TOKYO, July 1, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ) (Nasdaq:IIJI) (TSE1: 3774), one of Japan's leading Internet access and comprehensive network solutions providers, today announced the launch of LaIT (pronounced "light"), a new brand that offers high-quality services at reasonable prices for small and medium enterprises. The initial service offering consists of LaIT Rental Server, a shared rental server service that supports creation of sites for mobile phones, and LaIT Private Ether, a flexible VPN service that connects remote sites via L2 (layer 2). Both services will be released on July 29.
The basic concept of the LaIT brand is to provide small and medium enterprises (SME) with low-cost, basic services with the same quality enjoyed by IIJ's large corporate and government customers. These services will be available through the LaIT website and partner companies, though all aspects of the service -from registration to support- will be conducted online, greatly reducing system operating costs and administrative costs while improving service infrastructure through virtualization technology.
The two initial services, LaIT Rental Server and LaIT Private Ether, are described below.
LaIT Rental Server
Mail, Web, anti-virus, and anti-spam features-this rental server service provides all the features demanded of a hosting service today. To help website creators resolve the problems they face in creating sites that are compatible with mobile devices, this service comes with Mobile Content Support, and all for a small monthly fee that starts at just JPY 2,000 per month. Roundabout(*1) is used to convert content for viewing on mobile devices, automatically optimizing content and graphics, which enables Web creators to author one set of content that can be viewed from any device (2G, 3G, etc.) or any carrier (NTT DOCOMO, au, SoftBank).
LaIT Private Ether
The LaIT Private Ether service establishes a logical L2 connection between service adapters at remote locations for the building of protocol-free, highly flexible networks. The service uses IIJ's proprietary SEIL/X(*2) routers and IIJ's SMFv2(*3), which enables completely automatic network configuration. Customers who use B FLET'S or FLET'S HIKARI Next services can create a VPN just by plugging in the network adaptors. There are no complicated design considerations that are usually associated with building a VPN network. Up to 10 locations can be connected in a full-mesh configuration at JPY 8,900 per location per month.
As part of the LaIT promotional campaign, initial fees will be waived for customers who sign up between July 29 and October 31. The LaIT Rental Server can be tried for free starting today until August 31.
The LaIT service lineup will be expanded continuously, starting with the addition of the Broadband Connection and Mobile Internet Connection services scheduled for release this fiscal year, all of which will be designed to optimize IT use for SMEs.
LaIT Website
* URL: http://www.la-it.jp/
About the LaIT brand
The LaIT brand was created to provide small and medium enterprises with the services they need but with the technological savvy, stability, and reliability that IIJ developed through serving high-end corporate customers to the highest standards in the demanding corporate Internet services industry. The services offered under the LaIT brand are simple and affordable.
The name LaIT is a derived from French "La" and "IT," which we have used to mean the ultimate IT service. From its pronunciation ("light"), we also use it to connote "easy to obtain" for our customers and a "beacon" for our customers' businesses.
LaIT campaign details
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Campaign Eligible Customers Description
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial fees Customers Initial fees will be waived on
waived who sign up LaIT Rental the Server and LaIT
via website Private Ether
by October 31
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LaIT Rental Customers LaIT hosting service is free until
Server trial who sign up August 31. (Some restrictions
on or before apply. Availability is limited and
July 28 applications will not be accepted
via the website once the limit is met.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LaIT Rental Server highlights
o Main features
> Web server (mobile content support, CGI, PHP, database,
access analysis, etc.)
> Mail server
> Unique domain available
> Control panel (administrative site for administrators and end
users)
o Fees
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Product Initial Monthly Main features
Fee Fees
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk Mail
space accounts
---------------------------------------------------------------------
S02 JPY 2,000 2GB 20
---------- -----------------------------------------------
S10 JPY 4,000 10GB
---------- JPY 10,000 ------------------------------- Unlimited
S20 JPY 7,000 40GB
---------- -------------------------------
S30 JPY 9,000 80GB
---------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Optional Initial Monthly Note
services Fee Fees
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mobile Free JPY Basic features are expanded, and
content 20,000 graphic optimization feature is
support provided
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Server JPY -- Reference price for selecting a
certificate 131,000 secure server ID from Japan
option Verisign
(reference
price)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
DNS option JPY JPY 700 IIJ will obtain a ".jp" domain
10,000 on your behalf
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LaIT Private Ether highlights
o Main features
> High-quality service adapter SEIL/X is used to create an
Ethernet VPN connection for to up to 10 locations (L2TPv3
connection, full mesh configuration)
> Automatic network connection via SMFv2 technology, monitoring,
administration, traffic monitoring
> 24 hour support year round, equipment replacement in the event of
failure
o Fees
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Product Initial Monthly Note
Fee Fees
---------------------------------------------------------------------
LaIT Private JPY JPY - Fees are per location
Ether 30,000 8,900 - Does not include access line
fees for B FLETs, FLETs Hikari
Next services
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(*1) roundabout: Content conversion engine for mobile devices provided by Symmetric Co., Ltd. XHTML and CSS 1 source is uploaded to the server, which is displayed to all users regardless of carrier or terminal type. This removes the need to update content each time a new device appears on the market. (http://www.symmetric.co.jp/roundabout/)
(*2) SEIL/X: Corporate access router developed by IIJ. Contains all the features needed from the ISP viewpoint, and has many applications as a corporate network service adapter, such as in wide area networks. Automatic connection supported by SMFv2. (http://www.seil.jp/seilseries/)
(*3) SMFv2: Network management system developed by IIJ. It provides a service framework for automated configuration of network devices, such as SEIL/X, and centralized management of the network. (http://www.seil.jp/smfv2/)
(*) All prices listed do not include consumption tax.
About IIJ
Founded in 1992, IIJ is one of Japan's leading Internet-access and comprehensive network solutions providers. IIJ and its group of companies provide total network solutions that mainly cater to high-end corporate customers. IIJ's services include high-quality systems integration and security services, Internet access, hosting/housing, and content design. Moreover, IIJ has built one of the largest Internet backbone networks in Japan, and between Japan and the United States. IIJ was listed on NASDAQ in 1999 and on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2006.
The Internet Initiative Japan Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4613
The statements within this release contain forward-looking statements about our future plans that involve risk and uncertainty. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the documents furnished by IIJ with the Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically the most recent reports on Forms 20-F and 6-K, which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.