FreeGate opens Web for business niche

FreeGate Corp., a Sunnyvale, Calif., company that has been in business for barely nine months, is ready to tackle a market issue that has vexed Internet service providers and potential business users for much longer. The company will launch a multiservices gateway and remote management system this week aimed at delivering advanced Internet applications to small businesses and branch offices.

The FreeGate Multi-Services Internet Gateway was designed as a networking platform capable of helping businesses get on the Internet and, moreover, explore the development of high-end applications--such as intranets, extended intranets, firewalls and e-mail servers--usually reserved for much larger businesses with devoted management information system staffs. The gateway product integrates an Internet protocol router; Web, file transfer protocol and e-mail servers; a firewall; wide area network access interfaces, including T-1/ FT-1, DDS 56K frame relay and ISDN/IDSL; and optional services such as push technology and Web collaboration.

Next generation WAN interfaces also are planned for later product upgrades, among them digital subscriber line. The gateway is browser-enabled and supports Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator.

The solution also includes a remote management system that helps service providers or users manage multiple gateways, set up virtual private networks and access ongoing management reports, according to Kevin Cheek, director of channel marketing at FreeGate.

"Advanced services can be frightening to the target audience. This product helps carriers address this small business market in a way they haven't before," said Jean-Marc Freilong, chief technical officer at FreeGate. Carriers currently are evaluating the product family, and FreeGate has pending distribution agreements with two Bell companies and a national ISP, he said.

FreeGate, founded in December 1996, joins a growing field of young vendors targeting the long-untapped niche of small businesses. Most of the 13 vendors addressing the area have been selling solutions only since January, said James Staten, industry analyst at DataQuest, San Jose.

"These types of products will allow large ISPs to reduce their overhead concerns in delivering Internet solutions and upgrades to the small business market," he said.

These smaller businesses might have a few or as many as 200 Internet users, but most do not explore Internet applications that transcend e-mail or Web-based publishing.