Neda Network - About Neda

Back in '93, the group didn't even have an established name. It was only when the first BBS was successfully installed that Neda Rayaneh was officially registered. It's all very easy if you set out to do something many other people are already doing. In the case of Neda Rayaneh, it took leadership, hard work, and ambition to pave the way for a novel activity amidst the rough seas of a country totally unfamiliar with this notion, a notion which required two years of free of charge service to be promoted. That is how Neda Rayaneh started with a 40-meter basement and in less than two years, its main office extended over 2000 meters.

Neda Rayaneh: History

Neda Rayaneh Institute (Neda) was created in 1994 as a non-governmental, non-profit, cultural institution in Tehran, Iran . Neda's main field of activity is within Iran but operates globally thanks to the infra-structure provided bt the Internet. . Neda's subsidiaries handle related works in software design and electronic graphics. According to its charter and articles of association Neda's activities could be summerised as " creation and hosting of data banks and data bases with the objectives of collection and dissemination of scientific, cultural, economic, technical and industrial information as well as education, research, import/export and production of everything connected with these activities." With an average age of 36 for its fifty fellow workers, Neda is in tune with the youthful nature of high technology. With a high average academic expertise Neda keeps its ears close to the ground for the latest in technical, social, and economic issues, locally and globally.

Since its creation Neda has been at the fore-front of technological achievements, and perhaps more importantly it has been actively promoting thier social applications through accessability. From ordinary services provided in making information banks user friendly for local authorities, to innovative applications of aspects of globalisation of information technology to local culture through provision of Persian input-output, Neda has become a household name through out Tehran city neighbourhoods as well as a point of reference in national and regional technical forums.

As the only prominent private sector ISP in Iran, Neda is actively present at key consultative committees helping decision makers form affordable connectivity a policy objective. It also remains the only point of reference for service provision at international gatherings, such as the 8th OIC Summit conference, where Neda designed and maintained the OIC home page and successfuly achieved 1st on-line and direct web audio and video broadcast from Iran. Neda is also the sponsor and manager of public access cyber cafes set up in conjunction with professional trade fairs in Tehran.

Since its inception Neda has,

- created and maintained over 80 databases of urban information available free of charge to Tehran city dwellers.
- over 4000 bulletin board subscribers, over 2000 e-mail clients and hosts home pages for over 700 commercial clients.
- popularized the use of modern IT tools, such as e-mail, BBS, electronic commerce, tele-marketing services and on line publications.
- created and maintains the first Iranian active WWW site on the internet (www.neda.net ) for the purpose of information exchanges between local and international users as well as promoting Iranian business abroad.
- sponsored the first Iranian public access cyber-cafe.

Neda hosts the electronic version of Hamshahri the highest circulation Iranian daily and a dozen other journals and periodicals on its WWW site. Neda sponsors various cultural sites such as virtual musems and historical archives and is the patron of the only Iranian virtual art gallery.

Amongst its 700+ commercial clients Neda hosts the sites of organizations such as : Iranian Shipping Lines, National Iranian Oil Refinary and Distribution Co., SAIPA automobile manufacturers, Melli Shoes, Imam Khomeini International Airport, Mostazafin & Janbazan Foundation...and collaborates with the Tehran Stock Exchange (Bourse) , Air Quality Control Center and the Iranian Standards Institute.

With the current climate of change in Iran and the confidence gained through an annual turn over of IR Rials 4.8 billion, (1997-98 estimates) and the foresight in having 1000 telephone lines at the disposal of its subscribers, Neda prepares itself for greater accessability of the "superhighway" locally and is currently engaged in projects which shall enhance the quality and range of its services and increase its international exposure.