Telstra gets SaaS with T-Suite

Australian software developers will have a new place to launch their product, with telecommunications giant Telstra creating a new Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform for small to medium enterprises.

Dubbed T-Suite, the service provides ‘on-demand’ business applications to Australian companies, claimed Telstra Business Group managing director, Deena Shiff.

According to Shiff, T-Suite is aimed at small to medium enterprises – the 'engine room' of the Australian economy. Schiff said T-Suite will allow this market to access the on-demand business applications previously only available to big businesses that could afford their own IT departments.

"T-Suite will be a one-stop shop where established software names will share 'shelf space' with up-and-coming Australian companies. If an Australian software designer comes up with an innovative program it means they will have access to a national market in Australia and can use it as a springboard to the world," she claimed.

According Shiff, SaaS enables software to be hosted on a remote third-party server rather than on a company's own network. She added that subscribers will be able to use the software at any time simply by accessing it over the internet.

“The SaaS market in Australia and NZ is expected to grow at a rate of 65 percent annually and will be worth $506 million by 2010. Telstra's plan was to help foster and be part of that growth,” she said.

Shiff said Telstra's integrated business model means the Telco will be able to support more than a million businesses, linked to T-Suite via Telstra's Next G and Next IP networks.

Telstra will begin tests with a limited number of businesses at the end of this month with a full scale launch in early 2009 claimed Shiff.