Comms Dealer

SOS Communications has retained its status as an authorised distributor of Toshiba Unified Communications Systems (UCS), a position held since 1998.

The vendor announced plans to withdraw its primary telephony products from the UK and Irish markets in February but pledged to maintain a tech support operation.

SOS Communications has confirmed that it will continue to support resellers through the end-of-life process of Toshiba's communications range of products for after market sales and distribution, providing Toshiba products to the trade alongside license key allocations.

SOS Communications will also offer technical support, product maintenance, spare parts, repairs and modifications to its customers.

"We are glad to have this confirmation and to quash the rumours," stated SOS Communications MD Colin Hepher.

Distributor DMSL is stepping up its challenge in the mobile channel with plans to promote BT's latest offers on handsets and the addition of the Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to its portfolio.
 
DMSL will be promoting the offers to its existing base partners and encouraging them to drive their mobile sales. "Mobility is an area of vast potential for resellers that already offer broadband and voice," said John Carter, Managing Director of DMSL.
 
"It is a natural extension of their range, and with the increasing trend towards VoIP and fixed and mobile convergence it makes sense for our partners to sell mobile solutions alongside the rest of their connectivity portfolio.
 
"This is an opportunity that business customers and consumers alike will not want to miss, so we will be promoting it aggressively and making sure that both resellers and end users get the message loud and clear."
 
DMSL will be generating end user leads for its partners through a series of email and telemarketing campaigns and providing sales, marketing and order processing support for partners where required.

SMS communications business Textlocal has ramped up its UK channel ambitions following the launch of a partner programme that enables comms resellers to put text messaging at the centre of their customers' communications strategy.

According to Senior Partner Business Development Manager Daron Healy (pictured left) Textlocal's channel recruitment campaign reflects a significant opportunity for resellers to incorporate SMS messaging into their cloud UC propositions and hold a new conversation with clients that creates scope for greater chemistry between end users and their customers.

"SMS offers businesses the chance to build relationships through instant communication," stated Healy. "The range of uses for this opt-in technology is vast."

He noted that Textlocal's Messenger platform achieves a 98% open rate followed by a 32% redemption rate and he believes that these statistics indicate a lucrative revenue stream for resellers, adding that the market potential for SMS is underscored by the company's base of circa 165,000 users who have sent over one billion texts using the firm's platform.

The popularity of its service has secured Textlocal a ranking in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 and Sunday Times Tech Track 100 listings, along with a recurring appearance in the Media Momentum Top 20 fastest growing digital agencies.

Textlocal's re-energised partner programme invites resellers to adopt a fully customisable white labelled 'out of the box' version of the Messenger platform supported by a service wrap.

"Full resale partners can rebrand the platform and create their own pricing models and marketing initiatives," noted Healy. "We provide white label collateral, product training and dedicated account specialists."

Textlocal has also added a dual branded resale model to its channel programme, enabling these partners to concentrate on selling while Textlocal manages the customer support.

Dual brand partners receive a branded version of their SMS platform and have full visibility of their registered users and commission.

Healy added: "Delivering SMS messaging alongside existing cloud-based telecoms and IT solutions gives resellers another reason to engage with their customers while generating sustainable additional revenue and enhanced client acquisition."

Avnet has entered into an agreement to sell its Technology Solutions operating group to Tech Data for circa $2.6bn.

The transaction is expected to be significantly accretive to Tech Data's non-GAAP earnings per share in the first year after closing. Tech Data expects to achieve annual cost savings of approximately $100m within two years after closing, primarily from efficiencies related to technology platforms, as well as duplicative functions and corporate expenses.

"We believe the acquisition of Technology Solutions by Tech Data is the best decision for our employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders," said Avnet CEO William Amelio.

"This transaction presents us with the best strategic path for Avnet's future success and profitability, and puts Technology Solutions in position to achieve breakthrough business results with Tech Data.

"We will drive targeted investments in embedded solutions, Internet of Things and critical digital platforms. By investing in these high growth areas we can expand the breadth of our portfolio and attract new customers worldwide."

Avnet's Technology Solutions operating group is a global IT solutions distributor serving customers and suppliers in more than 80 countries.

Bob Dutkowsky, chief executive officer of Tech Data, added: "Tech Data has competed with and admired Avnet Technology Solutions for many years. We're thrilled to start this journey together and are confident that our customers, vendor partners, employees, and shareholders will appreciate and benefit from the value that we will bring to the market."? ?Patrick Zammit, President of the Technology Solutions business, said: "Industry standardisation, innovation and converging technologies have transformed our industry.

"The broader portfolio created through this combination will enable both businesses to better capitalise on these trends, while also providing new opportunities for Technology Solutions to optimise and expand its offering, as well as unlock value in ways we could not historically.

"Given the strength of our customer and vendor relationships, our common cultures and values, as well as the skilled and engaged teams at both businesses, I am confident that this is a winning combination."

On completion of the transaction, Avnet expects to realize a gain of $3.75 to $4.75 per share. The closing of the transaction is anticipated to occur in the first or second quarter of calendar 2017.

Cradlepoint has extended its channel reach across Europe following a distribution agreement with Ingram Micro.

Cradlepoint provides solutions for cloud managed business continuity, primary and parallel networking, mobile and M2M/IoT.

Mark Chlebek, Senior Director Advanced Solutions EMEA, Ingram Micro, said: "Cradlepoint's networking technology complements our solutions portfolio, enabling us to leverage our combined technical capabilities across verticals that require remote connectivity and strong interoperability such as retail, hospitality, the public sector and transportation."

Hubert Da Costa, Vice President EMEA, Cradlepoint, added: "We are looking forward to driving new business opportunities alongside Ingram Micro for our mutual vendor partners."

A year-long campaign conducted by Nimans' Head of Network Services Mark Curtis-Wood has helped to align the distributor's mobile offering with the evolving requirements of resellers – coming to fruition with the launch of an expanded mobile services proposition.

The portfolio now includes EE in addition to O2 and Vodafone and offers new commercial models and a springboard into the mobile data and M2M markets.

Curtis-Wood said: "Over the last year I have met many of our existing resellers to understand what we need to do to help their businesses grow and explore gaps in our proposition.

"The common message was that while the wholesale offering is the cornerstone of their business there are times when they need something extra and a different commercial model to help win more orders.

"They also shared how having multiple network offerings would give them a competitive edge by enabling them to compete in different ways based on a more diverse supply."

Nimans' revamped mobile connectivity offering comprises six elements: O2 Wholesale, Vodafone Wholesale, O2 30 day contracts, Vodafone 30 day contracts, an EE dealer model and Mobile Data/M2M.

Resellers have a choice of single or multiple user inclusive tariffs and bundles or bespoke pay-as-you-use options.

"We also want to make the process of ordering as streamlined as possible and plan to provide more services online in the near future," added Curtis-Wood.

The launch of Gamma's business mobile service puts customer ownership, flexibility and control into the hands of resellers of converged fixed, data and mobile services, claims CEO Bob Falconer (pictured). The addition of a mobile service builds on the acquisition and development of Gamma's own core mobile network infrastructure.

"By owning the core network Gamma has full control of the mobile service in addition to the control it already has over its fixed voice and data network," stated Falconer.

"This core contains all the functionality of a mobile network and is based on the latest Ericsson software build, including 4G, and is capable of supporting emerging technologies such as Voice over Wi-Fi and VoLTE."

Gamma has partnered with Three to provide the primary radio access in the UK with separate UK roaming agreements in place to give mobile coverage wherever there is a signal in the UK via the MutiNet bolt-on.

"As well as giving channel partners an MVNO service where they have customer ownership and control over brand and pricing, the new Gamma Mobile service gives partners direct access to the core of the mobile network, so they can easily and quickly make changes to the mobiles within their base in real-time without having to involve a third party," said Falconer. 

The new service includes 4G as standard on all tariffs, as well as improved data monitoring with near real-time mediation and billing and more flexible data usage alerts.

"We've been working hard to build a mobile service that addresses the needs and challenges of today's business market, while providing the control and flexibility our partners need to deliver a differentiated service to their customers.

"We recognise the importance of mobility in an increasingly converged world and see this new service as a core component and the foundation for Gamma's converged offering moving forward, enabling us to take our portfolio of voice, data and mobile solutions to the next level." 

Software industry veteran and bestselling author Hans Peter Bech is to deliver a keynote on 'How to build a successful software business' at this year's Comms Vision Convention.

Consumption of tele and data communication has exploded across all industries and the prices for basic services continue to decline," he said. "Meanwhile, pure play software innovators are offering OTT (over-the-top) value added services. So how do the telco vendors and their channel partners get a share of a market that grows in value rather than be shackled by obsolescence, commoditisation and price competition?"

While the volume of tele and data communication is increasing rapidly the market doesn't want to deal with the basic details, according to Comms Vision Content Director Paul Cunningham. "That means that ICT channel partners must become software and service focused companies that add substantial more value than just marking up the vendors' offerings," he added. "They must develop new value propositions and learn to master new business models.

"Hans has been active as a business developer in the ICT industry for more than 35 years and has been successfully involved with the shift from hardware to software to services. He will give his insight on what it takes to make this transition and land securely on both feet."

Bech will also be on the panel discussing the transformation from a 'mark-up' to a 'software and value-add' business and the conference attendees will receive a copy of his recent bestseller 'Building Successful Partner Channels: in the software industry'.

Nimans teamed-up with router manufacturer DrayTek to jointly stage a pizza-filled fun day that also underscored the importance of business continuity amid instances of network outages most commonly caused by ISP issues, line failures such as a power cut, hardware failure and network congestion.

"Business continuity is essential in today's modern world with ever greater reliance on the cloud, VoIP, remote working, point of sale transactions and general communication," stated Julian Hubble, DrayTek's Sales and Marketing Manager.

"Business continuity is an area all resellers should be embracing to reassure their customers and drive their own revenues."

Hubble highlighted the Vigor 2860 multi WAN, the firm's most popular wireless router, which attaches to all types of broadband such as DSL and VDSL. One version of the router accepts a SIM card or connects directly to a mobile phone to create a hot spot.

Judith Addison, Nimans' Solutions Business Manager (Networking), added: "The staff fun day was a great way of raising awareness and reinforcing key messages."

Chess's annual festival (Chesstival) raised over £2,500 for charity and welcomed for the first time Scotland-based staff and their family members.

Attendees of the Scottish Chesstival, held at Paisley Rugby Club and coloured up by a Hawaiian theme, raised over £250 for the Red Cross. Chess Digital MD Alan Cassidy said: "Much work went into making this happen for our people. We have such a great mentality within the team."

South of the border staff converged on the telco's Alderley Edge HQ along with employees from the Burnley office, jointly raising £2,314 in aid of the East Cheshire Hospice.

Chief Executive David Pollock said: "It's in our culture to play our part in the wider community, and the East Cheshire Hospice is close to many peoples' hearts at Chess. Our former Operations Director Julie Wright spent her final days in their care and we will always support the excellent work they do at the Hospice."