Comms Dealer

Dimension Data is to hire an additional 300 data centre specialists over the next 18 months as part of a plan to quadruple its data centre business from $1bn to $4bn by 2018.

Dimension Data also intends to make data centre-focused acquisitions to build out skills and drive scale in major growth markets.

Steve Joubert, Group Executive of Dimension Data's Data Centre Business Unit, said: "Demand for our next generation data centre skills and services sees Dimension Data growing faster than the market, and we need great people to help us continue this growth."

Joubert points out that Dimension Data continues to make big investments in a number of new consulting, managed and cloud services. "This is why we want to hire the best people available in the market, to enable our clients with the best possible solutions and to drive our data centre business forward," he added.

Dimension Data will be recruiting across Singapore, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, West and East Africa, the UAE, UK, Germany and the US. The Group is also building out central teams to focus on ASEAN and Benelux, as well as France.

TalkTalk has posted record results for mobile, TV and fibre with the period between September to December adding 115,000 more homes to TalkTalk TV, 50,000 more mobile while 88,000 customers signed up for fibre.

The number of overall broadband customers increased by 15,000, while the number of customers choosing to leave TalkTalk fell to its lowest ever reported level, said the telco.

Tristia Harrison, Managing Director of Consumer, said: "Its great to see more of our customers make significant savings on their household bills by bundling more of their services together with TalkTalk.

"The response we've seen to our mobile offering makes us excited about the future of quad play, and our fast growing TV service demonstrates the huge demand from consumers for flexible, value for money packages."

Distributor TD Azlan is to offer Lakeside Software's big data analytics, providing the full SysTrack portfolio.

VARs will be able to offer SysTrack licences as part of their own value proposition, or take advantage of pre-packaged Desktop Assessment and Healthcheck services provided by Azlan and driven by Lakeside's analytics software.

With interest in virtual desktop infrastructure on the up, there is a major opportunity with Lakeside for enterprise VARs, believes Sarah Deller, Business Unit Director for Software at Azlan.

"SysTrack is a set of detailed analysis tools that can be used to visualise end user compute infrastructure in order to drive out costs, monitor and manage user experience, and troubleshoot issues," she said.

"It is also useful in pre-installation assessments of desktop transformation and migration projects; and supports all major industry platforms, including Microsoft, Citrix and VMware.

Trustmarque Solutions has been accepted as a supplier to G-Cloud 6, the UK government's public sector cloud procurement framework, which launches on February 2nd 2015.

Having expanded its capabilities following its merger with Trinity, Trustmarque has been selected to supply cloud solutions via G-Cloud's Digital Marketplace under all four lots of the framework.
 
Mark Garrity, Head of Public Sector for Trustmarque, said: "For over 27 years we've supported the public sector to adopt and use technologies that foster innovation, while ensuring the best value possible."

Through G-Cloud 6 Trustmarque will offer software and services under all four available lots: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Specialist Cloud Services.

This will include virtual desktop integration and data centre and hybrid cloud services. Also available will be CRM, ERP and data management tools such as Listpoint.

Eclipse has strengthened its Communicate offering to resellers with the launch of SIP Trunk for Partners.

The extension of Eclipse's proposition brings more choice to the channel and provides resellers with increased control over how they structure telephony and connectivity deals.

According to Eclipse this new addition to its portfolio will accelerate the success of business partners looking to maximise the potential of the expanding communications market even if they don't have a traditional voice background.

The products are aimed at resellers looking to start their customers on the road to a fully scalable IP-based service. Eclipse will take care of the provisioning and service support while resellers pass on cost savings and continuity benefits compared to traditional PSTN/ISDN lines.

Pete Tomlinson, Director of Sales, Marketing & Product at Eclipse, said: "Expanding the Eclipse experience for our partners is key to our growth strategy. We're now a single service provider offering one point of contact for all our Connect, Cloud and Communicate services."

Henry West, Head of Channel Sales, added: "SIP Trunks is an integral part of what IT system integrators and VARs should be offering to maximise their commercial potential.

"There's a huge opportunity for resellers to increase their margins and take full advantage of this vibrant market."

Bolton-based IT solutions company Imerja has secured its place on the G-Cloud framework for the third time in succession.

Cloud 6 is the latest version of the framework which allows public sector organisations to source and hire approved cloud IT suppliers through the government's Digital Marketplace.

Each company must go through a selection process to ensure that only trusted providers are selected for the framework.

Ian Jackson, MD, said: "G-Cloud and the Digital Marketplace have helped change the way that IT services are procured by the public sector, encouraging direct engagement with SMEs like Imerja.

"Our strong in-house capabilities underpinned by high levels of accreditation and 24x7 operations already enable us to deliver critical services to government, healthcare and blue light services.

"Our focus on achieving accreditation to OFFICIAL and the introduction of HMG Cyber Essentials will ensure Imerja is able to continue to provide robust and accredited services into the public sector."

Masergy Communications' UCaaS Intelligent SIP Trunking services have been certified as compatible with the Microsoft Lync 2013 platform.

As a qualified Lync support partner, Masergy has demonstrated specific expertise in SIP trunking to become independently tested and certified for seamless interoperability with the Microsoft Lync platform.

"Companies who deploy Microsoft Lync make a significant investment and should not settle for anything less than a first rate certified SIP trunking service provider," said Dean Manzoori, VP of Product Management - UCaaS, Masergy.

"We're proud that our SIP services have been independently certified to ensure a superior customer service experience, interoperability, and support for Lync deployments."

According to Infonetics Research's SIP Trunking Services Report, the SIP trunking market is expected to top $8bn by 2018. "There is no denying the world is moving to IP, and SIP has become the de facto solution of choice for businesses. In North America, slightly more than 20% of the installed business trunks use SIP trunking," noted Diane Myers, principal analyst for VoIP, UC, and IMS at Infonetics Research.

Purple WiFi, the cloud-based social WiFi software company, has partnered with Molson Coors, one of the UK's biggest brewers to create a solution called Molson Coors Cloud.

As part of a new trial, Molson Coors is offering a secure gated access point for a pub's WiFi where Molson Coors brands are stocked. The access point also enables the licensees to engage with their customers directly to build loyalty and provide them relevant information and offers.

The licensed venue can also use the Molson Coors Cloud to achieve social media engagement, customer interaction and loyalty, data collection and ROI from additional food and beverage sales.

Alpesh Mistry, Molson Coors Customer Marketing Director, said: "Being a significant On Trade supplier that continues to have a direct relationship with our customers, we know publicans are looking for new modern ways to drive sales.

"The idea of having a resource that would capture customer data and then use this to attract these pub-goers back would have historically been left to those with significant time and budget. By creating Molson Coors Cloud, our hope is we are enabling any of our customers to have this ability."

Daniel Dearlove, General Manager, Backyard Bar & Backyard Comedy Club added: "The Molson Coors WiFi portal is already driving more traffic to our free WiFi service and the marketing opportunities it enables are easy to implement and helping us to engage in new ways with our customer base.

"With a better understanding of our customers we can also identify new markets for our events and improve the service we offer, resulting in increased numbers of returning customers."

Gavin Wheeldon, CEO, Purple WiFi, said: "The drinks industry was one of the first to recognise the demand for free WiFi. Over the past few years there has been a noticeable increase in the number of pubs that provide a WiFi hotspot for their customers. But the supply still isn't meeting demand and WiFi is often unsecured, while offering little or no benefit to the venue.

"Molson Coors is paving the way within the drinks industry, turning that situation on its head by providing free WiFi and getting something tangible in return."

Following a successful trial across 20 venues throughout the UK for a period of six months, Molson Coors will be looking to launch the service to all outlets across the UK.

A UC enhanced version of Jabra's Stealth headset has been launched to the UK and Ireland.

The Jabra Stealth UC Bluetooth headset is interoperable with all mobile devices and UC platforms.

"We strive to help the mobile worker gain the full benefits from both their mobile devices and UC solutions," said Nigel Dunn, Managing Director of Jabra UK.

"It is our experience that one of the most important factors for users embracing these communication solutions is the headset, which bridges the gap between the user and the promise of increased efficiency and flexibility, coupled with high-quality sound. The Jabra Stealth UC provides this bridge and allows the user to stay in their concentration zone for longer."

4Com has extended its sponsorship of former premier league footballer and Southampton FC legend Franny Benali's epic charity run to include Benali's Big Run Gala Dinner on March 14th at Southampton's St. Marys Stadium.

Benali's Big Run saw ex-footballer Benali pound the streets to every premier league ground late last summer - 1,000 miles in 21 days - in a charity effort that has so far raised in excess of £200,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Benali said: "I was told by some that I'm mad and it can't be done, but that made me even more determined to succeed."

4Com's Dean Cartledge joined Benali on the run following a 'suggestion' by MD Daron Hutt. "I was thrown in at the deep end by Daron, however I am grateful for Daron for sponsoring this challenge and involving 4Com and its staff to be a part of this monumental journey of courage and strength."

Hutt commented: "Dean is an inspirational man, a man who leads from the front. He is an inspiring, logistical military motivator with a strict but understanding and caring nature. A true asset not only to 4Com but everyone that has the pleasure of knowing him."