Penki Kontinentai is not just one of the very first Lithuanian-based IT companies, successfully operating for more than a quarter of a century; it is often mentioned among those with a great experience in the innovative software development and maintenance. Moreover, it was among the first to create online search system (Grand Prix at the 1999 Lithuanian WWW Championship) – or the first national Press.lt news app (the then best in Europe). It also was the first that offered its customers fiber-optic Internet services – and the first that used IPTV technology for live video streaming.

Idrakas Dadašovas, Penki Kontinentai Board Chairman, says that ever-changing technologies change our understanding of our environment, and the 21st century cannot be imagined without the development of "Internet of things", biometric technologies and artificial intelligence systems.

This year, Skynet, which is a fiber-optic network celebrating its 20th anniversary, also made a new step by changing its trademark to Penki.

- How have Internet technologies changed over the past 25 years?

In 25 years, not only technologies, the essence of understanding the Internet has changed. We no longer need to know essential things required several decades ago. Now it is no longer relevant, or interesting, to talk about fast Internet or a reliable and stable connection. I myself rarely use the word "Internet", and I do not associate it with the speed, technically, be it 100 Mbps, or 10 Gbps. For Internet today is an environment where you do not care about technologies; and this is quite clear for everyone.

At this stage, our task is far more difficult: we should to create a different intellectual environment that would stimulate your constant improvement, help you to develop and implement your ideas. So that in this environment anyone could take use of the accumulated experience, find the best possible solution, implement his or her own dreams and decide about the future.

We do our best helping those people and companies that have their own ideas and developments in the most diverse fields of intellectual products. We want to encourage them to believe in their strength and help to achieve their goals. Today our motto is "More opportunities!" Moreover, we feel we are needed only when others manage to achieve their goals, with our help.

- How modern technologies can help to achieve those goals?

Today, technologies should be invisible for the common people; nevertheless, they must predict what you want. When over two decades ago we started talking about "smart home" technologies, everyone was amazed. Today, these technologies do not surprise anyone. For example, I come home – the doors recognize me; open themselves, the lights turn on; when I go out, the lights turn off, and the doors get locked. We no longer need to worry about home security, saving electricity and many other things. You don’t need to worry about information – it must be securely protected and, at the same time, available on the Internet: anywhere, any time and from any device. Only when many small things, on which you spend a lot of time, do not distract you, you can devote yourself to dreams, creativity and changing the whole world. People tend to forget about many things, so the objects surrounding them should remind them what and when they should do. Undoubtedly, the security and confidentiality of data is extremely important here.

Now many world corporations use and develop the big data and multi-channel technologies, Internet of things (IoT), neural networks-based biometrical and navigation systems and artificial intelligence. All this helps to achieve the set goals. New tools that combine high-speed and general communication with big data appear.

Technologies should free us from unnecessary trifles that distract us, so that we could focus on the main things, creating a totally different model of behavior and thinking. Naturally, all technologies should not work for us, but stimulate our imagination and will – and promote their implementation.

-In today's language, more than twenty years ago, you were an IT start-up. What role did Skynet play then?

At that time, carrying out each new project, you immediately thought about its completeness. Each of those projects had its own beginning and the end. And we tried to "infect" those who aspired to realize their intentions, with them.

When we offered the then fastest Internet connection in Lithuania, it was important for us not only to ensure high data transfer speed, but also to create a new information society culture. There were many scientists, intellectuals, politicians, people of culture and arts. I keep recalling with nostalgia those times when we opened the Internet cafe where you could drop not only for a cup of coffee – but also in order to discuss how video cams could be used in Internet chats, the IP-telephony, or online games...

Fiber optic technologies offering much higher data speed have opened up new opportunities. For that reason we have taken the word Skynet itself to indicate the latest communication technologies – and the fastest speed.  Still, due to insufficient Internet speed, people could not imagine the current media opportunities – and the texts prevailed, there was no possibility to watch video clips. However, when we started providing Internet services, our motto was "Listen, look and read". Many people treated us with skepticism in those days...

- Skynet is changing its brand name to Penki. Why Penki?

Although we have been providing Internet services for a long time, the name Skynet was not associated with the entire group of companies; today we are taking this step, as it really corresponds to our overall strategy. We want all the activities of the group to be associated with the principal brand name.

Having registered Penki Kontinentai, we did not need to change this brand. Until now, both our friends and partners call us simply Penki. In other words, we are a team of professionals always ready to help, to "give five."

In addition, there is a considerable optimism in the word "five". Innovation, individuality. Until recently, "five" used to be the highest rating at school – although it has doubled to ten now. And we are always open to cooperation, providing the highest quality services.

- Thank you for the interview.