ROUND ROCK, Texas, Mar 07, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- --Dell OEM Solutions reduces overhead for Panama-based start-up during rapid growth period and enables global expansion

Gratifon S.A. is leveraging Dell OEM Solutions' OptiPlex XE PCs and cloud services for 50 kiosks that provide sponsored phone calls at no cost to residents and tourists in Panama. With Dell OEM Solutions technology and services, Gratifon can plan for future growth, focus on innovating its core business and deliver new offerings that help connect consumers.

Gratifon (Gratifon.com) has invented a voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) kiosk that connects consumers at tourist locations, hotels, airports, malls and supermarkets to any landline or cell phone worldwide at no cost. During the conversation, the kiosk displays interactive video advertisements on its full-color screen. Gratifon's kiosks help consumers find restaurants, attractions and lodging, and advertisers benefit by being able to place relevant ads at point of sale locations.

Gratifon needed small, quiet, industrial PCs that would withstand the humid, hot weather of Central America to power its kiosks. The company turned to Dell OEM Solutions' industrial OptiPlex XE PCs, which have an extended three-year lifecycle and can operate in temperatures of more than 110 degrees F. OptiPlex XE PCs help customers decrease field maintenance costs with component-level stability and standards-based remote management while delivering the performance needed to power quick calls, high definition video and a pleasant user experience.

Dell OEM Solutions also provided the Dell Cloud with VMware vCloud(R) Datacenter Service, a VMware-based public cloud service offering that provides scalable computing power and storage, eliminating the need for Gratifon to build out its own data center, while delivering simplicity, ease of deployment and a single point of contact for support of the overall solution. Managed by skilled Dell technicians, the solution combines VMware's cloud software with redundant hardware, power, and cooling to deliver high scalability and reliability. Beyond the software and hardware, Dell's cloud specialists provided configuration assistance and training, as well as ongoing support, through Dell ProSupport to Gratifon.

With Dell solutions technology, Gratifon has been able to expand, deploying 50 kiosks throughout Panama and plans to add another 250 kiosks within the next six months. Longer-term goals are to roll out approximately 3,000 kiosks in Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina and Brazil within 12 to 18 months.

Dell OEM Solutions works with its customers to help them leverage Dell hardware and services to bring their intellectual property to new markets with greater efficiency so they can spend more time on their own innovation. A division within Dell, Dell OEM Solutions provides original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with customized services, support and technologies that meet their unique specifications. Many fast-growing, innovative companies looking for a tier-one technology provider turn to Dell OEM Solutions as their single, global source for comprehensive, end-to-end design, manufacturing, logistics, supply-chain and support services to help them improve agility and competitive differentiation.

Quotes:

"As a startup, technology is key to ensuring that our growing business can thrive," said Oz Yosef, Gratifon CEO. "By leveraging the Dell OEM OptiPlex XEs and cloud services for our kiosks, we were able to cut costs and expand our business in ways we didn't know possible."

"We're pleased to help Gratifon bring their innovative VoIP kiosks concept to the public and grow its business," said Ron Pugh, executive director and general manager, Dell OEM Solutions, Americas. "By providing Gratifon with a single source for the hardware, services and support to power its kiosk, we give them the reliability and flexibility to expand into new markets."

About Dell

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SOURCE: Dell Inc.