Alexander F. Villafania
INQ7.net

As local enterprises and even small-scale industries start to look at deploying office-based wireless communications equipment, the network infrastructure provider Juniper Networks is eyeing the Philippines’ growing wireless network business.

Juniper is traditionally a provider of broadband network infrastructure equipment but its move towards the office communications market in the Philippines effectively puts it up against the dominant player Cisco.

To achieve its goals in the wireless office communications market, Juniper has introduced what it calls a “J-Partner program” that rewards local distributors and resellers.

Juniper has had relative successes in the Philippines said the company’s ASEAN/India Channel Sales Director Sanjiv Verma, but its new focus on the wireless office network business will widen the scope of its otherwise traditional business.

According to Verma, the J-Partner program has provisions that encourage their partners to offer services to markets with wireless and network security communications needs.

“The wireless communications business is basically a new market for us in the Philippines and by penetrating this, we’ll basically strengthen our product and service portfolio, eventually providing the market with a complete range of products and solutions,” Verma said.

Verma cited a third quarter 2004 study by Frost & Sullivan showing that Juniper remained at the top spot in the overall network security business in the Philippines with 24 percent. The company also holds 26 percent of the country’s firewall and virtual private network markets.

“The demand for network security becomes apparent especially with wireless equipment, and the trend is happening in the Philippines. Businesses find it more convenient and more efficient to deploy wireless communications but the risk of intrusion becomes higher. Our products address these problems,” Verma said.