Fears for computer suppliers as school IT hardware set to rocket

Between 2004 and 2006 IT companies could experience a ten-fold increase in computer orders from schools. The hardware boost will be fuelled by a deal where 75% of expenditure is financed from structural funds. It is estimated that the total value of computer equipment might amount to zł.1.5 billion in two years time. According to Education Ministry spokesman Mieczysław Grabowski the value of IT tenders for education purposes could exceed zł.400 million in 2004. After boosting orders the number of computers sponsored by the Education Ministry could be as much as 13% of the domestic market. However this will increase competition in this segment and some traditional Polish suppliers, such as NTT and Optimus, could be pushed out by the industry’s largest international players, including HP and Dell. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, B2) M.M.