INDUSTRY WATCH
INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR A SPECIALIST TO VISIT THE ISLAND FOR A CONSULTATION , PATIENTS CAN CONSULT THEIR DOCTORS REMOTELY VIA VIDEO CALLS .
It has now been just over a year since the Manatua cable became operational , and the combination of gigabit Internet connectivity and the digital services provided by the new Lenovo solution has already touched or transformed almost every aspect of life in Niue .
Today , the island ’ s government is much more connected to the wider global community-sharing information with neighboring nations to improve border control , customs and security . For example , if a person of interest enters the country , law enforcement has instant access to the information they need from international police databases . schools for students to use free of charge . Aiscorp has also helped to train local people to build up IT skills on the island and equip them to participate in an increasingly digital global society .
“ The Lenovo ThinkAgile VX platform was easy to install and is easy to maintain with a local team – an important consideration when the nearest technical experts are thousands of miles away ,” said Collier .
“ Our Lenovo ThinkAgile VX cluster is always on and has never failed . That level of reliability is vital for government services . Lenovo is the benchmark standard in Niue because the hardware is so incredibly reliable . Aiscorp have also been working with us for 10 years , and they ’ ve proven that they care about Niue and its people . They know everyone by name and they ’ re part of our community .”
The solution also supports Niue ’ s economy , helping local businesses trade online and sell traditional Niue arts and crafts to customers around the world . Similarly , the tourism industry can now offer visitors not only the beauty of the island and its untouched natural resources , but also the modern conveniences of highspeed Internet access in their hotel rooms .
Education has been a major beneficiary too . High school exams used to be paper-based-now students on the island can study the same courses as their peers in New Zealand and take the same exams online . And instead of researching their assignments using encyclopedias in the library , they have the entire Internet at their disposal – a resource that students in most countries take for granted .
Most important of all , Niue ’ s citizens now have access to instant communication with the rest of the world . With over 40,000 Niuens living overseas in New Zealand and other countries , the ability to stay connected with friends and family via inexpensive VoIP calls and instant messaging has a huge positive impact on people ’ s daily lives .
This also makes the country ’ s healthcare system much more efficient .
Instead of waiting for a specialist to visit the island for a consultation , patients can consult their doctors remotely via video calls .
“ People think it ’ s impossible to implement state-ofthe-art technology in the South Pacific , but we ’ ve done amazing things with Lenovo and Aiscorp . We want to showcase what we ’ ve done and be an example for other Pacific Island nations . This was made possible by Aiscorp and the Government of Niue ’ s innovative solutions ,” said Collier . p
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