Comms Dealer

Virtual1 has expanded its network across the UK, extending both its existing footprint within Greater London and out to include a further 180 towns and cities. The company aims to provide the largest and most advanced wholesale-only network in the UK by the end of 2017.

Tom O'Hagan, Virtual1 founder and CEO, stated: "Working closely with both our resellers and carrier partners and understanding the challenges they face in their businesses, I saw the opportunity to disrupt the status quo in the connectivity market by elevating Virtual1 to be a true alternative UK-wide carrier."

The expanded footprint of Virtual1's network has been designed specifically to suit its partners' target markets, so it will cover over 75% of UK businesses.

"Virtual1 will deliver a commercially competitive network, rich in SDN functionality," added O'Hagan. "As our wholesale-only network will be fully software defined, our partners will have complete control of the solutions that we provide for them through our award-winning 1Portal. This is a UK first and it is intended to raise the service standards that UK business should expect from its suppliers."

Two strategic partnerships are critical to Virtual1's expanded network.

Juniper Networks is providing routing and switching solutions across our entire network from edge to core.

Virtual1 had already deployed SDN-ready MX Series 3D Universal Edge Routers to build out a high-capacity core network, and EX Series Ethernet Switches in each of its PoPs.

These were deployed in Virtual Chassis configurations to provide a blend of 100 Megabit and Gigabit Ethernet services.

To enhance network operations, Virtual1 added the ACX Series Universal Access Routers that are controlling the distribution layer within the new roll-out, representing the largest Juniper Networks ACX Series deployment in the UK.

Virtual1 also has a new partnership with Infinera, a provider of Intelligent Transport Networks and key to our metro deployments.

Virtual1 expects to roll out the new network in 2017.

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Swindon-based Excalibur Communications has appointed Peter Boucher as CEO following a stint as Non Exec Director.

He takes over from James Phipps who has moved into an Executive Chairman position after almost 20 years as chief exec.

"With Excalibur ready for rapid growth, now is the time for Peter and the excellent management team we have in place to drive the business forward", said Phipps.

"As Executive Chairman I will still be heavily involved in the business, with a particular focus on new opportunities, acquisitions and our work with good causes."

Boucher added: "The business is on a very solid footing with lots of potential to grow.

"Since I became involved with Excalibur in 2013 as Non-Executive Director, I've also been attracted by its commitment to staff and the local community projects it supports."

Cyber security company F-Secure has acquired Little Flocker, the security technology available for Macs, from a private app developer.

Most Mac security solutions rely on a traditional signature-based approach against malware, but cannot protect Mac users from modern targeted attacks.

Little Flocker protects Macs by using advanced behavioural based analysis and monitors apps that attempt to access confidential files and system resources.

It also detects and blocks Mac ransomware. F-Secure will build Little Flocker's next generation security engine into its new XFENCE technology.

XFENCE will complement F-Secure's existing endpoint solutions to provide advanced behavioural Mac protection for both corporate and consumer customers.

"Macs have become an appealing entry point for attackers seeking to penetrate organisations," said Mika Stahlberg, chief technology officer at F-Secure.

"With Little Flocker's technology we will enhance the behavioural blocking capabilities in our Mac endpoint protection to stop modern adversaries cold."

The finalists of the 9th annual ITSPA Awards have been announced including a new category - Best ITSP Reseller Award. The winners will be revealed at an event on 9th May at the Tower of London.

Eli Katz, Chair of ITSPA Council, said: "The strength of this year's finalists not only reflects the quality of the entries received but also the rapid development of the next generations communications industry."

ITSPA Awards 2017 Finalists

Best Consumer VoIP Award Finalists?• Antheus
• VoiceHost
• Vonage

Best Business ITSP (Small Enterprise) Award Finalists
• Hello Telecom
• Soho66
• SureVoIP
• Telappliant
• Voipfone
• VoIPstudio

Best Business ITSP (Medium Enterprise) Award Finalists
• Hello Telecom
• Orbtalk
• RingCentral
• VoIPstudio
• VTSL

Best Business ITSP (Corporate) Award Finalists
• NFON
• Pragma Distribution
• SureVoIP
• TalkTalk Business

Best VoIP CPE Award Finalists
• Panasonic - Multi Cell SIP DECT KX-UDS124/UDT1x1 System
• Polycom VVX 500, 501 Business Media Phones
• Snom Technology AG - D715 Desk Telephone
• VTech Communications - VCS754A with Orbitlink Wireless Technology

Best VoIP Infrastructure Award Finalists
• aql
• Ciptex - CAL - The Communications Cloud
• Gamma - SIP Trunking
• GENBAND Kandy CPaaS
• IPCortex Service Provider Platform
• Metaswitch - Clearwater IMS

Best VoIP Innovation Finalists
• Edgewater Networks - Network Edge Orchestration
• Epsilon Telecommunications - SIP Trunk Federation
• Gradwell Communications - Cloud Storage
• Vonage - Nexmo Voice API Platform
• Voipfone Virtual PA

Best ITSP Reseller Finalists
• Arrow Business Communications
• Sprint Convergence - Horizon
• Express Telephony - Express CloudPBX
• Fidelity Group - Hosted Telephony

The ITSPA Members' Pick Award Finalists
• Sharon White, Chief Executive of Ofcom - For her leadership surrounding the reform of Openreach
• NICC - For their extensive work to produce a guidance document on the use and implementation of SIP ALG
• Homer SIP Capture - For providing a 100% Open-Source RTC Capture, Analysis and Monitoring tool

The ITSPA Champion Award
To be announced at the event

Train to Win.TV is set to rev up 'Girl Power' in a charity drive to raise much needed funds for Breast Cancer Research.

A four-strong team (Katie Curtis, Natalie Nicholls, Sue Hester and Julie Mills) is gearing up to take on the Pretty Muddy challenge (1st July, Bedford) along with their 'pretty pink' spaniel Mia, the office dog.

CEO Julie Mills, a cancer survivor, stated: "We want to support all of the incredibly strong women fighting their battle, and remember those brave angels who lost theirs.

"We are doing this for all the mums, aunties, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, wives, girlfriends and friends who are fighting every day, so that we can put more money into researching better treatments, medications and general support for Breast Cancer patients."

To support Train to Win.TV's worthy cause please visit:
https://www.justgiving.com/teams/traintowin

Wavenet has followed up last August's MBO with the acquisition of Manchester-based provider of network and cloud services Talk Internet.

Wavenet CEO Bill Dawson commented: "Our increased scale and resources will deliver a broader product set, a more robust and automated technical platform, stronger supplier relationships and a better customer experience."

Talk Internet was established in 1995 and brings expertise in connectivity, IaaS, software defined data centres, and cloud services including SaaS.

Former BPL Business Media Operations Director Stephanie Dempsey has been appointed by Union Street Technologies to the newly created position of Marketing and Events Consultant. She brings 15 years experience in corporate marketing and channel event management.

Dempsey's responsibilities include the development of online engagement and associated digital marketing activities as well as managing the company's events programme, including the upcoming 'streets Ahead' roadshows at Glasgow, Newcastle, Bristol and London.

Dempsey said: "A big part of my role will be developing Union Street's channels for online marketing with the ultimate goal of making it easier for resellers to make enquiries, interact and open dialogues with the company online. I will also be working to help take the company's events programme to the next level."

Head of Sales and Marketing Vincent Disneur added: "Stephanie's experience in events management and marketing to the channel community will be a huge asset to the business. We have some great new products that we are about to launch to the channel and Stephanie will play an important role in driving these into the market."

Exclusive Group has enlisted Martin Bichler to coordinate the expansion of its 100m-plus euro BigTec VAD business.

As BigTec Vendor Manager for EMEA & APAC he will be responsible for the business management of revenue and profit targets and for implementing and developing the global BigTec proposition alongside in-country sales teams.

"Martin is a talented channel operator with readymade BigTec credentials that make him the ideal choice to drive further expansion and success of our data centre transformation VAD business," said Barrie Desmond, COO of Exclusive Group.

"Martin's close vendor relationships and first-hand experience of rapidly changing channel dynamics will be vital to continuing our relevance and success in every local market."

Bichler added: "Major IT trends like advanced automation, hybrid cloud, hyper convergence and DevOps produce many significant new business opportunities for partners.

"Taking advantage of these changes is a defining challenge for channel partners around the world, and one that BigTec supports them to achieve."

He brings over 17 years experience in IT sales and channel management, including a decade in value-added distribution with Azlan and Arrow.

His most recent roles were at Brocade working with OEM and reseller partners in Germany and EMEA.

Chess Partner and EE are offering partners an Arctic Adventure to Iceland incentive trip on 10th-12th November 2017.

The incentive is open to any registered Partner of Chess Partner who will be automatically entered, and runs from 1st April-30th September 2017 with the winners announced on 9th October.

Partners can earn three points for a new small business connection and 1 point for a new corporate connection.

Partners then have to achieve a minimum of 300 points over the incentive period and the top six over 300 points will qualify to win a place on the incentive.

Chess Partner will also offer other prizes throughout the incentive.

John Pett, MD of Chess Partner, commented: "We're working with EE as one of its Premier Business Partners with a joint ambition to grow both our businesses this year."

A new leadership team announced by ScanSource Communications and Imago ScanSource marks the next stage of the integration of the two businesses which will now operate under the name ScanSource Imago.

Paul Emery, Vice President UK&I, will be responsible for the sales operations in his designated region; while John Vickerage has been named Area Vice President of Northern Europe with overall responsibility for sales in DACH, Benelux, Nordics, Baltics and Eastern Europe.

Nicolas Jouan has been appointed Area Vice President of Southern Europe with responsibility for sales in France; and Phil Boyd, Vice President of Merchandising, will lead the teams responsible for managing the vendor relationships.

James Vickerage, President of ScanSource Imago, stated: "The continued integration of the companies allows us to build on the strengths of both organisations, while offering significant growth opportunities for our partners across Europe."

ScanSource acquired Imago in 2014.