Comms Dealer

Channel Telecom has announced an end of year sales incentive for channel partners, covering the three month period from September to November 2014.

Partners that hit their allocated new business target will qualify for a four day skiing tour in mid-January to the Les Trois Vallées (three valleys) area of France.

Over three full days the Channel Telecom party will experience a programme of winter sports with skiing and snowboarding at a five-star ski resort.

Guests will enjoy all transfers and flights to their luxury hotel accommodation, with a champagne reception upon arrival. The all-expenses paid tour also includes hire of all winter sports equipment so guests do not have to burden themselves with skis and snow boards. Lift passes are also included.

Clifford Norton, Managing Director of Channel Telecom, said: "We want treat our most successful partners to a wonderful start to 2015 and I can think of nothing better than an invigorating trip to the slopes to kick things off.

"We will also be able to discuss our development plans for the year ahead in a relaxed atmosphere with some of our most important partners. We look forward to more reward and incentive events for our channel community in the coming months, including our annual Reward & Recognition evening in December."

Renowned fertility scientist and media personality Lord Professor Robert Winston will the keynote speaker at Alternative Group's showcase event, fusionLIVE on Thursday 6 November at the Royal Horticultural Halls, London SW1P 2QW. 

"Business has  always has been  about people interacting effectively and we are excited to be able to bring you Lord Winston's view on how technology is affecting human interaction and behaviour, and how human collaboration is evolving as a result of technology," said Alternative Communications Director Aidan Jackson.

Lord Winston's address will be followed by a series of presentations by technology experts and business leaders on topical subjects, including:
 
• How to optimise your IT investment
• Ultra effective visibility & control
• Smarter working
• Cost effective business continuity
• The Cloud and its silver lining
 
For further information visit http://www.fusion-live.com
 
 

The Global President of Avnet Technology Solutions, Phil Gallagher, is to step down and pursue alternative career opportunities.

He will remain in place until a successor is named and will assist in a transition. The company expects to have a new leader in place by the end of the calendar year.

Rick Hamada, chief executive officer, said: "Phil is a well respected, 31-year veteran of the company. Over the past five years, the Technology Solutions team has built a solid foundation for the future, adding several strategic suppliers, technologies and services to our portfolio.

"In addition, they have expanded our geographic footprint in many key markets in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific. With this in place, we are well positioned to create the robust solutions our customers need, and we thank Phil for his valuable contributions to the business."

The BDUK Voucher scheme is now available on Virtual1's London Network, with instant pricing available through 1Portal.

As a registered supplier of the BDUK's Superconnected Cities programme in the City of London, Virtual1 is managing the whole process for its existing partners.

The scheme offers up to £3,000 to businesses wanting to upgrade their broadband connectivity, and is aimed at businesses that are most likely to have delayed any enhancement to their connectivity programme, due to economic constraints.

So SMEs, Charities and Social Enterprises in London can apply for the vouchers, as long as they have received less than £120,000 in grants over the past three years, and have a registered address or trading office in London.

The scheme, which is only open until March 2015, is administered by the individual cities, rather than BDUK centrally. Virtual1 has registered as a supplier for the London area and can now offer access to the service, which is run by the Mayor of London.

Any qualifying organisation can apply by getting quotes to arrange superfast connectivity and then applying to the Mayor of London for up to £3,000 in vouchers which can be redeemed to Virtual1.

London is currently accepting applications and the vouchers are issued on a 'first-come-first-served' basis.

Entanet's Head of Marketing Darren Farnden has put a spotlight on the potential implications for the Internet industry if Scotland votes for independence this month.

He points out that, at this stage it's all speculation, since very little detail about the potential plans have been published, but in the wholesale communications provider's latest blog post he asks whether a more committed stance from a new Scottish administration might force the hand of Westminster to make more ambitious promises of its own.

A USO (Universal Service Obligation) has been promised by the Scottish government, albeit with a lack of detail as to minimum speeds and target deadlines, and Farnden speculates about the effect this might have on the UK's current USC (Universal Service Commitment).

"We wonder if a USO north of the border would encourage - or maybe even force - the UK's existing commitment to be upgraded to an obligation covering potentially faster speeds?"

Farnden also discusses the potential impact on UK-based providers and a prospective increase in costs for Scottish customers.

"The list of possible problems and hassles [for providers] is extensive and could mean that, in the long term, it becomes too problematic for smaller UK based ISPs to provide connectivity services to Scotland. It may also mean increased costs for Scottish residents."

Commsworld is to unbundle more data network exchanges, adding to its 14 exchanges and data centres in Scotland's main cities.

It now plans to expand the roll out of unbundled exchanges into five more locations in the next six months, followed by a longer-term roll out that will create a total of 31 locations.

Businesses served by these exchanges in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Inverness will benefit from the extra provider choice available to them, with Commsworld offering a slicker, more flexible and more resilient service than many of the larger traditional suppliers.

The unbundling work involves Commsworld engineers installing equipment in key POPs, which in turn allows them to offer local businesses their various products and services.

Andy Arkle, Commercial Director at Commsworld, said: "A lot of our clients tell us they have been crying out for a better more flexible service for years but it simply wasn't available due to lack of competition.

"When you talk about network communications, people generally talk about speed and we believe we can help with that, but there is a lot more to it such as response and deployment times, resilience and creating bespoke solutions.

"Our work is turning heads and we know for a fact our competitors are watching with interest."

UK businesses have now ordered more than 500 circuits from Commsworld since its network was launched in 2013.

Data Network specialist TFM Networks has formed a reseller agreement with social Wi-Fi provider Purple WiFi.

The agreement will see the introduction of Purple WiFi's cloud-based guest Wi-Fi and location analytics solutions into TFM's portfolio of cloud-based modular Wi-Fi connectivity solutions.

Gavin Wheeldon, CEO at Purple WiFi, said: "TFM has a large network of resellers which enables Purple WiFi to increase its sales reach."

Stewart Yates, CEO of TFM Group Holdings, added, "While providing guest Wi-Fi access is now a prerequisite for doing business, an abundance of business opportunities exist for those embracing the advanced functionality offered by solutions such as Purple WiFi."

Purple WiFi solutions will be offered as part of TFM's cloud solution Cloud Wi-Fi designed to cater for all corporate and retail environments.

C4L has named the first three start-up companies to benefit from free services provided under its Business Growth Scheme, which is based on a £1m fund of C4L services offered to businesses in their first year of trading.

By providing colocation, connectivity, cloud and comms services without the worry of finance in business infancy, C4L are helping new companies grow quicker with better IT infrastructure behind them.

A variety of companies have taken on the offer of these free services, including Fusion WiFi which provides simple public Internet access powered by social media; Tree House Computing which built the social journalism platform PAPthis; and Flippie which is building a mobile app for social and work security.

The scheme works by offering a FOC route for companies, that are within their first year of trading, any C4L services they require, up to the value of £10,000.

Adam Troman, Managing Director of Fusion WiFi, said: "To have these crucial business systems put in place without any charge is a huge benefit to really getting Fusion WiFi off the ground.

"Fusion WiFi has now been able to launch huge WiFi projects, showing that C4L's Start-Up scheme really has benefited many others too."

Matt Hawkins, Founder & Chairman of C4L, said: "I have been keen to support new businesses in this way for a while, as I know how hard it is starting a company, so to officially launch the scheme is fantastic.

"To be able to remove barriers entrepreneurs face while working is simple for a company with as large an infrastructure as C4L's but it will make a huge difference to the productivity of the businesses."

Focus Group took on the ice bucket challenge 'en masse' with a quick fire soaking of directors and staff outside their Southwick offices in West Sussex.

Focus Co-owner Chris Goodman told Comms Dealer: "We want the challenge to go viral in the Brighton & Hove area, so we thought we would start by nominating local company Fireco and I.T. Recruitment Agency Focus Select as well as one of our suppliers, Infinity."

Co-Owner Ralph Gilbert continues to comment on taking part in the challenge: "You can try to prepare yourself for how cold it is going to be, but it doesn't quite match how cold it actually is! We hope this challenge continues to go viral and raise much more for the charities involved. We're also looking forward to seeing our nominees get it!"

To donate please text ICED55 followed by an amount to 70070.

To see the Focus Group quick fire ice buck challenge go to:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=823572414343749&set=vb.208046849229...

Teams from the industry's leading dealers and distributers are lining up on the starting grid to help support two great charities, The Princes' Trust and Sparks, in two winner takes all evening Go-Karting events.

The first pedal to the metal challenge takes place in Manchester on September 18th and the second is in London on October 2nd.

Places are limited but there's still a chance to get involved! Go to www.commscharitychallenge.co.uk