BUSINESS INTERVIEW
O2’s joined up Ethernet deal
BE Wholesale’s rebrand to O2 Wholesale last month signalled more than a change of colours: The move ushered in greater consistency for customers of the Joined Up Communications portfolio and also marked the launch of Ethernet services. Here, Dan Cunliffe, Head of Partners and Strategy at O2 Wholesale, discusses the operator’s channel strategy around Ethernet.
T
he Ethernet market has grown significantly in recent years and the launch is a logical extension of O2’s portfolio. “There has been considerable demand from partners for us to offer a higher bandwidth service specifically for business,” said Cunliffe. “Having spoken to our partners and received their feedback we know that a strong delivery and service wrap is what they value most. We already have a strong support model on our broadband products and we will be building on this.”
Cloud services are expected to drive Ethernet take-up, while mobility and the integration of enterprise mobile applications and social media on dispersed end user devices is another key trend. “With the lines between business and personal use of technology becoming increasingly blurred, businesses and consumers are working across a host of devices and from a host of locations,” noted Cunliffe. “This phenomenon means that we are demanding
connectivity regardless of time or location, providing a great opportunity for resellers who can capitalise on this dependence.”
The uptake in cloud computing is changing the ICT landscape and has helped to shape O2’s future plans and the launch of its Ethernet service. “The Ethernet market continues to grow and has huge potential for further development within the UK,” added Cunliffe. “We believe the maturing of the cloud market and challenges around the rapid growth of data facing many organisations will be key drivers in increasing Ethernet take up in the coming months and years. Launching Ethernet is a natural step for our network. We will be offering a high speed Internet access Ethernet service later in the year.”
In the near term O2 Wholesale Ethernet will provide a secure and private network platform from which wholesale partners can connect their customers’ sites and provide them with
a host of value added video, voice and data services, such as IP VPN, cloud computing, Internet access and more. Responsive, accessible service and great support are also important for more complex services such as Ethernet but feedback has shown that until now it has not been available at a competitive price point in the market, claims Cunliffe. “We aim to start a phased roll out over the next few months with an 80 per cent business coverage in the UK in the next 12 months,” he said.
Key features The key features are uncontended bandwidth, reliability, a dedicated fibre connection to the customers’ sites, with up to 1Gb bandwidth. “Resellers are increasingly demanding a good, reliable service to deliver to their end users and our offering meets these needs,” noted Cunliffe. “It also meets the increasing demand for cloud services and rapid data growth. We will provide a competitively priced service with a strong focus on customer support in
Dan Cunliffe
all areas including quoting, provisioning, billing and support. We believe that the growing market for cloud services will be a key driver in increasing Ethernet uptake in the coming months and years and we launched our Ethernet offering to meet this demand in the mid to long-term.“
As a provider owning fixed and mobile networks, O2 is in a strong position to capitalise on current market trends driving the growth of fixed and mobile convergence such as the consumerisation of IT and the mobilisation of the cloud. As more applications move to the cloud and access in any location becomes increasingly important, partners need a joined up connectivity strategy to serve their customers, believes Cunliffe.
He commented: “We have partners who work across a wide range of industries and sizes of businesses and we see that the need for increased bandwidth will come from all of these areas. We expect demand for our
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Ethernet offering to grow accordingly. O2 Wholesale Ethernet will enable resellers to add value by allowing their customers access to video, voice and data services like IVPN, cloud computing, Internet access etc, all from a secure and private platform.”
O2 Wholesale Ethernet will enable partners to deliver to new and existing markets by focusing on a strong service model. “Our solution will be of interest to partners due to its competitive pricing and great support,” said Cunliffe. “We will offer bespoke training courses to ensure customer facing staff have all the knowledge they need. Additionally we will offer marketing support, including co-branded collateral, campaign planning, events and conferences; partner events and incentives; sales, product and technical training, Essential Guides and competitive pricing. Partners can now enjoy the current and future possibilities this position brings and work in a fully joined up way with just with one provider for fixed and mobile requirements.” n
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