Comms Dealer

A single resource centre designed for Microsoft Lync enablement has been launched by Westcon Convergence. The distributor, which boasts Microsoft Gold Communications competency for Lync, has an ecosystem of hardware vendors and the new hub - discoverUC.com - provides partners with a single source for products and support.

A complete Lync solution requires multiple hardware products that need to work in unison," said Runa Macleod, European Marketing Director. "This can prove to be complex, presenting supply chain and logistical issues.

"Onboarding with multiple vendors and dealing with different processes and systems can be also difficult and time consuming, especially with a new product.

"The Westcon discoverUC programme simplifies the onboarding process with multiple vendors, providing access to our Lync support and value added programmes, meaning that partners can focus on accelerating their time to market and increasing margin."

The new Microsoft Lync hub includes an interactive vendor selector that shows how different vendors fit into a Lync deployment. The site also offers resources such as services and training, videos, collateral, events, blogs, newsletters, exclusive offers etc.

"With discoverUC Microsoft can now point customers to a single web portal if they require distribution, and vendors can have a focused route to market with access to the Westcon EMEA channel partner base," added Macleod.

Logicalis Group, the IT solutions and managed services specialist, has appointed ex-CEO of Logica UK Gary Bullard as its new Chief Executive Officer.

He will take over from Ian Cook who is retiring as CEO but will become non-executive Chairman of Logicalis Group.

Bullard joins from Logica, now part of Canadian global IT services company CGI, where he most recently served as UK CEO and President of Australia, Middle East and Asia. Prior to this, he held a position of Managing Director of BT corporate business unit and President, BT Global Services. He also worked at IBM where he held senior executive positions.

"With over 2300 services professionals in 24 countries, Logicalis is actively investing in expanding its services skills, capabilities, platforms and processes and Gary's experience will be valuable in continuing to build on this strategy, and I am very pleased to welcome him on board," says Ian Cook, Logicalis CEO.

Bullard will replace Cook in March, 2014.

Connectivity and business communication specialist Fusion Media Networks has unveiled its latest Virtual Data Centre solution which it claims will bring enterprise-grade on demand cloud services within reach of SMEs.

"Our Virtual Data Centre services offer an effective approach to simplifying IT infrastructure and reducing costs," said Lee Norvall, Fusion's CTO.

"With drag and drop simplicity and onscreen server imaging, business applications and network resources can be provisioned, backed-up or restored in minutes at the click of a button.

"There's no need for new equipment, network engineering or infrastructure build and maintenance. You simply set up and pay for server resources and business services as they're required."

Fusion's on-demand cloud services are delivered with ultra-low latency from Volta, London's secure and resilient data centre environment and can be controlled and configured remotely using an online management portal.
Services can be provisioned using Fusion's core network featuring over 12,000 points of presence to deliver a future-proof solution and guaranteed end-to-end quality of service, claimed the firm.

"It's not just the quality of our Virtual Data Centre solution that sets us apart,"continued Norvall. "Fusion's services are backed by the highest standards of personal customer care and specialist technical support. Our streamlined structure also means clients benefit from the most competitive pricing in the business, making the move to next generation cloud services a very attractive proposition for any organisation."

A new UK-based charity has called on the telecoms industry to donate unwanted SIM-free mobile phones to help fledgling businesses in Ghana.

Sarah Gardner, the founder of Action Through Enterprise, one of the beneficiaries of the Gamma Ball Rally in September, has just returned from two weeks in Lawra, Ghana, where she distributed mobile phones kindly donated by Swedish manufacturer Doro.

They were given to participants in ATE's small business development programme, BizATE, which helps vulnerable people who have the skills, ideas and motivation to run a small business, but need a little help to get started.

ATE is now supporting 18 small businesses in Lawra, all of which are run by people who live in extreme poverty.

"Eighty per cent of these businesses are making a profit after six months," said Gardner.

"The Doro phones will enable the participants to communicate with our support team. They will be able to access advice and guidance more easily and request support without having to walk 10km in the blistering heat. Additionally, customers will be able to contact the businesses, increasing sales and therefore profits."

Gardner believes this kind of communications support is the single most valuable development to enable people to fight their way out of poverty.

"If you have SIM free mobile phones to donate please contact Sarah Gardner at sarahg.ghana@gmail.com

Got any unwanted old mobile phones in your warehouse or workshop? Then you could help a telecommunications expert smash a world record.

Nigel Linge, Professor of Telecommunications at the University of Salford is attempting to set a world record for the largest number of different models of mobile phone brought to a public event to be held at MediaCityUK in Salford, on December 7th.

The event is the culmination of a series of lectures in which Professor Linge has been looking at the history of the mobile phone, which has recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, and reflecting on how it has evolved from a handheld 'brick' to an essential tool for modern life.

Professor Linge said: "The idea is for people attending the lecture to bring along as many mobiles as possible - old, new, the ones they use and the ones they have hidden in drawers. We would love to see as many different models as possible on the day. It's hard to over-estimate the impact the mobile phone has had on our lives in the 21st century, and our record breaking attempt will be an opportunity to display all of them in their glory!"

Ann Potterton, CEO of the ITP, told Comms Dealer: "We organise informative events, seminars and podcasts throughout the year, some of which are very industry specific - but the Christmas family lectures are intended to be fun, delivered in a relaxed environment to a mixed audience. Adding a record breaking attempt into the mix will certainly liven things up, and we hope to see as many as possible there on the day."

If you have any mobiles to donate for the record breaking attempt contact Ann Potterton at ann.potterton@theitp.org

For more information on the ITP and its Annual Christmas events, go to https://www.theitp.org/events/xmas_2013

Hot on the heels of the highly successful Gamma Ball Rally, Brendon Cross, MD of Witney-based STL Communications, has launched the Twin Town Challenge, a Top Gear type Anglo-French charity driving extravaganza linking Witney and Le Touquet.

The challenge, which runs from 23-26 May 2014, will raise funds for Oxfordshire charity SpecialEffect, which helps people with disabilities benefit from the fun and inclusion of video games.

The teams will provide and drive their own car, costing no more than £500, from Witney in Oxfordshire to Le Touquet in France. They'll take on the iconic race circuits of Brands Hatch, Le Mans and Croix En Ternois en route, and enjoy a VIP send-off from Cornbury Park in Charlbury, a civic reception in Le Touquet and an unforgettable finish line celebration event in Witney.

Cross hopes to encourage channel teams to take part having increased the number of places to 80.

"Companies have recognised that this type of event is a perfect team-builder and networking opportunity," he said.

"Local and national businesses, from British Motor Heritage to games giant SEGA, have already put their names forward to enter. I'd encourage anyone interested in taking part or sponsoring the event to contact me as soon as possible via the SpecialEffect website." www.specialeffect.org.uk/twin-town

A call recording service that meets UK FSA regulations and the upcoming Dodd Frank legislation in the USA has been introduced by Voxsmart.

The mobile call recording firm says VSmart works across all communications on any smartphone and any network regardless of location.

VSmart enables regulated organisations to record and store a trader's mobile voice calls (including calls made over Wi-Fi using VoIP services) along with text and IM traffic.
This happens with no delay to call set-up time and no need to change SIM card or network.

Voxsmart Executive Chairman Graham Rivers commented: "VSmart not only captures all smartphone communications it also offers a range of new and improved storage, retrieval and data analysis features."

The VSmart service will be rolled out this year and during the early part of 2014 across Blackberry, Android, iPhone and Windows handsets.

"Because the service is both handset and cloud-based there are immediate possibilities for telecoms resellers to get involved, especially with SMEs operating in the regulated market," added Rivers.

"We will be introducing a range of services based on the new platform that would help open that market to the reseller community, and potentially have applications beyond the regulated trader market."

Voxsmart is to add more voicemail services and back-end unified communications capabilities to the VSmart service following a link up HulloMail.

Its cloud-based platform has scaled to support more than 35 million users worldwide.
"By working with HulloMail we will be able to introduce a range of new services and added benefits both for our customers and for the traders using VSmart," noted Rivers.

ebillz has formed a strategic billing partnership with NG Bailey's IT Services division.

Yasin Qadir, Head of Sales at ebillz, said: "NG Bailey chose to work with ebillz due to our flexibility and ability to provide a fully managed bureau service."

ebillz have invested over £500,000 on research and development to provide an enhanced platform named called ebillz Enterprise which caters for larger telecom resellers and IT providers. 

HighNet has brought its Ethernet over FTTC (EFTC) product range to full launch following a successful trial period.

Technical Director David Alldritt stated: "The combination of high quality bandwidth, a solid SLA and an attractive price point should make this product the default setting for the UK SME.

"Our message to business is leave your broadband at home. Your business connectivity is too important to rely on DSL, and with EFTC we have the answer."

The company launched its own ISP network in 2012 and has since witnessed significant growth, particularly in Ethernet products.

"This latest addition to the product range will ensure that HighNet's network continues to grow," added Alldritt.

The number of consumer owned mobile devices used at work will exceed one billion by 2018, according to industry watcher Juniper Research, but future BYOD strategies will not be served by single a policy or measure.

In a report just published Juniper states that BYOD has the potential to benefit organisations in terms of enhanced employee satisfaction and productivity, but the threat from unprotected employee mobile devices is of paramount importance.

The research house contends that for businesses adopting BYOD there is a need to consider mobile devices as just another endpoint while devising measures to mitigate the challenges and the risks of managing a multi-platform environment.

Growth in the mobile security market is being driven by the enterprise segment particularly in the areas of BYOD and mobile device management.
?In the consumer segment, Juniper forecasts steady growth in revenue for security software, approaching 40% of the global mobile security sales revenue by the end of 2018.

This will be driven in the main by increased consumer awareness of available security solutions and of the risks posed by fraud and malware to data stored on and accessible via their smartphones and tablets.

According to Juniper's report western Europe represents the largest revenue hub for mobile security vendors; and more than half of all mobile devices in the US will have security apps installed by the end of 2018.