Six WA companies to take part in major info tech fair in Hanover

13/3/98

Six Western Australian companies will be strutting their technological prowess in Germany this month when they attend the world's biggest information technology trade fair, CeBIT 98, in Hanover.

The innovative displays include everything from a hand-held smart card terminal which can pay bills and reload electronic cash from the comfort of your own home, to a data distribution system which can transmit everything from stock market prices to entire newspapers to your home PC.

Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan said CeBIT was expected to attract more than 600,000 visitors from more than 100 countries, most of them business professionals and key decision makers.

"The six Western Australian businesses participating in the trade fair are at the leading edge of technology innovation, and CeBIT is an ideal forum to promote their products," Mr Cowan said.

"Information technology, communications and multimedia are a growth sector helping to diversify WA's exports, and participation at CeBIT is a tremendous opportunity to secure new business contracts and develop strategic alliances for the purchase and distribution of products."

Mr Cowan said the Department of Commerce and Trade had booked space for a WA stand which would be utilised by some of the companies. The stand would also promote the benefits of establishing major telecommunications 'Call Centres' for Asia and the Indian Ocean in Perth.

He said the department had also launched a CeBIT '98 site on the World Wide Web at http://www.wa.gov.au/cebit which would offer more information on WA's capabilities.

WA companies participating in CeBIT 98 include:

IO Research, which has developed technology to transmit data created on a computer direct to any home or business which can receive a TV signal;

RAMA Technologies Pty Ltd will feature the MEDIATOR Network Management Gateway, a system for centrally managing a range of non-computing devices in the office;

Jumbo Vision International Pty Ltd will promote its range of large screen information and entertainment systems, ranging from 60 inch to 200 inch;

Aries Australia Pty Ltd will demonstrate PHONECONTROL, a powerful telephone information management system which allows non-technical staff to access reports via a PC and can also be used to improve a company's image, cut costs and improve profitability;

Intellect will feature its Microbank Pocket Terminal and associated Internet security system, Intecom. Microbank is a hand-held, programmable smart card terminal which provides secure financial transactions from the comfort of home or office; and -

NDG Software will feature its award-winning Netboy suite of computer network monitoring software.

Media Inquiries: Peter Jackson 08 9222 9595