AUSTRALIAN SMALL BUSINESSES EMBRACING NEW TECHNOLOGY

Speaking at the Council of Small Business National Conference of Australia (COSBOA) in Melbourne yesterday, Rohan Ganeson, Optus Small Business Managing Director said that in 2009 small businesses that continue to embrace technology will have the edge in business.

"Telecommunication services are no longer a luxury for business; they are an essential lifeline and critical business enabler. Successful small businesses must embrace new technology to see productivity benefits reflected in their bottom line.

"Small businesses today are seeking solutions that enable them to be mobile and provide them with the ability to access data anytime on their terms.

"Over the past couple of years small business have realised the full benefits of voice mobility. Now, with converged technology, small businesses are able to deliver their office to the palm of their hand.

"Businesses that use information on-the-go are accessible and responsive leading to an improved customer experience," Mr Ganeson said.

During his address Mr Ganeson stated that technology such as smart phones, that have traditionally been the tools of large corporations, are being embraced by business owners looking for increased productivity and flexibility from their staff.

"Optus is focused on getting the latest technology and devices into our customer's hands first. We were the first telecommunications company in Australia to deliver to our customers an enterprise IP telephony solution and devices such as the Android-powered HTC Dream.

"Coupled with the latest technology, we are also focussed on delivering tailored pricing plans to suit these new devices, designed to include substantial data and voice allowances.

"We continue to innovate with products such as the Total Business Cap which allows business customers to make the most of their telco productivity in a cost effective way.

"As the first major telecommunication company to launch a dedicated small business division in 2005 and our continued investment in infrastructure, for example 3G, Optus is well placed to become an industry leader by delivering the latest products and services to Australian small businesses," Mr Ganeson said.

For more information on Optus SMB please visit www.optus.com.au/smb.

Media contact:
Simone Bergholcs
Optus Corporate Affairs
Ph: (02) 8082 7846