU, China, May 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- PR Newswire, the global leader of innovative marketing and communications solutions, held the inaugural China Enterprises Overseas Communications Conference and the opening ceremony of its new Chengdu office at the Sofitel Wanda Chengdu on May 19. This new hub in the western region of China will represent PR Newswire's fourth office in mainland China, following the successes of its Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen bureaus.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110527/CN10234-a)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110527/CN10234LOGO-b)

The opening of the new office is the first time a global marketing and communications solutions provider has established a footprint in the increasingly open western region of China, and also demonstrates PR Newswire's efforts to further expand its business and service network across the country. With its leading global corporate communications network and array of professional services, PR Newswire is committed to helping fast-growing enterprises in the western part of China expand their horizons and enhance their competitiveness in the global market by strengthening their brand positioning worldwide and improving their ability to engage with global audiences.

Representatives from over 30 local enterprises and government organizations, and more than 20 local media agencies, were in attendance to hear Mr. Ninan Chacko, the CEO of PR Newswire, share his views on the opportunities and challenges facing Chinese enterprises in the field of overseas communications as well as PR Newswire's continued commitment to China. At the meeting, PR Newswire also released a whitepaper on the current trends in overseas communications. The document summarizes the evolution of communications methodologies, including how, over the last ten years, Chinese companies have expanded their reach and methods for engaging with overseas markets. Leveraging PR Newswire's extensive experience and industry insight, the paper also provides advice and reference materials that can assist Chinese enterprises in improving their overseas communications in the ever evolving era of new media and the internet.

"As Chengdu continues to open up to the outside world, Chengdu's levels of internationalization and modernization is continuously improving," said Mr. Tang Jiqiang, director at the Development and Planning Bureau of Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone during his speech at the event. "A number of Fortune 500 companies have set up operations here, and a multitude of Chinese companies have reached out to the world. The world needs to hear us and it behooves us to get to know the outside world. PR Newswire has built a new communications bridge for us with its professional standards and authoritative voice. We wish PR Newswire Chengdu success and an ever brighter future."

The implementation of the government's West Development Strategy has been the driver of change in western China during the last ten years, bringing average annual increases of 11.9% in regional GDP and 23.2% in the region's foreign trade. A large number of companies have entered foreign markets and have successfully competed in this arena. They have made great strides in expanding their overseas reach during the last several years through export trade, investment in the building of factories, contract construction, as well as mergers and acquisitions, among other activities. Nevertheless, the region still has much room for development. The construction of development and free trade zones as well as industrial bases throughout the region has attracted much foreign investment and facilitated the rapid development of the local economy. All these activities require fast and timely information exchanges with overseas markets in order to strengthen communications efforts and build better brand awareness.

During the more than nine years since its entry into the Chinese market, PR Newswire has continually been dedicated to helping companies of all sizes across China communicate and engage with their target audiences as they expand into overseas markets. As the only global corporate information distribution agency with a team providing 24-hour support services in mainland China, PR Newswire's fully localized infrastructure is specifically designed to better serve the communications needs of domestic companies who seek to reach overseas markets. During the last several years, over one hundred companies from China's Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, and Yunnan provinces have bridged the information gap between themselves and the world with the help of PR Newswire.

"The opening of the Chengdu office represents another milestone in the growth of PR Newswire's presence in China. But more importantly, it allows us to further understand the communications needs of businesses across China, and provide them with a higher quality of service," said Mr. Yujie Chen, the Managing Director of PR Newswire China during the opening ceremony. "Going forward, we will continue to increase our investments in the Chinese market, making it possible for companies, regardless of their location, to always be at the forefront of the communications field and to assist them as they compete in the international arena."

About PR Newswire

PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 56 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content - from rich media to online video to multimedia - and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a United Business Media company.

SOURCE PR Newswire

ChamberofCommerce.com and Clickatell Provide Small Business Owners with New Ways to Connect with Customers.

Orlando, FL (PRWEB) April 24, 2011

In order to continue providing their small business owners with cutting-edge technology and services to help them grow their businesses, ChamberofCommerce.com has agreed to an online partnership with Clickatell, the leader in Personalized Priority Messaging (PPM) through all media devices.

Understanding the importance for businesses to integrate new technologies into their marketing strategies, ChamberofCommerce.com looks to Clickatell to provide their small business owners with easy-to-use tools for connecting with customers and clients via their mobile phones.

"Today we have tools at our disposal, like the Internet, social networks, and smart phones that have become a part of our day-to-day lives and are designed specifically to bring people together," said David Bayer, CEO of ChamberofCommerce.com. "For example, people are on the go now more than ever and rely heavily on their mobile phones. Clickatell has found ways to bypass traditional marketing, and make marketing individual and personal by delivering SMS messages straight into a customer's inbox."

Dedicated to teaching business owners about the new vehicles for marketing, ChamberofCommerce.com has either provided or connected their small businesses with marketing tools like email marketing, social media marketing, and search engine marketing. Clickatell's gateway for bulk SMS messaging offers yet another great tool for business owners to communicate with their clients.

"Whether your business is located in Orlando, Florida or Orlando, South Africa, the need to attract, retain and serve customers is universal; doing it via the now nearly ubiquitous mobile phone is more compelling and cost effective than traditional channels," said Pieter de Villiers, co-Founder and CEO, Clickatell. "We are very excited about the partnership with ChamberofCommerce.com in helping to be where their customers are through the delivery of targeted, time-sensitive mobile text messages."

A leading provider to the global financial services industry, Clickatell is innovating new Personalized Priority Messaging-based services - high-value, contextually-relevant, time-sensitive notifications and alerts - to enable financial transactions over the mobile phone in developing countries. Clickatell recently launched a new web-based solution that will enable small and medium sized companies to more easily deploy Personalized Priority Messaging in their business.

About ChamberofCommerce.com

ChamberofCommerce.com is dedicated to helping local business owners grow their business and their web presence online while also facilitating connectivity between local businesses in more than 7,000 chambers of commerce worldwide. ChamberofCommerce.com works with local business owners by providing tools and education to help them develop, manage and grow their business and their online presence. ChamberofCommerce.com also helps increase membership within local chambers of commerce by providing technology, tools and education to local chambers of commerce to help them communicate more effectively with their members online and provide them with more efficient and expedient customer support. ChamberofCommerce.com works with industry-leading business-to-business solutions providers to introduce innovative products and services to more than one million small, medium and enterprise businesses.

About Clickatell, Inc.

Clickatell -- the global leader in Personalized Priority Messaging through all mobile devices -- is the largest Online SMS mobile messaging gateway in the world, covering 869 networks in 223 countries and territories, with the potential to reach 5 billion mobile phone users -- more than 70 percent of the world's population. Clickatell enables simpler, quicker and more verifiable delivery of high-value, just-in-time, individualized communications and associated mobile transactional services. Its carrier-grade mobile messaging solutions have been embraced by more than 13,000 enterprise, government, medium and small business customers and application developers. Founded in South Africa in 2000, Clickatell is based in Redwood City, Calif. To learn more, visit http://www.clickatell.com.

Clickatell is the official Mobile Marketing partner of ChamberofCommerce.com.

# # #

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/4/prweb8328342.htm

Saudi Arabia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband.

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/84423b/saudi_arabia_tel) has announced the addition of the "Saudi Arabia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband" report to their offering.

The Saudi Arabian telecoms market is perhaps the most interesting in the Middle East. It is more competitive than most others and all the big regional players have at least a toehold in the market. Saudi Arabian incumbent STC is the largest telecoms company in the Middle East when measured by either revenue or by market capitalisation. It has been joined in the Saudi Arabian mobile market by the second and third largest Middle Eastern regional players - Etisalat of the UAE and Zain of Kuwait.

Etisalat has considerably more than a toehold in the market. It won the second GSM/3G mobile licence and, operating as Mobily, now has over one-third of the GSM market and three-quarters of the 3G market. It has also bought Bayanat Al Oula, a major ISP/data comms licence holder, and has invested in considerable fibre and WiMAX infrastructure.

Zain won the third GSM/3G licence in 2007 and launched operations in August 2008. It paid a huge US$6.1 billion fee, almost twice the price paid by Etisalat for the second mobile licence (US$3.45 billion) in 2004. At the time it was the worlds highest licence fee on a per capita basis, at US$226 per Saudi inhabitant.

These three giants have been joined in the market by Batelco of Bahrain and Qtel of Qatar. Batelco is a major investor in a consortium, Etihad Atheeb, which has won a fixed-line licence. Finally, the remaining large regional player, Qtel, has a major share in the small iDEN mobile operator, PTC, through its Wataniya subsidiary.

What makes Saudi Arabia so attractive to all these operators the combination of its population-size and wealth. While its total population is nowhere near as high as that of Turkey or Iran, its GDP per capita is much higher and while the smaller gulf countries are richer per capita, their populations are tiny. In addition, its market has been slower to develop than some others in the region such as the UAE or Qatar, leaving room for growth.

Fixed-line penetration has remained steady for some years rather than falling as it has in some other countries in the region. Internet user penetration is nearly 40% but DSL broadband subscriber penetration is only around 5%. However, the number of DSL subscribers doubled in the two years to end-2009. STC also started work on a FttH network in early 2009.

Mobily and Atheeb Telecom are planning to make extensive use of WiMAX. Mobily had coverage of 20 cities by early 2010. It launched a WiMAX service for residential subscribers branded broadband@home in September 2008 at speeds up to 2Mb/s. Mobile subscribers have grown rapidly in the competitive market and penetration rates have now reached 175%.

Mobily is making an extensive push with mobile broadband. Mobily claimed to have over one million mobile broadband subscribers in early 2010.

As competition becomes fierce in its home market, STC has used its considerable resources to expand abroad. It has direct interests in Malaysia, Kuwait and Bahrain and, through its purchase of a 35% share in Oger Telecom, also in Turkey and South Africa.

Keywords: Electronics, Mobile Broadband, Networks, Research and Markets.

This article was prepared by Network Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, Network Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.

Orange County Register Communications and Los Angeles Times Media Group Launch Late Week Advertising Insert Program for Orange County.

New OCSaver/Local Values Provides Advertisers with Total Market Reach

SANTA ANA, Calif. & LOS ANGELES -- Orange County Register Communications and the Los Angeles Times Media Group (LATMG) today announced the launch of OCSaver/Local Values - an advertising insert distribution solution providing effective, targeted reach to Orange County households.

Beginning August 27-29, OCSaver/Local Values will be distributed to subscribers of The Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times on Fridays and to non-subscribers through the Register's 25 community newspapers, LATMG's Spanish language newspaper Hoy Fin de Semana and non-subscribers via USPS mail on Thursday, Friday or Saturday of each week. In addition, OC Saver/Local Values allows advertisers to reach selected households, providing significantly increased targeting capabilities.

"The combined OCSaver/Local Values distribution program will have access to nearly one million Orange County households," said Terry Horne, Publisher of The Orange County Register. "By distribution through the Register and The Times, the program offers advertisers the best reach in Orange County."

"OCSaver/Local Values promises to be the definitive preprint solution in Orange County," said Eddy Hartenstein, Los Angeles Times Publisher. "By combining the existing Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times programs and harnessing the unparalleled reach of our distribution systems, we can provide advertisers virtually unduplicated coverage in one, robust preprint package."

The Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times will each offer advertiser placement in OCSaver/Local Values.

About Orange County Register Communications, Inc.

Orange County Register Communications, Inc. of Santa Ana, Calif. is part of Freedom Communications, Inc. and is publisher of The Orange County Register, a three-time, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper and the area's most trusted source of news and information since 1905. The company also publishes OCRegister.com, OCExcelsior.com, OrangeCounty.com, 25 community newspapers, and Spanish-language Excelsior. Magazines include Coast, Coast kids, Preferred Destinations and several publications supporting the performing arts. Orange County Register Communications also offers a full spectrum of custom printing services, insert and direct mail advertising vehicles. For more information, visit www.ocregister.com/aboutus.

About the Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Times (http://latimes.com) is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of 2 million and 3 million on Sunday, and a combined print and interactive local weekly audience of 5.5 million. The fast-growing latimes.com draws over 10 million unique visitors monthly.

The Los Angeles Times and its media businesses and affiliates - including The Envelope, Times Community Newspapers, BrandX, LA, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Hoy, and California Community News - reach approximately 5.3 million or 40% of all adults in the Southern California marketplace. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles Times, has been covering Southern California for over 127 years and is part of Tribune Company, one of the country's leading media companies with businesses in publishing, the Internet and broadcasting. Additional information is available at http://latimes.com/mediacenter.

(OTC:CYPW) Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc. just released some important news.

M2 PRESSWIRE-23 September 2008-Stockwire.com: (OTC:CYPW) Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc. just released some important news.(C)1994-2008 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:23092008

(OTC:CYPW) Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc. - Federal Solar Investment Tax Credits to Benefit Cyclone's Revolutionary Waste Heat Engine

A dedicated Chat Room for (OTC:CYPW) Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc. has been created at STOCKWIRE.com to discuss this news event.

Visit the following link to begin chatting with your fellow shareholders: http://www.stockwire.com/chat ---------------------------------------------------------- (OTC:CYPW) Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc.

POMPANO BEACH, FL -- Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc. urges Congress to extend the investment tax credits for residential and commercial customers which are set to expire on December 31. Such measures, the company believes, could help expedite the widespread commercial application of its award-winning Waste Heat Engine.

Profile for Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc.

Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc. engages in the research, design, and testing of cylinder engines. Its engines are used in generators, household, lawn equipment, automotive, power boats, light trucks, trucking, commercial marine, off road construction equipment, and stationary generator applications. The company was founded in 1971 and is based in Pompano Beach, Florida.

----------------------------------------------------------

About Stockwire:

Stockwire is one of the largest communities for Micro Cap Investors. We are the only place on the internet to provide LIVE CHAT ROOMS for dedicated stocks.

We have also pioneering a new way to research companies before you invest them. It's called a Stockumentary. A Stockumentary is a documentary on a publicly traded company. Imagine a Dateline NBC segment, but on a publicly traded company. We are the first company to ever bring this type of quality research to investors in this format.

The Stockumentary has video interviews with management, product demos, video tours of office or factory, research reports, sec filings and much more. All of this is delivered to investors in high quality video, either by mail or email.

Stockwire.com is owned by Stockwire Research Group Inc. (SRGI) and is an independent electronic publication committed to providing our readers with factual information on selected publicly traded companies.

As detailed below, this publication accepts compensation from some of the companies from which it features. To the degrees listed herein, this Newsletter should not be regarded as an independent publication. All statements and expressions are the sole opinions of the editors and are subject to change without notice. A profile, description, or other mention of a company in the Newsletter is neither an offer nor solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned.

While we believe all sources of information to be factual and reliable, in no way do we represent or guarantee the accuracy thereof, nor the statements made herein.

We encourage our readers to invest carefully and read the investor information available at the web sites of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") at www.sec.gov and/or the National Association of Securities Dealers ("NASD") at www.nasd.com. The NASD has published information on how to invest carefully at its web site.

Readers can review all public filings by companies at the SEC's EDGAR page. www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml

Stockwire.com is an independent electronic publication committed to providing our readers with factual information on selected publicly traded companies. Stockwire.com is not a registered investment advisor or broker-dealer. All companies are chosen on the basis of certain financial analysis and other pertinent criteria with a view toward maximizing the upside potential for investors while minimizing the downside risk, whenever possible.

From time to time SRGI sells shares in the open market it receives as compensation for coverage of client companies. Since the shares are received as compensation for services as previously disclosed, and not for investment purposes, the editors do not view the sale of the shares as contradictory to any advice delivered in the content. This should be viewed as a conflict of interest by shareholders or prospective shareholders of the client companies.

Moreover, as detailed below, this publication accepts compensation from third party consultants and/or companies which it features on Stockwire.com. To the degrees enumerated herein, this newsletter and website should not be regarded as an independent publication.

The editor, members of the editor's family, and/or entities with which the editor is affiliated aside from Stockwire Research Group Inc. (SRGI) itself, are forbidden by company policy to own, buy, sell or otherwise trade stock for their own benefit in the companies who appear in the publication unless specifically disclosed in the newsletter.

THE READER SHOULD VERIFY ALL CLAIMS AND DO THEIR OWN DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE INVESTING IN ANY SECURITIES MENTIONED. INVESTING IN SECURITIES IS SPECULATIVE AND CARRIES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. THE INFORMATION FOUND IN THIS PROFILE IS PROTECTED BY THE COPYRIGHT LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND MAY NOT BE COPIED, OR REPRODUCED IN ANY WAY WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED, WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE EDITORS OF STOCKWIRE.COM.

We often accept restricted shares of company stock; by SEC regulations, restricted shares cannot be sold into the market for a period of at least one year from the time that the shares are issued. In such cases, we detail in the Disclaimer the specific term of any restrictions. We also receive compensation in the form of stock options, in which case we receive the right to buy shares of the stock of the company at issue, at a specified time and a specified price. In such circumstances, we specify on our Disclaimer the terms of the options received. On occasion, we also accept free-trading shares in a company that we cover. However, by policy we generally do not buy or sell any shares of a company's stock within three trading days after any such company's profile, commentary, or other company-specific information is disseminated on Stockwire.com Web site. In cases where we do trade within the three day window, our volume will never represent more than 5% of the daily volume, thereby minimizing any effect we could have on the potential price movement.

While our policies as detailed above are designed to minimize any impact upon our members of a conflict of interest between our company and our members, each member should be fully aware that such potential and actual conflicts of interest may well exist due to the compensation structure detailed herein. For this reason, and because the information contained on Stockwire.com is updated on a regular basis as circumstances change, each member is strongly encouraged to periodically review the Profile Compensation section at http://www.stockwire.com/disclaimer_profiles.htm .

CONTACT: The Stockwire GroupTel: +1 512 358 8440e-mail: info@stockwire.comWWW: http://www.stockwire.com

((M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data prepared by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).