Cable & Wireless in Bermuda is setting up a specialised Internet hosting centre at a cost of $3 million.

And the international telecommunications provider is expected to make further announcements in the coming months which will allow the company to compete locally for global business created by the Internet.

Cable & Wireless will open the specially built facility to provide a high level of access for both businesses on and off the Island at the company's teleport in Devonshire.

The company is currently training existing staff in new technology in the build-up to the opening and construction is about to begin on the new high-tech site.

"It will be a centre for electronic commerce and Internet related services,'' Edward Saints, General Manager of Cable & Wireless Bermuda told The Royal Gazette .

"The Internet provider solution centre will provide the technology for customers to host their own equipment and Internet connection.'' Cable & Wireless hopes to provide a hosting facility and service delivery to business on the Island and to offer expertise on web sites and e-commerce shopping.

Cable & Wireless say they are positioning themselves to take advantage of the explosion in the Internet market. While the finer details of the teleport scheme have not yet been released, Mr. Saints said that an agreement had been made last week and investment of $3 million had been pledged by the company.

The hosting centre is to be the first part of a strategy to build and develop the infrastructure and technology needed both by businesses locally and internationally to take advantage of the Internet.

The company has been moving its core business away from traditional telecommunications with the advent of the Internet.

Many advances in technology have threatened to make long distance telephone calls -- the bread and butter of Cable & Wireless -- obsolete.

While it is doubtful that the technology which will allow extra cheap long distance calls through a home PC, computers will be up to scratch within the next few years, telecommunications giants have been paving the way to be an integral part of the technological revolution.

Mr. Saints said: "There is a sea of change in the direction of the company.

We will be focusing on companies worldwide, offering a business solution which will allow it to become a world base for the Internet.'' He added: "Because of the legislative climate in Bermuda, we are seeing a great deal of business we would not normally have seen without it. It is exciting for us, and it is exciting for Bermuda. We are moving down the path of seeing Bermuda as a part of global commerce.'' Cable & Wireless currently has five regional e-commerce platforms in London, Washington, Sydney, Bahrain and Hong Kong. Bermuda has already been targeting business globally, and will continue to do so with the provision of a `hosting' facility.

Sometimes called a `one-stop shop' the hosting facility will allow businesses to come in and do everything related to the Internet at one site.

For information on Cable & Wireless' Internet services check out their website at www.cw-webcommerce.com .