INDUSTRY NEWS EDITOR’S COMMENT: Stuart Gilroy
WELCOME to the June issue of Comms Dealer, the magazine that keeps you ‘connected’ to the industry’s news, events, opinions and all things voice and data. When you choose to read this magazine and make your connection, you simply pick it up, read it, and close your connection by putting the magazine down. You’d look a little odd if you carried it with you everywhere to ensure a permanent connection. But
in the digital world such behavior has become the norm, with information always at our fingertips, accessed via a range of devices that live in close proximity to our hearts. The word ‘connected’ has emerged in various communications scenarios, perhaps most prominently in our newly christened ‘Age Of The Connected World’. Comms Dealer is at home in this world, pushing the digital button in various ways to make the most of our connections. For example, the digital edition of Comms Dealer now includes online video. It’s an area that we are keenly developing to ensure that the magazine’s content reaches its audience in new and engaging formats, making it easier for readers to connect with information and online resources. Video also plays an important in role in helping resellers market and sell products, especially those based on software, meaning that the data channel could steal a march on traditional telecoms players in taking this medium to market (see page 50). Online video is also an excellent way for resellers to promote case studies. Azzurri is blazing a video trail, greatly reinforcing its sales messages (see page 67). What’s more, the deployment of online video as a selling tool could potentially reorganise the dynamics of the channel. We shall examine this scenario in the next issue. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this issue of Comms Dealer magazine. And have a great month.
Stuart Gilroy, Editor
O2 in link up with Nimans
NIMANS has formed a strate- gic partnership with O2 in what the distributor describes as a ‘logical step’ in expanding its product portfolio.
The move enables resellers to bill end users in their own name as part of a wholesale model taking complete owner- ship of their comms operations. Nimans’ Head of Networks, Mark Curtis-Wood, commented: “O2 is showing its commitment and desire to take advantage of a significant new market. “We look forward to helping dealers move into the mobile arena and build greater value in their businesses.”
Skype’s sold MICROSOFT has acquired
Internet phone service Skype for £5.2bn, the software giant’s largest acquisition to date. Skype has 663 million global users and paves the way into the voice and video comms market. Skype’s move into the mobile space could also have caught Microsoft’s eye.
Skype was formed in 2003 and in 2005 was bought by eBay for $2.6bn. Ebay sold 70% of the firm to private investors.
Tri-Line goes digital: To view Tri-Line’s videos in your digital edition of Comms Dealer please go to:
http://www.comms-dealer.com/information/reader-services
Resellers have access to up-front bonuses plus ongoing margins, sales support, oppor- tunities to move into UC with hosted MS Lync, as well as bill network services on one bill. Curtis-Wood added: “This deal strengthens our position. We have a commercially attrac- tive and simple proposition so that we can help our customers make an impact.”
O2 UK Head of Partners, Maggie Kennedy, said: “Nimans has the expertise to provide a perfect platform for O2 to make a positive market impression through the reseller channel. This is a great opportunity.”
NEC signs Robertson
COMMS industry figure Jim Robertson has been appoint- ed by NEC to introduce the SV8500 platform to the corpo- rate sector.
Based at the Innovation House HQ in Nottingham, Robertson will play a key part in replicating NEC’s success in the SMB market but within enterprise level businesses. Robertson has much industry experience having worked for ScanSource and more recently in a Business Development role at Capstan Communications. Andrew Cooper, NEC’s Sales Director, commented: “I am confident that Jim has the expertise to provide us with the necessary support in taking this communications platform into our portfolio.”
www.comms-dealer.com
COMMS DEALER JUNE 2011 3
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