Headlines (Octomber 15 2003):
IT News

The company from Veliko Tarnovo "Systems for teleprocessing and networks" received gold medal for its new product range of digital electric meters. The 7 electro-distribution companies in the country have purchased more than 20 000 pieces, and till the end of this year they plan to buy another 20 000 pieces. The holding "Golden Lev" holds 76% of the shares of the company.

The Agency for Government Trade in U.K., which deals with the problem of reducing government costs, started a series of 9 trial projects, which use the open source software, including Linux, for "proving the idea". The projects will take place in different government institutions in order to compare the open source with the commercial products, as well as to research how they can be used to reduce costs and improve productivity. The first 9 projects are held in association with IBM, but other companies are also invited to promote their ideas.

In Moscow IBM and the Russian Ministry of Communication and Computerization jointly created "Linux Expert Centre" for stimulating the use of the open source software in Russia. For more details: http://idg.bg/news.php?n=469

Up to now three offers for the construction of the information system of the National Agency on Revenues were received in the Ministry of Finance. By the end of the year they will clear up which offer will be accepted, and by 01.01.2004 the construction of the system will start. Offers were received by the Canadian company SOGEMA and the French company Bull. The Greek country is ready to offer its software for free and is also ready to sponsor the construction of the entire tax-information system with 54.29 million Euro in accordance with the Greek plan for reconstruction of the Balkans.

A new information system for on the fly control, which is developing by the constant input of information for new privatization deals in the database, was created for the Agency for After-Privatization Control by the experts. Up to now more than 200 control parameters are attached to each contract. The web site of The Agency for After-Privatization Control is almost ready and its main contents will be the public register. It is constantly developed and renewed with data from the activity of the Agency.

Up to 50 000 Euro free help will be granted to the SMEs for innovative activities and technologies by the project High-tech Business Incubators - according PHARE program. The total budget of the project is 8 million Euros, as 3 million Euros are granted by the PHARE program. The candidates must co-finance at least 50% of the activities. The minimal projects size is 20 000 Euros and the maximal is 100 000 Euros. Projects in the fields of IT, telecommunications, microelectronics and gene engineering will have priority.

On the meeting with his Greek college Nicolas Christodolacis the minister of finance and economy Milen Velchev discussed the possibility Bulgaria to receive for free the already working Greek software for the tax administration. Greece is ready to sponsor the construction of the entire tax-information system in accordance with the Greek plan for reconstruction of the Balkans.

The company from Ruse "Teracom" supplied and equipped major stations for cable television network, which cover 90% of the territory of Macedonia. "Teracom" owns 60% of the Bulgarian market for cable stations. The company covers most of the small and medium cities in the country. In the major cities the modern and expensive products of this kind are preferred.

Lifton-Bulgaria selected Navision and LLP for the optimization of its production in its plant in Ruse. The new system is expected to start functioning at the beginning of the next year. Lifton-Bulgaria is a producer hydro-drilling equipment. The company is certified by ISO 9001 from 1996.

On the Plovdiv's fair Mobiltel presented a new package of mobile services for distant business management. Simultaneously with the beginning of the fair, Mobiltel stated its MMS campaign. Telephones of Panasonic, Motorola and Alcatel, which are capable of processing and sending MMS, were sold on promotional prices. Up to November the 1ST this service will be free. From 31st of October the company offers GPRS. This service, which will have national coverage, will grant 28M bps Internet access.

The question about the requirement for the implementation of the International Sailing Ports Security System (ISPSS) of the International Marine Organization (IMO) no later than June 2004 was discussed on the Forth conference for development of ports and transportation. This is a result of the increased danger of terrorist attacks. The system requires a special software for control of container transportation and 24/7 physical control of the port. Port Varna is negotiating with the Austrian company Top Systems for this software. According to the director of the port, the price of the product is 200 000-300 000 USD, but discounts are possible if collective orders are made.

The American Navy signed a nine-year contract with Northrop Grumman for 281 million USD for the development of Integrated Military Defense System for management of human resources and salaries in the Navy. The system will cover all military departments with more than 3 million employees, al over the world. Northrop Grumman's officials stated that this is the largest initiative for enterprise resource planning.

SCI Games bought from Kaboom Studios for 3.92 million USD the creator of the games Conflict: Desert Storm - Pivotal Games. A trustee was assigned to Kaboom Studios in September due to the problems in some of the business of the company. The 75 employees of the company will continue to work for the new owner over the present and future versions of the game.

SYS Industries invested more than 1 million BGL in the development of a communicational project, which incorporates the implementation of an ERP system for planning, distribution and storage of enterprise resources. As a result of the project the communication between the headquarters of the company in Sofia its plant "Vinprom Karnobat" in Vesletz village and its distillatory factory "VIN.S.Industries" in Tzerkovo village is done by radio waves. The radio equipment operates in the licensed bandwidth of 10GHz. SYS Industries has a 10 year license for operating their own radio network.