Microsoft eyes iCafes as IT training ground

CEBU, Philippines - After implementing a nationwide campaign of offering the lowest software license fees exclusively for Internet Café owners, Microsoft Philippines is bent on pursuing its plan to make iCafes as training ground for Information Technology (IT) related courses.

Microsoft Philippines Inc. License Compliance Manager Fortune Abelo-Magsadia said that through its Microsoft iCafe Program, the company will soon introduce a program that will allow iCafe shops to offer short training programs to add value to its services, aside from generating revenues from internet gaming and surfing.

Abelo-Magsadia said that putting mini-training center facilities in iCafes in the Philippines will not only provide the proprietors the opportunity to earn more, but it will also provide more Filipinos the opportunity to learn IT skills.

The iCafé program is Microsoft's response to one of Internet café customers' unmet needs: secure and dependable computing experience in a shared PC space.

In an earlier announcement, Microsoft is going to build an online network access to authorize net cafés to accept consumers interested to avail of an online training.

This is a computer based and online training. Internet Cafes will provide the dedicated PCs for this purpose.

This program, will provide Internet Cafes another revenue channel, while any individual regardless of age, can get easy training access to different Microsoft programs.

Aside from partnering with the iCafe owners, by encouraging them to enroll in the Microsoft iCafe Program, the company will also forge stronger relationship with key government agencies, like the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), as well as the local government units (LGUs).

Empowering iCafe shops to offer educational services to consumers is part of Microsoft’s bid to make iCafes as one of the channels to push its program ‘bridging digital divide’, offering easier eLearning access to Filipinos.

Abelo-Magsadia said that this particular program will come later as phase-2 implementation of the long term Microsoft iCafe Program.

Recently, Microsoft rolled out the lowest prices for software products and licensing for the first time in history.

As an introduction to the program, Microsoft announced the major slash of Windows 7 (Operating Software) from P9,000 to P2,000 (plus) until May of this year

Microsoft Office on the other hand, is now pegged at P999 including rental rights fee.

The Bill Gates-owned company has picked Cebu as its pilot area for the national launching of this program

“There are a lot of benefits that an iCafe can take advantage of, once they will enroll in the program,” Magsadia said.

Aside from slashed prices, the program offers value added services for free, such as billing and metering tools, PC help tools, among others.

“We are trying to provide them [iCafe owners] value added services and products,” she explained. —Ehda M. Dagooc