DFAIT to lead ICT trade mission to Mexico

Canadian telecommunications and new media companies will showcase their information and communications technology (ICT) services this week during a trade mission in Mexico. The Canadian trade mission, sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), will be held from Feb. 22 to 26 in Monterrey and Guadalajara, Mexico. The goal of the trade mission is to connect Canadian ICT providers—including new media and telecommunications companies—with potential clients in the Latin American market. “This mission will appeal to Canadian ICT companies interested in establishing or expanding business activities in Mexico, and will be of interest to firms working in various sub-sectors, including telecommunications, software, new media, IT security and microelectronics,” said a posting for the event on the website of Propel ICT, an ICT association. “The Government of Canada has identified Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean as Global Commerce Strategy (GCS) priority markets,” DFAIT spokeswoman Laura Dalby told The Wire Report by email. Canadian trade commissioners from Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara will take part in the mission, Dalby said, including organizer and Mexico City-based commissioner Guillermo Larios. “ has developed a comprehensive market plan that identifies ICT as a key sector offering clear market opportunities well suited to Canadian capabilities and interests in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean … Mexico’s ICT sector continues to grow particularly in the wireless and gaming sectors.” “It’s a market that has a rapid growth. That’s what attractive to us in Mexico,” Sangoma Technologies Corp.’s vice-president of marketing, Serge Forest, said in an interview. Sangoma, a voice and data connectivity provider based in Montreal, is one of the companies participating in the mission. The company conducts business in Mexico, and is looking to expand its market reach. “In our case we offer open source solutions … these are technologies that can offer very interesting price structures compared to what previous technologies could offer. This is really interesting for Mexico and Latin American countries, which are very thoughtful of cost. “It’s a great initiative from the government to bring us on the trade mission. We’re currently very strong in one Mexican region and this is going to help us expand to other regions. We participated in similar missions in late 2009 in Brazil and Chili and it was very beneficial. We hope it will be the same with this mission,” he said. Canadian companies new to the country will also be participating in the mission. “It’s a country we aren’t familiar with. It’s an opportunity that can be very beneficial,” said Dialexia Communications Inc. marketing and events coordinator Ahmed Aina. “A market like Mexico’s is very important. And it gives us a chance to access smaller countries like Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.” Based in Montreal, Dialexia is a next generation communication software and services company specializing in IP telephony software. Aina noted that sophisticated communications technology is rapidly growing in developing countries. Vancouver, BC, content delivery network provider NetroMedia has also confirmed its participation in the trade mission. The mission will be held in conjunction with the Broadband (B3) Forum Expo Comm Mexico 2009, in Mexico City. The Expo Comm is South America’s largest telecommunications, wireless, networking and Internet technologies conference, where in addition to the trade mission, Canada will have a pavilion from Feb. 23 to 25. Canadian companies participating in Expo Comm include Alliance Corporation, Solus One, Pacific Net/Tranzeo Wireless and Faronics/Tecnova. kfournier@thewirereport.ca

DFAIT to lead ICT trade mission to Mexico

News | 02/22/2010 5:46 pm EST

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