Strencom

• Big Fish Games distributes over 1.5 million casual games online a day
• Strencom provides Big Fish Games with a 100MB internet connection between its global headquarters in the US and its European headquarters in Cork.
• “Cork offered a multicultural society with a burgeoning technology cluster and access to a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)”, Oliver Coughlan, Vice President European Business Operations Big Fish Games.

September, 2009

Strencom, the business IP services provider, today announced that it has won a €100k three year contract to provide a host of telecommunications and managed services to Big Fish Games, the world’s leading online destination for games and interactive entertainment. This follows a recent IDA announcement that Big Fish Games is to establish its European headquarters in Cork, creating 100 jobs.

Big Fish Games works with almost 500 games developers worldwide and distributes over 1.5 million casual games per day online resulting in massive bandwidth requirements. In addition, its worldwide headquarters share customer platforms, databases and business applications. The Strencom solution will ensure the uninterrupted connectivity between the US and the newly opened European headquarters.

Big Fish Games is experiencing considerable growth outside its domestic US market with international gamers now accounting for over 50% of its customer base. To strengthen its ability to provide dedicated service and support to its growing European customer and developer base, Big Fish made the decision to open a European headquarters in Cork.

A critical success factor in the delivery of international customer support is the seamless integration and connectivity of the US and European offices. Strencom is providing Big Fish Games with 24x7 network monitoring and connectivity including a 100MB internet connection into its Cork office. Strencom was chosen based on its ability to deliver a solution within weeks, its guaranteed service levels and its competitive pricing.

Tim Murphy, CEO, Strencom, said, “It’s great to see that Ireland is now seen as one of the leading destinations for the location of online gaming companies. Big Fish Games will have an extremely positive impact on the local economy and, importantly, will be a beacon for similar international companies looking for a European base. We look forward to working with Big Fish Games as it continues its investment in Ireland.”

Oliver Coughlan, Vice President European Business Operations, Big Fish Games, said, “Ireland was chosen as our European headquarters based on the availability of a highly skilled, educated and multilingual workforce. Specifically, Cork offered a multicultural society with a burgeoning technology cluster and access to a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) that could guarantee our heavy bandwidth requirements at a highly competitive cost.”

“Since opening our Cork operation, we’ve been very impressed by the calibre of potential employees, the local amenities and the communications infrastructure. In Strencom, we’ve found a technology partner that’s met every one of our exacting requirements and delivered on every promise”, he concluded.

Conal Henry, CEO of e|net, who manage the state-owned MANs, commented, “There is no doubt MAN-enabled towns are getting significant competitive advantage in terms of IDA job creation. The 27 Phase 1 MAN enabled towns have increased their share of IDA inward investment from 24% in 2004 to over 70% in 2008. Simply put, these towns are now habitually getting the vast majority of new foreign direct investment.”

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