"DO IT" attracts over 5000 small enterprises to jumpstart IT

The selling of a personal computer at $888 to small enterprises under the DO IT! Small Enterprises Support Scheme was met with overwhelming responses with more than 5,000 applications received by the deadline of June 7.

The scheme, organised by the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation with the support of the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau (CITB), is aimed at helping local small enterprises adopt IT for enhancing business continuity and efficiency.

Under the scheme, 2,000 successful applicants will each be able to acquire a brand new Hewlett-Packard (HP) or IBM personal computer (PC) with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and Office XP at a minimal price of $888.

Following the announcement of the scheme on May 21, more IT vendors have pledged support to the DO IT! Small Enterprises Support Scheme and offered to provide additional sponsorship to this meaningful function.

Symantec will offer 2,000 free copies of Norton Internet Security 2003, an integrated protection software. The software will be made available to the 2,000 successful applicants for the HP and IBM PCs.

Legend will sponsor 100 Lenovo PCs installed with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, while Trend Micro will sponsor 100 copies of PC-cillin 2003 desktop antivirus and security software for these PCs. These PCs will be made available to successful applicants also at $888 each and the PCs will come with Microsoft Office XP as well.

Due to over subscription, the 2,100 quota will be selected by ballot. The successful applicants will also be able to join two separate free training programmes provided by Cisco and Intel respectively on how to use PCs to enhance efficiency and productivity. The 2-hour training by Intel will introduce the use of PC whereas Cisco's 1-day training will cover some basic concepts on PC, networking and Internet.

The Small Enterprises Support Scheme is part of the initiatives of the "DO IT!" (Discover Opportunities with IT) campaign initiated by the Hong Kong IT industry in response to the SARS incident, which has a serious impact on business operation.

The campaign's objectives are to introduce to the business sector opportunities of using IT to ensure business continuity in crisis situations, and to enhance efficiency and productivity as well as to expand markets in the longer run.

The Small Enterprises Support Scheme, organised by the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, is made possible with a $5 million contribution from the CITB and a total commercial sponsorship of $14 million from the IT industry. The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is the executive agent of this scheme and Hong Kong Cable Television Limited is the media sponsor.

Another initiative of the DO IT! campaign, the DO IT! Value Scheme, offers to the business community a great variety of IT and telecom products and services at very low prices - such as free IT consultancy services, video conferencing facilities, pocket mobile computers, Internet broadband services, etc.

This scheme targets to help the business sector carry out promotion and marketing online, and jumpstart their IT infrastructure to improve productivity and efficiency.

All small and medium enterprises will be able to benefit from the Value Scheme to acquire IT and telecom products and services at discounted prices. Details of the scheme are available at the website of the DO IT! campaign: www.hkdoit.com.hk.

Wednesday, June 11, 2003

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