Sify, India's premier Internet, networks and eCommerce Services company, has announced that it has been awarded the prestigious Frost & Sullivan Market Leadership Award for IP VPN markets for the second consecutive year.

IP VPN is fast becoming the default standard connectivity for all enterprises in India. It is the most efficient way to integrate the entire value chain of any enterprise. The overlay MPLS technology makes IP VPN extremely secure. Sify has been a pioneer in providing the MPLS VPN networks in India.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the IP VPN market in India in 2004 was estimated to be at $70.22 Million, a growth rate of 39.33 percent over the previous year. It also anticipates continuing high growth in the years 2005-2007 with MPLS driving the IP VPN markets, largely due to an ability to offer frame relay features at lower-costs. From 2008 on, the growth rate is likely to stabilize resulting in a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36.62 percent between the years 2004 and 2010. Frost & Sullivan estimates the Indian VPN service markets to grow to $101.37 million in 2005 and $456.65 million in 2010.

Mr. Rahul Swarup, President, Enterprise Solutions, Sify said, "This award is the highest possible recognition of the efforts Sify has made in pioneering the market for IP VPNs in India, and of setting the standards for data connectivity. Most of all, it is recognition of the trust our valued clients place in us to run their business critical applications over our backbone network. It is also recognition of the expertise, commitment and dedication of the entire Sify team, particularly my colleagues in Technology and Enterprise Solutions, who have made this possible."

Mr. Alok Shende, ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan India, said, "Using interviews with all market participants and extensive secondary research of proprietary data, Frost & Sullivan analysts track competitor revenue and market share of industry verticals. Competitors are then compared and ranked. According to our research for IP VPN markets, Sify has emerged as the single largest player with 42.72% market share in the highly competitive IP VPN market in India."