Broadband, BlackBerrys save the day for IT, BPO

It was work as usual at all the major IT and business process operating firms in Mumbai. While a few advised their employees to take leave or use flexi-working options, for many it was work as usual because of broadband connections in homes and BlackBerry(s).

For instance, India's largest IT firm Tata Consultancy Services -- which is headquartered in south Mumbai where terror struck -- asked its employees to operate out of any of the offices in north Mumbai until further advice.

In an official release, the company said: "All our operations in north Mumbai are open and functioning as usual. A team of TCS experts continues to monitor the situation continuously and the company has very well-established business continuity plans in place, should the need arise to implement them."

Similarly, Aegis BPO that has a corporate office in Mumbai has asked its employees in Mumbai to operate from home as they all have broadband connections and BlackBerry(s), said Aparup Sengupta, CEO, Aegis BPO.

An Intelenet Global Services spokesperson, though did not officially comment on the situation, but said that it was work as usual and that all employees had been given a pickup and drop facility. IBM-Daksh, in an official statement sent out to the media said, "There are no known impacts to IBM facilities or employees at this time.

"We are closely monitoring the situation." The situation is same for HTMT Global Services, the BPO arm of the Hinduja Group. Partha De Sarkar, CEO, HTMT, said, "We have two offices in Mumbai in which almost 300 people work. Majority of the people are at home and they have  normal security."

However, IT services and KPO services firm Syntel, declared a holiday and decided yesterday night itself that employees should refrain from coming to work.

"Syntel operations are running fine. People working on the IT part of the business have been asked to take leave and we have put in place all the support required.

Although we are fully prepared we have not yet invoked business continuity plan," said Keshav Murugesh, president and chief operating officer, Syntel. Murugesh was of the opinion that the company was prepared for a longer haul in case the situation didn't improve.