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3-16 Comms Dealer Industry News WHOLES ALE Catch up with events in comms [more than connectivity] March 2020 Voice 28 Unified Communications News Interview 4G / 5G Kini advances his Connectivity full fibre mission Click to open 24 Clock runs down Business Profile Surging IPCortex set to make waves 28 on legacy circuits Workplace Trends BT’s withdrawal of legacy analogue and Kilostream private circuits on 31st The UK’s largest Ethernet exchange Time to bring on March 2020 signals the start of far bigger industry changes to come. network offering 10/10Gbps the HR visionaries Visit: ethernet.business.sky.com SPECIAL REPORT vices such as ultrafast fibre functions for a limited period broadband, Ethernet connectiv- beyond the cut-off date. 34 BT issued a warning to whole- ity, cloud voice and UC. Guy Miller, Director of Fibre sale customers still wedded to “Technology has shifted For Everyone at TalkTalk, com- Market Insights legacy circuits saying that ‘time away from traditional telephone mented: “This is just the start of Meet the smart is running out’ as it prepares to and data networking services an increased period of industry city programmer pull them this month. delivered over copper net- change over the next five years “We’re urging any whole- works,” added Quantrill. as we embrace the WLR switch sale customer yet to migrate “The majority of our whole- off and accelerating roll out of 42 away from these legacy prod- sale customers have already full fibre throughout the UK. ucts to contact their BT account migrated across to these new “It is up to the channel to Comms People manager now,” stated Clive services, but a significant num- adapt and switch to educating This month’s Quantrill (pictured), Enterprise ber are yet to take any action.” customers about the journey movers and shakers Migrations Director, BT. BT will operate an Overrun ahead, and support them during He called for the universal Service which will maintain the transition to a new suite of migration to new digital ser- certain legacy private circuit connectivity products.”
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www.comms-dealer.comCD Strip_01.18.indd 1 A BPL BUSINESS MEDIA PUBLICATION18/12/2017 11:23 Sir Clive on Halpin on building discovering the DNA his real world ‘cloud of champions p20 cuckoo land’ p22
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Industry News WHOLES ALE Catch up with events in comms [more than connectivity] Voice 28 Unified Communications News Interview 4G / 5G Kini advances his Connectivity full fibre mission 24 Clock runs down Business Profile Surging IPCortex set to make waves 28 on legacy circuits Workplace Trends BT’s withdrawal of legacy analogue and Kilostream private circuits on 31st The UK’s largest Ethernet exchange Time to bring on March 2020 signals the start of far bigger industry changes to come. network offering 10/10Gbps the HR visionaries Visit: ethernet.business.sky.com SPECIAL REPORT vices such as ultrafast fibre functions for a limited period broadband, Ethernet connectiv- beyond the cut-off date. 34 BT issued a warning to whole- ity, cloud voice and UC. Guy Miller, Director of Fibre sale customers still wedded to “Technology has shifted For Everyone at TalkTalk, com- Market Insights legacy circuits saying that ‘time away from traditional telephone mented: “This is just the start of Meet the smart is running out’ as it prepares to and data networking services an increased period of industry city programmer pull them this month. delivered over copper net- change over the next five years “We’re urging any whole- works,” added Quantrill. as we embrace the WLR switch sale customer yet to migrate “The majority of our whole- off and accelerating roll out of 42 away from these legacy prod- sale customers have already full fibre throughout the UK. ucts to contact their BT account migrated across to these new “It is up to the channel to Comms People manager now,” stated Clive services, but a significant num- adapt and switch to educating This month’s Quantrill (pictured), Enterprise ber are yet to take any action.” customers about the journey movers and shakers Migrations Director, BT. BT will operate an Overrun ahead, and support them during He called for the universal Service which will maintain the transition to a new suite of migration to new digital ser- certain legacy private circuit connectivity products.”
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INDUSTRY NEWS
EDITOR’S COMMENT Cash boost sparks THE industry is ever obsessive about new technologies that promise to change the world for business operators. But the more exciting the chatter, Air IT acceleration the more likely it is that the divide between user uptake AIR IT has kicked off an ambi- tious growth campaign led by Stuart Gilroy and industry hopes for growth will widen. We hear a lot incoming big guns Ian Brown about ‘divides’ in general, and specifically to the industry, (Chairman) and John Whitty be they regional (north-south), diversity imbalances within (CEO), supported by invest- organisations or digital skills gaps, to name just three. ment from August Equity that Divides are a fact of life, but they must be countered will help the Nottingham-based and bridged if we are to move forwards into the sunny MSP make bolt-on acquisi- uplands. Spanning the chasm between industry hype tions and yield greater organ- and end user adoption of the exciting and creative tech ic growth. Air IT MD James we all trumpet, like cloud, fibre, and all else, is a priority. Healey becomes COO. And a process of ‘levelling’ may be required as well as The company began its com- bridge building. Levelling in terms of communicating mercial life in 2005, founded by to customers in a way that they truly understand Todd McQuilkin, and provides the benefits of cloud and fibre, for example. managed IT support, digital The issues are real and many. How do we close the transformation services, cyber Ian Brown technology and adoption gap? Where is the problem? security and connectivity to Is there a residual but telling approach to market that the SME market. It delivered UK’s premier CSP for SMEs, ed experience in supporting is characterised by legacy? Perhaps there is, when CAGR of circa 28% between says Mehul Patel, Partner at management teams to deliv- you consider that global giants like Microsoft and 2017-2019 and services almost the PE firm. “After SecureData er similar growth previously, Amazon are drawing in ever more customers. For them, 500 customers. and Charterhouse, Air IT is the and August Equity has a track adoption rates do not appear to be such an issue as August Equity’s model has third investment for August in record in this.” more consumer oriented models hold great appeal, and led to seven companies being the broader managed services Brown added: “I am part- products like Teams are executed as a natural next step. exited for a value of over space,” he said. “We will use the nering with August again to In many cases VARs face a far bigger task in attempting £100m in each of the last seven knowledge and network built build a leading UK IT managed to close the comms sector and user divide and compete years. During 2019 the exits over time to assist the manage- services provider following our with tech Titans. The practical transition to digital may of SecureData and Wax Dig- ment in creating the UK’s larg- successful SecureData venture. not seem such a natural progression for many of their ital returned over £100m to its est SME cloud provider.” And I know John is an accom- customers, even though they understand their world is investors. Brown worked with In the lead up to August’s plished business leader through changing. A case in point therefore must be the application August Equity on the exit of backing Air IT invested in peo- our time together at GCI. of sales approaches that tally with the underlying thinking SecureData to Orange; and ple, systems, processes and its “Air IT plans to tap into the of modern businesses, and bridge the gap between exciting Whitty has led over 40 acquisi- product portfolio. significant underlying demand tech and its actual deployment. The present imbalances tions during his executive career Whitty commented: “To for ICT services from SME can only be damaging to the channel’s prosperity. at Solar Communications, GCI achieve our aspirations we rec- organisations driven by both and Pipex combined. ognised that we needed a prov- digitisation and the major skills Stuart Gilroy, Editor The investor’s high yield en technology aware financial shortage throughout much of hopes rest on building the partner which has demonstrat- the UK.”
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NEWS ROUNDUP VAR adds Norfolk buy NEWS ROUNDUP GOOGLE parent company EXCLUSIVE distribution Alphabet has pegged Q4 Microsoft partner to Ericsson-LG revenue at circa $46bn, up Enterprise in the UK Pragma 17% from $39bn in Q4 2018, bagged three awards at the with operating income at specialism for Wavenet vendor’s Partner Conference $9.27bn and net income of staged in Nha Trang, Vietnam. $10.67bn for this quarter. AUGUST Equity-backed Char- WAVENET’S influence in the Pragma collected the Global “Our investments in deep terhouse Voice & Data’s geo- East Anglia region will be more Partner of the Year award computer science, including graphic presence and Microsoft strongly felt following its acqui- (for the fourth time) for AI, ambient computing and capabilities received a boost fol- sition of Norfolk-based Portal driving substantial growth cloud computing, provide a lowing its acquisition of Lloyds Voice and Data. of Ericsson-LG Enterprise’s strong base for growth and Business Communications, a The financials of the transac- market share in the UK. new opportunities across UC and Microsoft partner based tion remain under wraps. Pragma also swooped on Alphabet,” said Sundar in St Helens, Lancashire. The deal comes just weeks the Global Cloud Partner Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and of the Year award, while The financials of the deal after Wavenet snapped up Bill Dawson Google. Cloud generates a were not disclosed. Nottingham located VIA in the distributor’s techies $10bn revenue run rate. Lloyds began its commercial January, boosting its Office Wavenet boosted its acqui- picked up the Technical life in 1997 and has 45 staff. 365 expertise and TeamsLink sition firepower in September Team of the Year gong for RIVEN Associates secured “Lloyds is a technical organ- Microsoft Teams platform. 2018 when it refinanced its the third year running. The a double win in the 2019 isation with strong Microsoft Portal Voice and Data was banking facilities and raised a Global Cloud Partner of Spitfire Partner Awards. capabilities,” said Mark Brooks- established in 1999 and pro- £75m acquisition war chest. the Year award reflects the The Egham-based business Wadham, Charterhouse CEO. vides telephony, data, VoIP, The shareholders of Portal 114% growth in cloud seats collected The Pinnacle Award “These skills will bolster our cloud and maintenance. Its Voice and Data were advised by achieved by West Sussex- for the highest new business team and enable us to provide technology partners include BT Knight Corporate Finance. based Pragma last year. sales and the Voice Solution the full Microsoft suite as part Wholesale, Openreach, Virgin Award for the highest of our portfolio.” and Cisco. A BPL Business new business SIP sales. Lloyds CEO Ian Allmark Portal MD John Corney said: Publication
said: “We were keen to become “This acquisition will boost BPL Limited THE expansion of Enghouse part of an organisation that the potential of all of our cus- Highbridge House, 93-96 Oxford Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1LU, United Kingdom Interactive’s EMEA partner would allow us to offer our tomers, giving them access to T: 01895 454542 F: 01895 454413 programme continues with customers more choice, greater Wavenet’s portfolio of telecoms Editor: Stuart Gilroy Subscriptions [email protected] 07712 781 102 Subscription rates for 12 issues: the addition of Dublin-based scale and a wider geographic and technology services, cus- UK, £65; Overseas:£80 (incl p&p) Publisher: Nigel Sergent Back issues can be obtained: MJ Flood Technology. Gareth reach, while supporting Lloyds’ tomer and technical support.” [email protected] 07712 781 106 UK £6 (incl p&p), Overseas £10 each (incl p&p) Madden, Sales Director, core expertise and capability.” For subscriptions please call 01635 588 869 Wavenet CEO Bill Dawson Managing Director: Michael O’Brien MJ FloodTechnology, said: The deal comes hot on Views expressed in this magazine are not added: “Our combined poten- [email protected] 01895 454 444 necessarily those of the publishers. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the “We have built a strong the heels of Charterhouse’s tial and expertise will improve Sales Director: Simon Turton express written permission of the publishers. capability in enterprise voice purchase of NETconnection the customer service and main- [email protected] 01895 454 603 All trademarks acknowledged. Photographs and and unified communications Systems in January, an MSP tenance experience, and open Production: Frank Voeten artwork submitted for publication accepted only through investment in focused on LAN and SD-WAN [email protected] on the understanding that the Editor is not liable Portal customers to Wavenet’s for their safekeeping. Microsoft Teams, and wanted managed services. portfolio, including TeamsLink, Circulation 01635 588 869 © 2018 BPL Business Media Limited. to work with a contact centre our newly launched Microsoft ISSN 1366-5243 Printed by Pensord Limited Got a news story? email: provider that had a strong Teams calling and contact cen- Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations ABC total average circulation 15,300 [email protected] (Jan-Dec 2019, 12,380 print, 2,920 digital) partnership with Microsoft.” tre platform.”
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Calteq snares NEWS ROUNDUP RINGCENTRAL has accelerated past the $1bn annual revenue run-rate milestone on the back of a 34% hike networks biz in Q4 revenues to $253m. Subscriptions revenue increased 33% year-over- year to $229m. “Fourth quarter results were driven by momentum in mid-market and enterprise markets,” said Vlad Shmunis, RingCentral’s founder, Chairman and CEO. He also cited a ‘culture of strategic partnerships, as evidenced by relationships with AT&T, Avaya and Atos’ as key to growth. Full year 2020 guidance points to a revenue range of $1.125bn to $1.135bn, representing annual Nigel Willetts growth of 25% to 26%.
ROYSTON-based Calteq’s bid COO Nigel Willetts. “We have MANAGED print firm Arena to extend its portfolio shifted a long-standing relationship Group has fallen to Xerox, up a gear with the acquisition with Blue Cube Networks and snapped up for an undisclosed of cable infrastructure company it provides us with expertise in sum. “Building on our success Blue Cube Networks. a complementary sector.” in the SMB market in the US The deal adds cable infra- All Blue Cube Networks we’re now expanding our structure, Distributed Antenna staff have moved across to strategy to Europe,” said Systems (DAS), Wi-Fi services, Calteq including former owner, Hervé Tessler, President of CCTV and fibre optic cable Ellis Hill, who is now Head of EMEA Operations, Xerox. solutions, plus a customer base. Engineering at Calteq. “With the acquisition of Arena “Over the last few years we “The acquisition was a nat- Group we will be positioned have been evolving Calteq’s ural next step for both compa- to offer workplace solutions service offering to include an nies,” he said. “For Blue Cube, in one of the fastest growing extended range of technolo- Calteq offers a framework in managed print services gy solutions,” stated Calteq’s which it can grow and thrive.” segments in Western Europe.” Empowering businesses with Lily positioned 26th in list of a network built best small firms to work for for the future LEEDS firm Lily topped the comms sector contingent of Get in touch to see how our destination companies for award-winning network and workers with 26th position in range of services can benefit The Best 100 Small Companies your customers and help to Work For 2020 list – its first your business grow. attempt at gaining a placement. Lily also netted a 3-star accreditation in the Best Com- panies 2020 roster. “These awards reflect big investments in creating a culture of high performance, personal growth and employee reward,” Chris Morrisey (centre) collecting the award said MD Chris Morrisey. “Our employees have embraced our In 2019 Lily launched a Stein, founder of the Winning vision with open arms and are performance academy for emp- Formula. The company now has empowered to achieve it.” loyees developed with John more than 80 staff. For more information head over to www.virtual1.com or call us on 0344 884 0800. For more info on how we can work together To advertise in give us a call on 0344 884 0800. contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411 www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 5
Comms Dealer Jan 2020.indd 1 17/12/2019 17:01 INDUSTRY NEWS WellTel picks Ofcom bares its teeth up Invistech with new legislation
LEGISLATION brought in by Ofcom on 15th February bares sharp teeth, warns Aurora’s Head of Service Relationship Management Michelle Turner. The regulator implemented new rules on End-of-Contract Notifications and Best Tariff Information, designed to give end users more transparen- Michelle Turner cy and fairness when buying comms, ‘and this time they She added that it is a key rules and regulation that will mean business’, stated Turner. requirement for billing provid- impact resellers and act quickly Ross Murray (centre right) with the Invistech The legislation states that all ers to identify as early as pos- to develop modules that match team at Welltel’s offices in Dublin City broadband, mobile, home phone sible the seeds of future Ofcom upcoming legislation. and pay TV companies must WELLTEL’S acquisition of In- lications completes our SMB notify residential and business vistech completes the Irish technology offering.” customers when their minimum MSP’s portfolio, adds scale plus The deal is Welltel’s fourth contract is coming to an end, offices in Cork and Limerick. acquisition within four years. and on a regular basis thereafter. “We have been looking to The company provides man- “Ofcom intends to carry out enter the managed IT and secu- aged services to over 3,000 ‘randomised control trials’ if rity market for a while and we business customers in Ireland customer research suggests that are also looking to try and grow and internationally. providers are not compliant,” our business in the region, so Invistech began its com- added Turner. Invistech was a perfect fit,” said mercial life 11 years ago and “As well as informing cus- Welltel CEO Ross Murray. provides IT managed services, tomers of their end of contract “The two major drivers of security, network infrastructure, information including notice SCOTTISH tech firm Essential Cloud Solutions (previously Edinburgh the deal were Invistech’s cus- IT hardware, cloud and commu- period, providers must also Computer Services) is set for its next phase of expansion following tomer base and its product port- nications solutions. notify residential customers on the opening of refurbished offices in Edinburgh. ECS, which folio. Welltel now has another Invistech MD John Feeney the best tariffs available to them launched in 1991, was acquired and rebranded by Commsworld 400 customers that are interest- commented: “This new part- when their contract runs out. in 2018. “With any acquisition it’s important to feel part of the ed in coming onto our network nership accelerates our plans to “Resellers will need a capa- bigger picture, and refurbishing our outdated offices makes the team feel part of the Commsworld family,” said Willie for Internet and voice services, scale the business.” ble and robust billing system to Fairhurst, MD of ECS. Pictured (l-r): David Key, SNP Councillor for while the Invistech portfolio of ensure they can manage their Got a news story? email: Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart, with Willie Fairhurst and Steve support services, online back- customer contract end dates in [email protected] Edwards, Business Development Director at Commsworld. up, security and Microsoft app- one central place.”
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INDUSTRY NEWS
NEWS ROUNDUP IT giants link Scots firm NEWS ROUNDUP A FREE auto-provisioning NODE4’S focus on the UC&C service is among the first to go space has sharpened with highlights of Ericsson-LG’s the launch of a dedicated new Cloud 3.5 release. Other business unit called updates include support up with 8x8 onto DFX N4Engage, offering hosted for the 1000i IP phones voice, video and team and new features. Andy COMMSWORLD is the first to collaboration tools, along Herring, Product Marketing leverage the new Dark Fibre X with omnichannel contact Manager at Ericsson-LG’s (DFX) product from Openreach. centre. Richard Buxton, sole UK distributor Pragma, In its initial roll out Com- Director of N4Engage, said: “This not only reduces msworld will use 200 kilome- stated: “The shift in the the time resellers spend tres of dark fibre to upgrade market from on-premises on site but also enables a the backhaul into its enabled to cloud computing has smoother transition for end exchanges across the Scottish heralded unprecedented users while guaranteeing Borders, linking the region to its demand for new solutions. minimal disruption.” Pragma national Optical Core Network Creating N4Engage will is currently working on the with ultrafast connectivity. help us maximise on launch of a new cloud mobile Commsworld CTO Charlie this opportunity.” service and cloud-based Boisseau said: “Rural connec- contact centre solution. tivity is only ever as good as its SALESFORCE Platinum John Delozier backhaul, and for meaningful Partner Simplus has been ALLIOT’S play in the smart 8X8’S UK channel presence 8x8’s latest partner recruit- competition to thrive in all cor- acquired by Infosys, building city space has been boosted received a rocket boost with ment campaign – spearheaded ners of the country measures on the purchase of Fluido by a distribution agreement the addition of IT sector giants by UK Channel Sales Director such as DFX are crucial.” in September 2018. Pravin with Bosch that sees the Computacenter and Softcat to Keith Jackson – signals a ramp- Katie Milligan, MD Cust- Rao, Chief Operating IoT distributor supply the its partner programme, building ing up of its efforts to move omer, Commercial and Prop- Officer, Infosys, said: “This vendor’s smart parking on new partnerships with key installed customer bases to ositions at Openreach, added: acquisition is key to staying sensor range in the UK and players Charterhouse and NSL. cloud-based voice, video and “Commsworld has embraced relevant to the digital Europe. Paul Hayes, Technical John Delozier, Senior Vice sharing for meetings, contact dark fibre and secured an indus- priorities of our clients.” Director at Alliot, said: “The President & Global Channel centres and applications. try first to embed it into its demand for smarter solutions Chief at 8x8, said: “We’re Pete Groushko, Technology Borders network. WORK to provide in our cities is huge. We working with the largest and Sourcing & Software Sales Dir- “Access to dark fibre helps Gigabit connectivity in will work alongside Bosch fastest growing partners in the ector at Computacenter, said: to address one barrier to a wider Wolverhampton will begin to develop the IoT channel industry, and together we are “With demand for cloud com- full fibre roll out. An early pri- in March as part of a throughout Europe.” Klaus helping businesses across the munications gaining momentum ority for the new Government £4.9m agreement between Peter Wagner, Head of Sales UK work more effectively by as organisations look to move should be to remove other bar- CityFibre and the City of and Marketing at Bosch, moving their legacy on-premis- away from legacy on-prem- riers like fibre tax rates and Wolverhampton Council. added: “The partnership es communications to the cloud. ise based technology, we are access to land and property, The 20 year contract will is an important step as it “With hundreds of millions positioned to help customers and mandate fibre for new see CityFibre design, build, allows a common market of legacy on-premises seats achieve digital transformation.” build homes. Only by working operate and own the network. approach for Alliot and available for migration world- together as an industry, with The project will be delivered Got a news story? email: Bosch, and generates more wide, this is one of the fastest Ofcom and Government, can by local infrastructure [email protected] value for our customers.” growing cloud opportunities.” we crack the challenge ahead.” partner Comex 2000.
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Workplace scheme Atos seals NEWS ROUNDUP THE addition of Dropbox SI partner Business to Inclarity’s portfolio enables resellers to better address the modern aids autistic mission affiliation workplace, according to MD Enzo Viscito. “With AN EMPLOYABILITY pro- RINGCENTRAL has become today’s evolving business gramme launched by national Atos’ first choice provider of landscape, a workplace is no charity Ambitious About Aut- UCaaS solutions in a deal that longer confined to a fixed ism aims to get 10,000 young also sees RingCentral acquire IP location, many companies autistic people ready for work from Atos including a portfolio have transitioned to cloud by 2022, with TalkTalk taking a of certain patents. technologies so they can lead role in developing the north A System Integrator relation- effectively and securely west region and planning to ship will bring a co-branded collaborate in real time,” offer placements this summer. UCaaS solution that will form he said. “Dropbox Business The partnership will con- a key part of Atos’ Digital allows users to work nect employers, educational Workplace client and partner anywhere and at any time, institutions, local authorities, offer, in addition to its existing providing a smart workspace specialist agencies and young OpenScape UC solutions. where teams, tools and people; and all participants will “Atos is our first global content come together.” be offered paid, meaningful Systems Integrations partner- work placements, with access ship and creates opportunities M247 has strengthened its to specialist careers advice and for RingCentral to provide a presence in Manchester work experience to support global cloud communications following an investment their transition from education platform to large marquee cus- in a capacious workspace to employment. Tristia Harrison tomers in Atos’ digital trans- and warehouse in Trafford TalkTalk Chief Executive formation practice,” said Vlad Park. The move follows the Tristia Harrison and Ambitious casing the capabilities of this Salford City Mayor Paul Shmunis, founder, Chairman enlargement of its head about Autism’s CEO Jolanta programme we hope to encour- Dennett noted: “Figures show and CEO, RingCentral. offices at Turing House in Lasota launched the programme age other leading businesses to that nationally just 16% of Elie Girard, CEO, Atos, Manchester and Holborn at the ISP’s Soapworks HQ in follow suit.” autistic adults are in full-time added: “With an Atos installed Tower in London. The Salford on February 5th. Big Lasota commented: “Many paid employment, only up by base ranging across large enter- company has also witnessed brand attendees included BBC, autistic young people face bleak 1% from ten years ago, so there prises and governmental agen- international expansion over ITV and Marks & Spencer. employment prospects, yet we is a long way to go.” cies, the potential of the new the last two years, achieving TalkTalk has a longstand- know they have so much to According to a study pub- strategic partnership is clear.” 50% year-on-year growth ing relationship with Ambitious offer the workplace. lished in the Journal of the and with a presence in 24 About Autism, raising £4m for “Neurodiversity and differ- American Medical Association countries and 28 key cities. the charity since 2006. ent ways of thinking and prob- Pediatrics in 2014, under 17% M247 currently has over Harrison said: “We are part- lem solving can bring huge ben- of autistic adults are in full-time 330 employees across the nering with Ambitious About efits to businesses, and we hope employment in the UK. UK and international sites. Autism to enable thousands of our Employ Autism programme It is calculated that this rep- Got a news story? email: autistic young adults reach full- will help employers unlock this resents a £32bn cost to the UK [email protected] time employment. By show- untapped potential.” economy each year. Vlad Shmunis
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NEWS ROUNDUP Wildix issues Robert in NEWS ROUNDUP HOSTED comms provider NTA AUDPRO is urging resellers has released support and CEO move to turn up the volume on integration into Microsoft latent sales opportunities teams. Channel Sales Manager for Music-on-Hold using its Justin Blaine said: “Many channel alert to Epsilon just-launched New Partner resellers have been asking for Toolkit. According to MD Teams unification. This has FORMER Claranet MD Michel Andrew Jones UC resellers been completed and will be Robert is set to leverage his will quickly identify new sold on an individual licence experience at connectivity and business in existing pipelines fee basis.” NTA also set the comms service provide Epsilon and could ‘hit the ground date and venue for its first where he is now Group CEO. running’ with bespoke Music- overseas partner conference He brings 20 years IT ser- on-Hold solutions. “The which will be staged in Cyprus vices industry experience and toolkit gives resellers the on 29th April to 2nd May. has a remit to advance Epsilon’s facts, figures and case studies global strategy and target enter- that prove the returns for TWENTY of Pragma’s most Steve Osler prise customers, via partners end users, and includes web, incentivised and fastest and directly, with SD-WAN and print and email marketing growing partners were WILDIX has delivered a ‘go Success has been particu- interconnection services. collateral,” said Jones. “The rewarded with an all- to war’ message to its growing larly strong in the UK with 70 “Michel has played key calculator tool enables expenses paid trip to Cancun, army of European partners say- partners now onboarded. roles in developing new mar- resellers to estimate the Mexico, in January. Pragma ing certain big brand vendors Osler also warned that part- kets,” commented Kuok Khoon potential revenue from their Sales & Marketing Director want to ‘steal their customers’. ners must avoid falling into the Ean, Chairman, Epsilon Global customer pipeline, with 200% Will Morey said: “It’s great to At the firm’s UCC Summit commodity market and instead Communications. “His experi- mark-ups for each recording spend quality time and have in Barcelona last month CEO become MSPs. Those that don’t ence in hybrid cloud, network- purchased by an end user.” fun with the partners who’ve Steve Osler claimed: “Every will ‘die out’, he believes. ing and cybersecurity, alongside helped propel our business year thousands of companies “You cannot stay ahead with tripling the size of Claranet’s CLOUD contact centre forward in 2019. With new are forced to close their doors similar product features and you UK operation, gives us con- provider Difference products and a series of value due to competition from global cannot compete on price,” he fidence in his leadership and Corporation – which is a additions planned for 2020, brands that bypass installers and added. “If customers look for a ability to take Epsilon’s global division of FirstCom Europe we’re convinced our reseller bring cloud offerings directly to cheaper price, walk away, they growth to the next level.” – has hooked up with Zen partners are well on their end users. They have no interest are not good customers. You Robert takes over from Internet as part of its partner way to joining us on the 2021 in growing an ecosystem.” must focus on helping custom- co-founder Jerzy Szlosarek who programme. “The team at incentive trip to Rio, Brazil!” Osler and his brother Dimitri ers reach their business goals stepped down after a 16 year Difference will marry their now have Wildix certified part- and you must discover their spell at Epsilon. contact centre expertise to ners operating in 135 countries business value. Robert spent over 12 years Zen’s connectivity and cloud committed to the browser-based “It’s not about the money as Claranet MD, leading the capabilities,” commented telephony and UC products you will make, it’s about the business in the UK, Benelux Zen’s Head of Partner Sales developed within the so-called money your customer will make and US, as well as its glob- Ian Millward. Difference has ‘Blue Ecosystem’. because of the solutions you al cybersecurity business and over 8,000 UK customers The company reported a bring to them.” group operations function. and 13 offices across 32% growth spurt in business in Prior to his stint at Claranet, Europe. Zen was founded Got a news story? email: 2019, exclusively through chan- Robert was European Solutions [email protected] over 25 years ago and has nel partners. Director for Dimension Data. more than 600 partners.
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Digital Wholesale Solutions Comms Dealer March20.indd 1 13/02/2020 10:29:23 INDUSTRY NEWS
NEWS ROUNDUP Spitfire ups Chief Exec NEWS ROUNDUP BUILDING on its December UC INTEGRATION business launch of a multi-network of Ofcom Qunifi, which manages eSIM, Jola has rolled out Pay a global network of Per Zone eSIMs charged at infrastructure running hosted the rate applicable to the security play takes over voice services including country of use. Sales Director Office 365 voice integration Lee Broxson said: “Pay Per OFCOM’S appointment of platforms, has launched Zone eSIMs are multi-network Dame Melanie Dawes as Chief Call2Teams, a cloud service and can roam globally. Executive gained swift Gov- that enables SIP trunk eSIMs can be embedded ernment approval ahead of her integration into Microsoft into devices or delivered as taking over the reins in March. Office 365 and Teams. “SIP traditional removeable SIMs.” Dawes’ career includes a trunk providers can be circa five year stint as Perman- Microsoft Teams enabled THREE is to leverage ent Secretary at the Ministry in less than a day without CityFibre’s national full fibre of Housing, Communities and needing any specialist skills network to support its roll out Local Government. or training,” said Call2Teams of 5G services. The first phase She has also held senior CEO Mark Herbert. of the agreement will see roles across the Civil Service CityFibre provide backhaul Dominic Norton and started her career as an 8X8 has extended its connectivity to Three’s cell economist, and became Director partnership with EveryCloud, sites, with hundreds of SPITFIRE’S MPLS and Eth- academy groups. The service is General of the Economic and which focuses on the north sites already planned for ernet customers have gained designed for any organisation Domestic Affairs Secretariat west region, with a push connection this year across access to an ‘alternative’ Fire- with a need for UTM features at the Cabinet Office between into the south west area. a number of CityFibre’s wall as a Service (FWaaS) solu- or a firewall refresh.” 2011 and 2015. Keith Jackson, Director Gigabit City projects. tion launched by the ISP. FWaaS can be consumed Dawes chairs the Civil Channel Sales EMEA at FWaaS leverages FortiGate as an all-managed service by Service People Board, and is 8x8, said: “EveryCloud is A FIVE-year Openreach firewall technology with secu- Spitfire, or entirely or partially a Civil Service champion for a key strategic partner.” Network Services Agreement rity processors and threat intel- managed by the customer. diversity and inclusion. framework contract (with ligence security services from “Cyber security is of para- DCMS Secretary of State at GUEST-facing technology potential to extend by two AI-powered FortiGuard labs. mount importance, with grow- the time, Nicky Morgan, said: provided by hospitality years) has been awarded to “Spitfire FWaaS is designed ing threats from a range of crim- “Melanie’s experience leading sector whizz at-visions is Morrison Telecom Services. as a cost-effective multi-tenancy inal and malicious sources,” organisations through change now available as a network The firm will support alternative to a dedicated man- added Norton. will be vital as the Government enhanced and tailored Openreach’s network build, aged firewall, which Spitfire “Our Firewall as a Service announces it is minded to app- managed service via maintenance and provision can already provide,” said Sales provision is a natural evolution oint Ofcom as regulator for new Exponential-e. “Hospitality is work streams across Norfolk, Director Dominic Norton. of the move to the cloud for online harms laws.” notoriously complex in coping Lincs, the East Midlands, “FWaaS enables Spitfire all applications. It ensures that with clients’ multiple digital South Anglia, Lancashire, partners to address multi-site customers have all the benefits interactions, so it can be Cumbria, Manchester, organisations with diverse Int- of a SaaS solution including easy to consider connectivity Merseyside and Cheshire. The ernet usage and increasingly automatic updates for up-to-the- as an afterthought,” stated scope of works will include demanding compliance issues. moment protection and business Exponential CEO Lee Wade. the delivery of civils, poling, “In particular, it offers sig- continuity security without the “Working with at-visions we cabling and jointing activities. nificant benefits to schools and need for internal IT resources.” Dame Melanie Dawes can enhance accessibility.”
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Channel biller bags FluidOne NEWS ROUNDUP A COLLABORATION between hunts for two comms giants has delivered to market ‘Avaya Cloud Office by RingCentral’, ServiceMark badge 50 agents a solution that blends RingCentral’s UCaaS platform CHANNEL billing specialist JUST weeks after rocking up at with Avaya phones, services Union Street has been award- FluidOne as Head of Channel and migration capabilities. ed the ServiceMark from The Lee Rossano has architected “Businesses currently using Institute of Customer Service. a new referral practice and is premise-based or cloud During the process regular seeking to add more than 50 solutions now have a new customer surveys helped Union partner agents. public cloud option available Street and The Institute identify In a strategy update the firm to them with Avaya Cloud areas where customer service said it is ‘rebooting’ its channel Office, providing integrated could be enhanced. programme partly in response to Unified Communications and The Institute also conduct- feedback from partners. collaboration,” said Elka ed a survey of staff to assess “The FluidOne ecosystem is Popova, Vice President of whether the culture and values now designed to better equip Connected Work Research, of the company were correctly new and existing partners with Frost & Sullivan. aligned with its customer ser- training, resources and sup- vice strategy. Rob Bristow port,” said Rossano. “Recent IN A BUSINESS update Telford- “As part of the necessary management changes and fresh based Network Telecom changes, a new Customer Exp- “The final stage of gaining “A big part of this process investment signal a sharper, reported 2019 revenues erience Team was formed which the accreditation required an has helped to educate our teams more energised and inclusive up 22% to almost £14.2m now proactively engages with audit of all areas of the business on how to manage and diffuse focus on the channel.” (£11.6m in 2018) and profits customers, gathering feed- by The Institute. situations before they escalate,” Rossano confirmed that up by 30%. Staff numbers back and driving continuous “They looked at everything he said. “It’s also taught us partners have access to 30-plus were boosted by 19%. The improvements,” said Operations from business continuity mea- to welcome such situations as content delivery vendors via company was acquired in Director Rob Bristow. sures, to technical support and opportunities to identify poten- FluidOne’s portal. September 2019 by Enreach, “Gaining the accreditation is everything in between. They tial areas of dissatisfaction and The company also removes the European group backed no mean feat, particularly hav- even assessed our data security work with the individual cus- issues around multiple SLAs by pan-European investment ing achieved this within a year processes to ensure we’re man- tomers to ensure that they get using a single contract, he said, firm Waterland. Network of joining The Institute. Our aging sensitive data in a way the best possible experience.” noting that development work Telecom launched its NT support operations were in a that is secure. The speed with Jo Causon, CEO of The is under way on portal updates Cloud hosted solution last great place when we joined The which we earned the accredi- Institute of Customer Service, and tools, building on the recent year along with developments Institute a year ago, but we had tation really is a credit to the commented: “To have achieved launch of a mobile offering. to its NT Multimedia desk to take it to the next level. determination of everyone in the ServiceMark within a year Rossano joined FluidOne in phone. Chris Parkes, Head “We reassessed all areas of the business to make it happen.” is testament to Union Street’s January this year and has also of Sales and Marketing, the business without exception, Bristow believes lessons lea- commitment to improve cus- held senior roles at technol- said: “2020 is going to be because service isn’t just about rned and improvements made tomer service standards.” ogy companies Exponential-e, another big year for us with the customer facing parts of a during the process is helping Class Networks, Imtech ICT, the launch of our new NT Got a news story? email: business, every department has Union Street manage partner SAS Global Communications Multimedia device along with [email protected] a role to play. issues better. and Telstra International. other plans in the pipeline.” Comms Dealer in your hand available now!
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939_US_adverts_2019_Bond_Bolt.indd 1 17/01/2020 09:41:25 BUSINESS INTERVIEW Kini’s full fibre mission
Talk of full fibre potential has long been rife among industry players. Let’s all stop pretending though, we must make the proposition far more simple and bring an end to the complexity that could stifle its growth, according to TalkTalk Business Managing Director Jonathan Kini.
he comms sector stated. “But we must kill seems unable to the acronyms and make the escape the stain of industry more accessible. being too complex We’re exploring how to Teven as we enter the simplify our operations, as new generation of fibre well as access to connectivity. connectivity variants. Few The feedback we’ve received who have followed the from partners has helped industry over decades will us to enhance the service be surprised – jargon and we offer. For example, complexity just won’t go we’ve recently launched a away – but it’s time for new online billing portal the sector to up its game, for partners to access believes Kini, who is busy all billing information putting his words into action. online. Advancements in “My number one priority technology for customer is to enable every business premise equipment and in the UK to have access routers will also be crucial to full fibre connectivity to the rollout of full fibre.” because it has the power Jonathan Kini to completely transform the Kini joined TalkTalk Business market,” he stated. “The in September last year Government has set out a following the departure of We must kill the acronyms and make the clear mandate to roll out former MD Kristine Olsen- full fibre in more areas of Chapman. He previously held industry more accessible the UK and the channel senior roles in Virgin Media can achieve this if we work and Vodafone across both patch. TalkTalk joined the cannot resist championing There seems to be no together. However, the main B2C and B2B, most recently Northern Powerhouse Partner important causes – in headline project Kini has challenge is making it simple. working for Drax as CEO of Programme last year (after addition to kiboshing lacked an influence. Today, Simplicity is hard to achieve, the Customer Business. He moving its HQ to Salford), complexity and flying the most industry debate has but harder to copy. In the also works as an advisor to an initiative working to northern flag – is reflected switched to the subject new full fibre world there the Bank of England. “The boost the northern economy in the great significance he of fibre and 5G, which he will be multiple providers TalkTalk leadership team I with investment in skills, attaches to climate change. describes as ‘best friends’. working with multiple met during the interview innovation, infrastructure and He is Chair of Business in the And the rise of mobile also altnets, offering different process made me realise culture. “For far too long, Community’s (BITC’s) Net Zero saw Kini act as a prime versions of full fibre. My first that underpinning the business has been centralised Carbon Taskforce, working mover. “Connecting people job is to simplify TalkTalk company’s culture is a desire in London and the south with Government, BITC as mobile penetration grew Business’ full fibre offering.” to achieve,” he stated. “They of England,” said Kini. and businesses of all sizes from 50 per cent to virtually cut through the bureaucracy to find simple and effective everyone, and working with Simplifying these complexities to disrupt and challenge Northern potential ways to help companies the team at Virgin to put the would be the outward the status quo. I’m here to “We have fantastic talent take action and create a Internet into the hands of manifestation of an industry develop the next stage in in other parts of the more sustainable future. over one million customers that meant business, he says, our partner investment.” country, and I’m pleased in the move to smartphone and on this TalkTalk is not that many organisations “Increasing awareness is contracts was exciting,” entertaining half measures. Kini, who is from Manchester, are realising the potential a huge passion of mine,” he said. “More recently “The future is all about full champions the region as in the north. As part of the he said. “We’re working at Drax we helped 10 per fibre, it means lower churn, much as he advances the University of Manchester with other carriers to better cent of UK businesses make higher retention, long-term case of straightforward alumni community, I’m understand the carbon the transition to renewable lowered cost to serve and comms, and it is perhaps excited to be back in my footprint of the megabyte. power. I am seeing a similar a much higher customer symbolic that TalkTalk has old stomping ground.” It matters to us that we’re shift in the market as it satisfaction score,” he laid down roots on his Another indication that Kini a responsible business.” transitions to full fibre.” n
18 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com
BUSINESS INTERVIEW Sir Clive on finding the DNA of champs
In preparing for business growth there is no better starting point than priming the Board to be the best they can be both strategically and culturally, according to Sir Clive Woodward, Non Executive Strategic Advisor at Aura Technology.
orld Cup to transform organisations’ scooping rugby use of technology. coach Sir Clive Woodward What are the critical Wjoined Aura Technology priorities for Boards today? as Non Executive Strategic I see many business leaders Advisor in July last year, and not making the most of the his goal is to develop a team use of technology within of Board level champions their organisations, and at without peer. He is uniquely times shying away from truly qualified for the task, having understanding the value won the World Cup with of technology to underpin England’s rugby team in 2003 the achievement of their and led Team GB to Olympic objectives. It is critical that success as Director of Sport whether you are running a from 2006 to 2012. Sir Clive business in the ICT sector, or also has experience in the whether you are running a tech sector and had an 18 business in any other sector, year business career before that the use of technology becoming England coach, is at the forefront of the including the founding resources utilised by a Board. of a computer leasing Tim Walker and Sir Clive Woodward business. He is the founder How do you describe your of Hive Learning, an online style as a Board Advisor? community where business Creating the Winning Culture, of the type I am a supportive advisor leaders share technical and to the Boards I work with, commercial knowledge; found in the most successful sporting and helping them develop a and a Board advisor to Seat strong DNA for success, Unique, a London tech business teams I have worked with, is the a Winning Culture, and start-up which is creating ultimately to be the best an official marketplace for critical success factor possible leaders that they guaranteed premium access can be for their organisation. to live events. Here, Sir Clive competitive market because clear picture of what you to help them understand the As the name suggests, I shares insights that could of its focus on a highly are looking to achieve is most important steps they am not an executive in the help unleash your strategic strategic approach to IT. Aura key. Just as important is need to take. When we won business, nor should I be! and cultural potential… has grown rapidly since its understanding the steps the World Cup in 2003 it inception in 2017, and now to get there, and what the was as a result of a number What is the ideal Non- How did you first engage has a significant mid-market DNA of a Champion is. I of core winning principles Exec relationship? with Aura Technology? customer base across the UK am working with Aura on which the whole team In my coaching vernacular I met Aura founder Tim in the commercial, public and this to ensure that we all understood. I am working I talk about Sponges and Walker at an IT event in healthcare sectors. Revenues know the critical success with Aura to embed these Rocks. Rocks are people with 2015 where we shared the already exceed £10 million. factors for the business and winning behaviours into their a fixed mindset, who are set same stage and participated what underpins them. business. I am a firm believer in their ways, unteachable in a panel discussion about What is your role? in the concept of ‘whoever and uncoachable. I need leadership in the IT sector. My role is to challenge the How do you help to wins in IT, tends to win’. This everyone I work with to be After he had set up Aura Board and add value to provide clarity of concept is core to the Aura a sponge. By that I mean Technology in 2017 he asked the strategic direction and purpose and direction? business, and I am helping have a passion for learning, me to join as an advisor to decisions that the company I am working with the Board the Board maximise the for new thoughts and new the Board. I quickly realised makes. Beginning with the as a whole, along with the success of taking that mantra ideas. But I always stress with that Aura stands out in a end in mind, and having a Board members individually, out to the business world any team I start working
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20 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com THE SUPPORT COLUMN in association withBUSINESS INTERVIEW Sir Clive on finding the DNA of champs ‘Good Migrations’ Unlock M&A Value
2020 looks set to be another with that this must be a two- project. I expect the Board busy year for comms way relationship. I will be to remain similarly ambitious Just a minute with entrepreneurs and private putting forward ideas, but in planning future growth, Sir Clive Woodward... equity investors keen to I also want the team I am both through winning new realise value from mergers working with to be putting mid-market customers as well Role models: In rugby, Jim and acquisitions (M&A) in Greenwood who was my our industry. According to forward their thoughts as merging and acquiring Support to Win’s Managing and ideas to me as well. other businesses in the coach at Loughborough. Outside of rugby I Director, Tamsin Deutrom-Yue, sector. I will support the market consolidation can only have always admired happen successfully when its What do you aim to Board in remaining ruthlessly Sir Alex Ferguson achieve with Aura? focused on identifying investment case is technically What talent do you wish achievable: Aura has an opportunity to the critical success factors you had? Golf: I play dominate the mid-market that enable them to win, off six but wish I could “There are undoubtedly big in the private and public and I will support them in get down to scratch! opportunities in bringing sectors. It has achieved a lot their pursuit of these. different customer bases What do you fear most? in two years, and is already together onto the same What kept me up at night platform, or rationalising onto a £10 million-plus business. I How do you define the as a coach was thinking a new platform altogether. relationship between that the opposition had But the reality of making that I am a firm strategic vision and thought of something happen can be very risky market engagement? we had not. I would fly and time-consuming if you don’t manage it properly believer in Aura’s approach to strategic anywhere in the world if I sensed a chance – threatening the whole engagement is paramount, business case.” the concept of delivering this through the of learning something Tamsin Deutrom-Yue: that could make me Aura Technology Roadmap Support to Win’s specialist or the team better Migrations need ‘whoever wins process has delivered a real migration services have experienced a huge spike in specialist skills win-win for customers. Best piece of advice demand since their launch last in IT, tends to Combined with their focus you have been given: to manage both Capture and keep year, says Deutrom-Yue, with on the mid-market, rather many of the enquiries received the technical and win’. This is as much information than the SME market as being attached to potential human factors of and knowledge as M&A deals. core to Aura a whole, allows the team possible. This is your change alike. to understand the specific IP. The old ways are “You’d think it would be smaller want to continue to support issues affecting this size sometimes the best! comms firms looking for extra technical and human factors of its success to become the and profile of company. The biggest risk you have skills and resources to plan change alike. Because we sit and implement a migration. across all vendor technologies, dominant strategic ICT Aura Technology’s biggest taken? Becoming Head provider in the UK in the mid- opportunity resides in In fact most of our projects and draw on a strong people Coach of the England have been with larger service background through the market. Whenever businesses utilising the strong and Rugby Team in 1997. I providers and resellers. For parallel Train to Win business, come together in the way capable senior and wider was the first professional them, bringing in a specialist we’re uniquely positioned to that Aura and Amicus ITS team to work with the Board Head Coach and gave third party to lead a migration handle any migration project, have done recently, it is members of their customers, up a successful business project makes a lot more sense be it from platform to platform, network to network, on-prem essential that the enlarged building long-lasting and career. It was a huge risk than hiring or seconding an in- as rugby had just gone house team for a set period.” to hosted or TDM to IP.” organisation’s greatest asset synergistic relationships. professional, but it was – the people – work together, a great opportunity Aside from M&A, the other Wherever you look, it’s and remain committed If you had to pick one key main catalyst for migrations clear that the benefits of a One example of something players in the company’s message for MSP leaders, is the evolution of platform successful customer migration you’ve overcome: Losing can be transformative; success. Creating the what would it be? strategy. Support to Win the Rugby World Cup is seeing a renewed desire minimising churn, boosting Winning Culture, of the type Board member engagement Quarter in 1999 was a among operators and the competitiveness, enhancing found in the most successful with customers who are not big setback. I was only channel community to brand reputation and enabling sporting and business teams the normal champions of IT two years into the job anticipate potential issues by upselling and cross-selling of I have worked with, is the is key. Aura will continue to and it could easily have exercising more autonomy over premium features and services. how services are delivered, And for business leaders, critical success factor. successfully encourage CEOs ended there. Luckily the long term. good migrations also convert players backed me and and Finance Directors to into increased valuations How do you expect engage more in technology. what we were trying to “A lot of people are looking and directly support M&A do and the RFU gave me Aura Technology’s MSPs need to evolve rapidly closely at Cisco’s takeover investment theses. another chance to take expansion to progress? in their interactions with of BroadSoft, for example, the team on to the next and what their options are to “We believe that the prospect Aura has experienced strong customers, to ensure that World Cup in 2003 potentially switch to another of a large-scale customer organic growth to date, and the technologies they use How would you like to platform. A couple of years migration shouldn’t have to we expect that to continue. themselves are able to ago, many might have thought hold you back. Our suite of be remembered? As that impossible because of the migration services, backed by I have been supportive of deliver the same business someone who gave their the merger with Amicus ITS benefits which they espouse risk and complexity of migrating the 10-stage Support to Win best at everything customers from one platform to migration methodology, prove since I first heard of that to their customers. n another. Not any more,” added you can ensure success to Deutrom-Yue. appropriate timescales and with minimal disruption.” To advertise in “Migrations need specialist contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411 skills to manage both the www.supporttowin.tv www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 21 BUSINESS PROFILE A real world ‘cloud cuckoo land’
Too many enterprises are in the grip of an ICT service famine, claims CloudCoCo Managing Director Mark Halpin who aims to catalyse a power shift towards more responsive MSPs.
anaged service a lethargic incumbent but provider Adept4’s also free up their entire acquisition of business operations to work fellow IT services more cost-effectively and Mbusiness CloudCoCo – in a efficiently based on the £7.2 million deal sealed early right technology fit. “We last October – strengthened see all things Microsoft the hand of both parties. But Teams, and its adoption as only now is the true nature an enterprise communication of the opportunity revealed and collaboration hub will as its newly installed leaders accelerate, integrating gather ever more cards to with legacy PBXs and their pack. The transaction omnichannel contact centre, saw CloudCoCo Chairman with mid-to-large enterprises Andy Mills join the board moving away from a blend as CEO, and Mark Halpin, of landlines, mobiles and the founder and CEO of conferencing to integrated CloudCoCo, stepped in as cloud/IP-based UC ahead Managing Director of the of BT’s analogue switch-off enlarged rebranded entity. in 2025,” added Halpin. “Our role is to support our CloudCoCo, which now customers’ journey quickly, has offices in Warrington Mark Halpin securely and efficiently.” and Leeds, was established in September 2017 by the CloudCoCo’s strategic aforementioned former Sales What we are actually offering is responsive, vendors are Microsoft Directors of Redcentric. The and Fortinet. Other tech acquisition followed a mixed knowledgeable human beings who want to partners include Zen, Mitel, year for Adept4, with H1 (to Anywhere365, Nyotron, 31st March 2019) revenues walk through walls for customers Mimecast and Oracle down from £5.4 million to Communications. The kit £4.2 million. Furthermore, satisfaction – all of which are solve them? Where is their such as a full organisational bag also includes mobile for the year ended 30th core to CloudCoCo’s culture, business going? How can re-brand, integration and solutions. Halpin’s managed September 2019, the legacy its influence now being felt we get them there? We’ve the re-setting of a company support (ITaaS) proposition Adept4 business reported a strongly throughout the now created an enlarged that had suffered from its is marketed to SMEs across decline in revenue from £10.2 merged and restructured organisation, with 500 previous and public issues. the north west, Yorkshire million in the previous year to operations. “I simplified the customers who are starting “The next positive change and Humber, while mid-to- £7.3 million. The acquisition corporate business plan to to see the CloudCoCo will be the rapid acquisition large enterprises are engaged of CloudCoCo took place build a model of Attract, value. But the widened of new customers, and with specific propositions in October 2019 and has Connect, Engage & Delight base of key accounts going up a weight division such as Microsoft-as-a- resulted in an enlarged for customer acquisition, achieved by Christmas in H2 to address the needs Service and a Business rebranded organisation. Now, retention and development,” meant that time had to be of the unattended mid-to- Security Fabric focused on with a period of strategic he added. “I’ve always been spent on the retention and large enterprise segment, integrated security for hybrid course correction complete, creative and many of those development of existing suffering from inflexible, cloud infrastructure, apps, Halpin has set fresh targets. ideas were monetised in prior clients within our H1.” unresponsive and high cost data, devices and users. roles heading up ‘everything incumbents,” he stated. He is not short of objectives new business’ since 2008. Strategic foresight “This is all based on believing nor ideas, which include Not seeking to get too far The message advanced that larger IT providers a boost to sales and cash “In this, customers are the too fast also enabled strategic by Halpin is that giving haven’t evolved for the generation, reducing fundamental influence on foresight to be fully engaged ‘neglected’ enterprise clients new era,” claimed Halpin. churn and costs, and a our approach: What are as Halpin pressed ahead with a get-out-of-jail card would “We all recognise a world sharper focus on customer their problems? How do we other immediate priorities not only liberate them from characterised by impatience
22 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com BUSINESS PROFILE A real world ‘cloud cuckoo land’
and an on-demand culture – chose to help early customers Uber, AirBnB, Just Eat, Netflix any way we could. etc. This is largely not the experience enterprises get “By the summer last year when procuring enterprise we had 30 clients, a seven grade IT services.” figure contract base and was profitable. Within two Halpin could have been years we have grown from serving up a very different two to 60 staff with 500 menu had he followed the accounts, and we are on the family tradition of making pathway towards £10 million cooked foods. But destiny revenue. Our customers £50m was rewritten by deep grief span the UK and operate in following the early death multiple segments, ranging Acquisition Fund of his father, aged 40 when from five to 40,000 seats.” Halpin was 21, which today still fuels his ongoing drive. Halpin is clearly doing it right, “I didn’t want to follow and business rectitude – in five generations of Halpin how you engage with staff, chefs,” he said. “When my partners and customers, and father died I decided to use how you grow – is essentially that pain as petrol on my a matter of people, he fire to improve myself, as believes. “What we are life seemed very short. actually offering is responsive, knowledgeable human beings Life lessons who want to walk through “My father always said walls for customers, and then computers were the achieve immediate business way to go, which led acceleration without total loss to an opportunity with of control,” Halpin explained. InTechnology (now Redcentric). I listened, I learnt “Giving a voice to employees and never forgot the values is key. The answers and I was taught by my parents, ideas sit with those that do or the generosity of the the job. Companies should people who gave time and be more appreciative of care to develop someone those that work for them who deserved a chance. and create environments Many of those people where people feel safe to now work for CloudCoCo speak their minds, and know and remain close.” that they will be helped Is Now the Time to Sell Your if they feel vulnerable.” The catalyst for striking out Business and Hit the Beach? with his own MSP business Whether it’s listening to staff was a comment made during or fashioning a strategy, all a board meeting, which of Halpin’s policies show branded the idea of treating the strength of coalition To find out how much it’s worth employees, customers and leadership and reflect his contact Richard Btesh in confidence partners with kindness, aspirations for all involved. He hyper-responsiveness, hard added: “Building a company work and loyalty as ‘Cloud where employees know they Cuckoo Land’. “So, on April are safe and cared for, having 0808 301 8334 the 12th 2018, it was lift- a base of loyal customers [email protected] off for CloudCoCo,” stated that trust us to help them, Halpin. “From the outset, and being proud of how we and drawing on 20 years of make people feel emotionally working within an MSP, we about our engagement with maintained our relationships them are all key factors in our and supplier contacts and ongoing development.” n AWARD 100 BEST WINNING COMPANIES TO WORK FOR The UK’s No.1 magazine 2018 1st BUSINESS FS32851 for voice and data solution providers
www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 23 NEWS INTERVIEW Surging IPCortex set to make waves
The ICT channel is about to find out how souped-up software developer IPCortex plans to disrupt the market one year after its transformational acquisition by Aerial Direct, according to Managing Director Glyn Thomas.
PCortex’s strategic intent has greatly advanced since its acquisition by Hampshire comms Iprovider Aerial Direct last March. And according to Thomas, the channel must now acknowledge the company’s growing presence as he seeks to elevate its status as the ‘software solutions vendor of choice’. That IPCortex is a challenger is not in doubt, believes Thomas, because big strides have been taken across the board during the past 12 months, with the parent company bolstering its capacity to execute on growth plans with greater commercial resource, scale and a clearer strategic vision. In fact, Thomas is leading Glyn Thomas from the front with a ‘fresh pair of eyes’, and his first job was to ensure that any I aim to accelerate investment in our product development, perceived concerns or fears resulting from the acquisition scale up our sales and marketing teams and increase brand were swiftly put to bed. awareness within the channel at every opportunity “With Aerial Direct supporting our growth plans awareness within the channel revenue of £1.2 million, up within some verticals, which drive as much simplification we now have the tangible at every opportunity – and on the previous year,” stated IPCortex builds in-house. and automation into our benefits of a substantive drive those opportunities.” Thomas. “Our 2020 target “With cloud adoption being offerings as I can. With telecoms market leader is 20 per cent sales growth a driver for many, virtualised that in mind, this year backing us with its skills, Going up the gears with a focus on generating solutions are at the forefront we are improving our knowledge and momentum, From the moment of the new business and onboarding of conversations and our cloud-based solutions helping us to achieve our acquisition Thomas’s focus new partners. Now, my own cloud hosted solutions from a performance and a own business objectives,” was on consolidation rather priorities are to expedite the are also in demand,” added provisioning standpoint, and he commented. “Our than growth, making sure growth plan, expand on our Thomas. “It is here that we our hosted portal will see a development roadmap is partners and staff remained development capabilities currently see considerable number of changes, making full and our partners are in a good place and that and accelerate IPCortex’s future growth, especially it a more functionally rich engaging with us in beta relationships were not go-to-market position, which with our white labelled and user friendly platform.” testing new products and negatively impacted. “Any includes the enlargement Service Provider Platform. features. I aim to accelerate fears in relation to the of the sales team.” IPCortex’s PABX and UC investment in our product acquisition were short lived “Simplification of the solutions run on any platform development, scale up and by year-end we had Growth is coming from all provisioning, management (hardware, virtual or hosted), our sales and marketing achieved overall growth quarters, with hardware and billing functions are also and a mobile client solution teams and increase brand returning a healthy sales still the preferred solution key activities in plan. I will will soon be entering beta
Thursday 21st May – The Marriott Grosvenor House www.cdsalesawards.com
24 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com NEWS INTERVIEW Surging IPCortex set to make waves
WHOLES ALE testing along with a Teams to-text and ways we can integration solution which include that in conferences Just a minute with is currently in development. and call recording, giving the Glyn Thomas... Enhancements to the keevio ability to search recordings UC client including feature for words or phrases without Role models: Elon Musk, [more than connectivity] segmentation and new video the need to listen manually Richard Branson and Ellen MacArthur conferencing capabilities to multiple call recordings. are in the pipeline. Notably, Furthermore, we are looking What talent do you wish Vaioni Wholesale gives you nearly all the programming at value add integrations you had? To be a talented writer, ideally a best seller! access to multiple services and configuration performed into other web services.” via the web front end runs Tell us something about all delivered over the same through IPCortex’s Open API. FMC potential yourself we don’t Fixed mobile convergence know: In my early 20s I reliable network. played keyboards and Thomas’s career experience is is appearing on Thomas’s saxophone in a rock just as comprehensive. He has radar screen as another band called The Choice. over 30 years working in the potential and significant We got to No 1 in the catalyst in the market when local charts with a song My priorities the conditions for growth called Just Call Me Joe! are met. “FMC delivering In hindsight: I would have are to voice, data and video to ignored my school career Connectivity your favourite mobile device advisor who told me that expedite seamlessly between fixed there was no call for a line or wireless network – no marine biologist in the the growth matter what your location small town that I lived – could be disruptive,” he in, dashing my teenage plan and added. “The UK is behind dreams and aspirations expand on our the rest of Europe here, but One example of something Voice it could scale quickly once it you’ve overcome: Fear. hits the market correctly.” It is nothing more than development an emotion fuelled by my imagination ICT sector under his belt and Just as widespread adoption held a number of leadership of FMC will catalyse an Biggest career and management roles across evolution in the way people achievement? Winning the IBM Cambridge multiple verticals including work, IPCortex expects to hit Programme award in IT Security IT, education, maritime and its own markets with equal 2000. It was given to entertainment industries, impact and reorder the top the top 38 IBM first line most recently within the channel service provider managers worldwide energy sector for SSE. “My league table as it emerges Your greatest strength years operating, supporting, from a period of transition, and what could you managing and running a claims Thomas. “Almost work on? I am a good diverse portfolio of comms all of our partners saw the listener, but making and IT related activities gives acquisition in a positive personal to-do lists way 4G / 5G me a good appreciation light, enhancing their view beyond the realms of the of the challenges facing of IPCortex and our future possible needs attention our partners and their plans and development If you weren’t in ICT what customers,” he stated. roadmap, now underpinned would you be doing? I’d by the extra skills, resources be a marine biologist, Thomas has also developed and financial strength of our swimming with manta Unified a nose for potential market parent company,” he stated. rays and whale sharks opportunities and a knack The biggest risk you have Communication for backing the right “Our biggest opportunity taken? A zero visibility drift technologies. “Artificial resides in R&D, not out there scuba dive in the Solent. Intelligence keeps raising yet, but gaining substance It was a challenging 20 minutes of disorientation its head, often around call each passing week as our transcription,” he observed. roadmap develops. We have Name four ideal dinner “We are exploring the many products and features guests: Sir David 0161 672 9900 possibilities having already in plan for 2020 which will Attenborough, J K Rowling, Neil Armstrong [email protected] performed R&D in this area. underpin our organic and and Leonardo da Vinci We are also looking at voice- channel growth strategy.” n To advertise in contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411 www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 25 BUSINESS INSIGHT Gamma’s Taylor-made plan for UCaaS expansion
Gamma delivered the first key component of UCaaS with the launch of Horizon Collaborate in 2019, but CEO Andrew Taylor’s says that’s just the cornerstone of his mission to help resellers build on fast-developing converged opportunities and mitigate threats in the months and years ahead.
peaking at Gamma’s of Q3, we’ll start to deliver, London headquarters, and we can start taking Gamma UCaaS Swhere the company’s new customers onto that pocket roadmap brand refresh is much in platform. And then it will evidence, Taylor set out take us about six months Data Connectivity. his UCaaS roadmap for to do the full upgrade. Strategic deals with TalkTalk, Virgin and BT in channel partners and also place. Ethernet, fibre and delivered some incisive “The agreement that we broadband connectivity assessments on the state have established with Three volumes up 25%. of the UK ICT channel, the means that the partner Collaboration. Launched impact of consolidation and their customers get last year and growing. and the ‘spiders web’ he full access to the network 9000 paying seats to believes some resellers services such as 5G and date sold by resellers. are being drawn into. VoLTE , to improve network Subscription Management. coverage inbuilding Launched to the “The channel asked, and when roaming.” channel on request nine and we delivered and months ago to fuel moving into 2020 we have With the mobile piece UCaaS deployments. already invested heavily set to fall into place, Voice recording. Rebuilt to continue building out Gamma’s ambition to build and now fully integrated our UCaas proposition a full UCaaS enablement into the Horizon during the next 12-months strategy for the channel is UCaaS platform, all and beyond,” he said. taking shape and will be stored in the Cloud. supplemented by a new Cloud Contact Centre. New And he hopes an evolving Andrew Taylor Cloud Contact Centre package in development alliance with mobile network package, to be previewed to sit at the core of Three, announced at Comms quality spectrum compared Gamma style, we will at this month’s Gamma Horizon UCaaS. Set for deployment Q3/4 2020. Vision, will be music to the to anybody else, which give all of that to them, Roadshows, which is partner’s ears because, as means they will deliver so they can build value being developed by the Mobile. New disruptive he readily admits, Gamma’s an excellent customer in their businesses. team inherited via the offer in development with Three. Commercial mobile strategy has been experience with best in purchase of UCaaS specialist flexibility and customer muddled for some time. class quality of service and “It all means they can move Telsis last November. ownership promised. network speed. And that’s away from the current very “It may not be fully all going to be available tight and onerous dealer This new CCaaS solution, launched until the autumn, to Gamma partners. type arrangements they’ve according to Taylor, will These days, whether it’s but it aims to be a first- got with incumbents. And enable resellers to give via WhatsApp, LinkedIn, class service and very “We will give our we know and appreciate smaller businesses a Webchat, or Facebook, disruptive” he said. partners the best possible it is difficult for some of ‘big company’ status. you need to be able to commercial flexibility to them to extract themselves communicate across B2B “This is a long-term strategic challenge the incumbents from these so we’re going “I envisage a world where and B2C omni-channels play. We could have gone and move them to Gamma to help them with that.” small businesses in the and this is becoming very with one of the incumbent Mobile. And we will UK have got the same important for our channel mobile operators, but it put all of the service and As Taylor stressed, the offer requirements as very large partners’ customers. would have been second commercial controls in their is predicated solely on Three businesses in terms of how class and our resellers just hands. They will own the delivering their side of the they interact with their “The requirements of a couldn’t compete with contract. They will have full bargain but confirmed staff and their customers. small business have literally that offer. And we based access to the portal so they Gamma mobile is already Collaboration is not just changed overnight. So, our decision on the fact will do all the provisioning, being moved onto the new about how you collaborate we’re going to deliver that Three will be one of the authorising, all the Three MVNO platform. internally, isn’t it? Cloud a cloud-based contact the winners in 5G because customer management contact centre is about how centre product around our they’ve got the highest and the billing. In typical “Probably at the back end you collaborate externally. cloud-based phone service
26 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com BUSINESS INSIGHT Gamma’s Taylor-made plan for UCaaS expansion
Horizon. It will be fully roadshows, but it will be business models demand integrated and will be easy fully available at the back it, and this presents a real Andrew Taylor’s swot analyis on the channel for resellers to provision and end of 2020 with all the risk to the channel and sell. We’ve selected a whole bells and whistles. The Telsis their business models. load of features through team need to build some Strengths some deep research we’ve additional functionality, “It means they want to “The quality emerging in the maturing UK channel and done with end customers but it’s coming.” do the fulfilment on sales, the investment and support resellers are now getting. and we’ve worked out the do all the billing and own They are high quality, professional people organising themselves better and thinking about the way they key features we believe will Taylor’s belief that resellers the customer because that operate and the service they offer. The move to the be important to them. have a great future by improves the value of their Cloud is better in the UK than anywhere else.” addressing the shift away business. What’s driving “It’s in the Cloud, and it’s from legacy to Cloud based this is partly driven by the Weaknesses easy to consume and it’s solutions – especially in the ownership structure of “There is very little diversity in the channel. There are packaged. And it means micro space - is tempered those companies. Every a lot of over 50s. But there’s a new breed coming through. That creates some risks, but also opportunities. the resellers get something by his strong conviction that reseller has a motivation There’s a bit of a bubble in terms of valuations and great to sell, literally at some vendors have not built eventually to sell their at some point, that will come to bear. There’s only the click of a button. the long-term ambitions own business. So, it’s all so many strategic acquirers in the UK market.” They’ve got the basic voice of partners into their own about building value in the Opportunities service, they’ve got their expansion programmes. business. How do you build “There’s lot of disruption around new technology on collaboration internally if value in that business if you the voice side and on the data side. I don’t think that they want it, they’ve got “The way things are don’t own the customer? the opportunity has ever been greater. The penetration the cloud contact centre evolving, there needs to be levels for hosted is still relatively low at 25%. We’ve and Omnichannel features an element of competing “This will ultimately cause still got a lot of ground to fill and the opening up in all built into our portal. sometimes. But that doesn’t price and margin pressure, the mid to enterprise space around Cloud and contact mean that’s acceptable in which we must collectively centre is a massive opportunity. With the ISDN switch “I described it to one of our a wholesale model. I think resist and build real value in off there’s also a big opportunity in the micro space. partners in Ireland and he resellers need to partner our customer propositions, Not quite SOHOs but anything from five seats.” said, ‘Andrew, if Gamma with somebody who’s got a otherwise it will be a race Threats delivers that you will clear wholesale proposition. to the floor. This type of “Data is a high growth market because of what’s enable the channel to really What we saw a couple behaviour will be disruptive happening with fibre. But it’s displacement, and the differentiate and clean up of years ago was new and will negatively impact economics of it have been driven to the floor. That’s against the competition!’ entrants coming into the value in the channel, so we worrying and I’m not sure that we can stop it. The market who do not have should be wary of who we notion of providing somebody with a higher quality service which is more resilient, more reliable and “That’s why we bought an equitable relationship partner with and ensure faster at a significantly lower cost is a difficult one Telsis. For us, it’s really with the channel. They’re that our partners enable for companies like Gamma, aggregators, carriers and exciting. We’ll confirm going over the top to end us to build real long-term resellers because we all have to make money at that.” the roll out at the Gamma customers because their value in our businesses”. n
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www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 27 BUSINESS INTERVIEW Bring on HR visionaries
From technology, the environment to demographic trends, winds of change are transforming the concept of workforce agendas, according to Zen Internet HR Director Ayshea Robertson.
s custodians of the weather conditions more opportunities may be not as workforce agenda, frequently across the globe, readily available as people HR leaders are we look at how equipped in senior roles work longer. becoming ever we are in communities and “This will also lead to the Amore important authors of businesses to cope with this. necessity to re-skill people,” their organisation’s narrative. And how can we be more she added. “For example, at Central to Robertson’s prepared in the future. Zen we understand the speed narrative are three themes of technological change, so – the first is advances in “There are also increasing we constantly need to keep technology and innovation. demands for energy. We have the skill set of our people “Automation and advancing more tech, more machinery, up-to-date and relevant. This technologies like AI and but we have the competing will be the same in other robotics are going to change pressure for organisations to areas of an organisation the nature and the number consume less energy and to too, not just technology.” of jobs available, and this become more carbon neutral will mean increased agility, and carbon negative even. The three macro forces speed and efficiency for This will influence decisions identified by Robertson businesses,” she explained. made in business and how as reshaping workforce we structure our ways of dynamics are having a global “As the advances in working. I expect new roles impact and affect all types of technology begin to remove will be created to focus and organisations. “They are also the need for certain roles, specialise on environmental interlinked which is why we there will be an increase in demand for differing skill sets. So we need to look at People are far more up-skilling and re-skilling the environmentally savvy now, workforce to accommodate this. It is likely that there will so they will want to work be more focus on innovation and people who are creative. with, and use, companies that As HR Director at Zen, I need to think about how care about the environment technology and people can work together to achieve change in business and have to bear each of them the best of both, and enable industries. It will also change in mind in today’s business the business to grow.” consumer demands. People environment, and we need are far more environmentally to be doing something about Climate and environmental savvy now, so they will them now,” she added. “Zen change could potentially want to work with, and is constantly thinking about devastate the planet, and use, companies that care advances in technology. moves to address these about the environment. We have an environmental critical issues can now be Corporate responsibility is steering group, and we have waged from offices around no longer a nice to have, it started to think about the the world. This matter is a is absolutely fundamental.” ageing population impact. top priority for Robertson – and her second theme in Demographic change, “These topics will continue to Zen’s workforce agenda. Robertson’s third prime evolve and we must keep an “There are many reasons mover, is also reshaping eye on them for a long time why environmental change the workforce. The ageing to come. It is important for is impacting the workforce population will have an the channel to think about and beyond,” she stated. “As impact on the flow of talent these areas immediately and Ayshea Robertson we are experiencing extreme in organisations; and career start preparing now.” n
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It’s not the simple fact of mobile’s popularity that makes it a market worth unlocking, it’s the data element that really counts, according to Jola Managing Director Andrew Dickinson, who argues that the key lies in unseating the MNOs.
ith mobile with network agnostic, Dickinson is mindful that the being the un-steered or steered, torrent of upbeat research natural device embedded or plastic triple- and predictions about IoT of convergence cut SIMs, gives resellers and 5G don’t mean anything Wand trends in workplace significant advantage unless there are practical flexibility and mobility over the retail MNOs,” he applications that meet the increasing, making the explained. “eSIM MVNOs needs of the market. “Our move to mobile will become buy mobile data wholesale, roadmap this year is based unavoidable for resellers, from massive global data on what we know about the so what steps should they aggregators, so rates are end user business market and take now? “Most resellers attractive and reseller margins the channel ecosystem,” he avoid traditional mobile – are good. eSIMs are invisible commented. “For example, the handsets and airtime to individual MNOs so, there are over 200 ISPs in the – because it’s low margin, unlike with consumer eSIMs, UK all looking for a simple high risk and dominated by these MVNOs don’t need and affordable 4G/5G back- specialists and the MNOs,” permission from MNOs in up service. Using domain stated Dickinson. “But mobile each country. Breaking the knowledge gleaned from data is completely different model where the MVNO Griffin, we have built a and far more aligned to the simply gets a discount layer 2 (L2TP) service into products they currently sell. off the retail MNO’s list our eSIM multinet MVNO With 4G/5G integration price is critical to enabling platform. It works without into products like SD-WAN the channel. Especially Andrew Dickinson the need for additional CPE and Ethernet (pre-Ethernet when MNO enterprise or significant router config and mobile data backup) sales teams are given so changes. True fail-over every reseller will soon be much flexibility on RRP.” Breaking the model where the backup has a high perceived selling mobile, even if only MVNO simply gets a discount value with enterprises and indirectly. Now that a layer Uptick in IoT deals so ISPs and their resellers 2 product is available, all the Breaking mobile market off the retail MNO’s list price can make great margins.” ISPs will soon be offering moulds is important for a 4G/5G back-up on DIA as number of reasons. Among is key to enabling the channel The question now is where standard. And to get into the top priorities is the the best mobile data M2M/IoT directly, resellers IoT which has received aggregators need to break in size last year, and since it opportunities for resellers should look for a true mobile much industry commentary their direct dependence on only sells through channel, reside. Dickinson cites data aggregator, with an predicting its potential MNOs to give resellers a that means resellers have retail as key (especially MVNO, eSIM capability and impact. “IoT is not the differentiated product and a won some big contracts. when growing sub-sectors a focus on the channel.” future,” stated Dickinson. fighting chance of winning are identified), along with “It’s now and growing some of these huge deals, “Most of their success has construction, logistics and For its part, Jola has invested rapidly. Resellers have bid says Dickinson. “Resellers also come from selling 4G data transport, physical security in becoming an eSIM MVNO many big IoT contracts need to add IoT capabilities for back-up and primary and the public sector. “The and its product roadmap recently, but successes beyond just mobile data,” connectivity, supported by MNOs are prioritising big this year will develop this are rare because they are he said. “My advice would products the MNOs can’t manufacturing, logistics and capability. eSIMs solve a usually up against a retail be to specialise in a growth or won’t offer, like data drone deployments so avoid number of problems for MNO that will drop their sector they are already pools and back-datable bolt- these,” he advised. “Resellers end user organisations, data price at the last minute familiar with, and partner ons,” explained Dickinson. should be modelling monthly and therefore represent to win the business.” for aspects like management “This year Jola partners are ARPUs of around £1 in IoT a significant opportunity portals, gateways, also going to win some and £10 in M2M and 4G/5G for resellers looking for a It is difficult for end sensors, and maybe even significant IoT contracts. back up. Every reseller has at magic mobile data bullet customers to switch out intelligent truck-roll.” The number of IoT devices least one significant IoT/M2M to compete with a MNO SIMs as MNOs seek to make deployed worldwide will opportunity in their client in M2M and IoT, believes money over the entire term Adept at targeting its own at least quadruple in the base. The right supplier will Dickinson. “An eSIM MVNO and beyond. So mobile data growth sector, Jola doubled next three years.” help them find and win it.” n
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www.provu.co.uk/reseller NORTHAMPTON MARRIOTT HOTEL, 26TH MARCH 2020 Northampton Marriott Hotel, 26th March 2020 Discover the big money in mobile! According to technology analysts, around 3.5 billion people are now connected to the mobile internet and there are no signs of this figure decreasing. Mobile data consumption continues to rise as more and more businesses deploy mobile based solutions.
THE arrival of 5G fast expanding mobile Subjects to be debated and discussed at super-fast connectivity solutions landscape. Margin Mobile will include: will fuel more exponential growth Part of the hugely • Where are we now? A state of the mobile and create huge successful ‘Margin market review (analysis, trends etc - scene opportunities for in’ series of events setter and provide context for what follows) resellers to provide organized since 1999 • 5G and mobile network innovation: What next an increased range by Comms Dealer, for business mobility? of mobile, IoT and Margin in Mobile • Managing mobile: Harnessing the power of UC solutions to 2020 will provide portals their customers. the most effective • Mobile UC/Mobile Office/Mobile Conferencing: platform for vendors Staying connected anywhere, anytime. Now is the time to and resellers to meet • Realising the potential of mobile Apps and APIs ensure your mobile and explore these • Intelligent mobile: The rise of wireless and Wi-Fi communications new opportunities. analytics and IoT offerings • Mobile Security: The cyber threats and how to are fit for purpose During an inspiring protect against them and your business is day of education Qualified voice, mobile and data reseller poised for growth. and networking, you • Mobile planning: How to develop an end-to- delegates will be able to take advantage of: Following its successful will meet a range end employee mobility strategy for customers • Working with suppliers to identify the most debut last year, of mobile and IoT • An educational seminar programme Margin in Mobile operators, service profitable mobile solution opportunities. • A 1-2-1 managed ‘meet the suppliers’ will once again help providers, vendors and • How will the supply of M2M/IoT solutions fit process resellers discover distributors all expert into new ‘as a service’ business models? and understand at helping you launch • How will resellers get sales teams up to pace • A fun networking evening dinner the new margin into or grow existing with Digital Britain and the new mobile solution • Overnight accommodation opportunities in the mobile revenues. opportunities. • ALL FREE OF CHARGE!
Joline Cramond Dan Cunliffe Dan Makrell Vincent Disneur Focus Group Pangea Shire Leasing Union Street
“Focus Group is excited to be “As Channel-only providers, “We are delighted to be “Mobile presents a massive part of Margin in Mobile for we’re delighted to sponsor supporting the Margin in opportunity for CPs and, with the first time this year. Mobile Margin in Mobile again; it’s the Mobile event, an excellent 75 percent of mobile retail technology is a fundamental go-to platform for partners chance to meet existing and revenues coming from bundled component to solution-based who want a head start on new prospective clients and an services, creating innovative and offerings in the IOT opportunities in the industry. opportunity to share details of competitive bundles is clearly environment and utilising these Through intelligent IoT our unique financial products the key to differentiate and technologies to maximise connectivity and 4G Multi-net, and FinTech solutions with succeed in this marketplace. margins is where we add value we’ll help you pinpoint those distributors and resellers. We We’re looking forward to to our Channel Partners’ opportunities, win them, and currently fund most equipment attending MiM and discussing how our aBILLity™ system can revenues.” generate profitable revenue.” and soft assets provided by the help CPs do just that whilst ICT channel.” ensuring profitability and maximising control.”
Silver Sponsor Silver Sponsor Silver Sponsor Hospitality Sponsor
Gold sponsors Hospitality sponsors
32 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com Northampton Marriott Hotel, 26th March 2020
MARGIN IN MOBILE EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR AGENDA
9.30am: Speaker – Garry Growns, Sales Director DWS
SELLING MOBILE MADE SIMPLE Kicking off the ‘Exploration of new opportunities in mobile’ theme, Garry Growns will look at how DWS can help resellers easily gain entry to the mobile market. In particular, he will look at how the DWS Gold portal can make it simple for resellers to provision mobile solutions and provide online leasing approval, Sponsor thus removing hardware barriers to entry – all whilst retaining ownership of the customer.
10.00am: Speaker – Mark Lomas, Head of New Business Gamma
DISCOVER THE 5G OPPORTUNITY Mark will explain how Gamma can help resellers win mobile deals by offering flexibility in their choice of Gold networks. A senior spokesman from ‘3’ will then look at how the networks will deliver spectrum and the opportunities for resellers that the technology offers, such as IoT. Sponsor
10.30am: Speaker – Iain Sinnott, Sales & Marketing Director Vanilla IP
MOBILE SOLUTIONS – THERE’S NO LIMIT! In his session, Iain will look at how VanillaIP’s cloud management platform UBoss enables resellers to Gold control their mobility proposition build for their customers. Looking at a variety of different consumption and product choices (including both in-house and external options). Resellers need not be limited in their Sponsor choices!
11.00am: COFFEE BREAK
11.15am: Speakers – Adrian Sunderland CTO and Lee Broxson, Sales Director Jola
WINNING BUSINESS WITH eSIM’S Gold Mobile data is the fastest growing connectivity product in the UK, but the channel has been frustrated by Retail MNOs undercutting them at the last minute. With eSIM, resellers have the ability to beat the Sponsor competition on price, however it has enough value-add for them not to have to focus on this. We will explain how resellers can find, bid and win large-scale IoT and M2M mobile data rollouts, within their customer bases. We will also talk about what other elements of the IoT ecosystem they will need to develop in order to build a sustainable IoT business.
11.45am: Speakers – Mandy Fazelynia, Operations and Business Development Director and Rob Foster, Head of Channel Sales Zest 4
ADDING VALUE TO YOUR BUSINESS Gold As will have been demonstrated during the course of the morning, there are a vast array of mobile products, services and opportunities available. So how can resellers manage an expanded portfolio and Sponsor scale without using multiple portals? Mandy and Rob will also examine how such a portfolio can help resellers build their valuation multiple on exit.
12.00pm: Key Takeaways and Panel Debate In this closing session, ICT journalist Will Garside will summarise the market opportunities and key takeaways from the Keynotes and will then chair a debate on the subjects presented.
Silver sponsors Mobile Zone
www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 33 BUSINESS PROFILE The smart city builder
As a boy, Connexin founder and CEO Furqan Alamgir relished deconstructing computers to uncover their component parts and learn how they interacted, before upgrading them into something greatly improved. Today, he does the same but with whole cities.
onnexin is showing issue a smart city operating how the human body works, the way to connect system or management so he studied medicine and smart cities with platform is key,” added trained as a surgeon. “I a new logic that Alamgir. “Connexin completed my medical Cholds them together like provides a full end-to-end degree and trained as a never before. But it’s the partner based approach doctor while launching and company’s hometown Hull and works with cities from growing Connexin into a that displays its full influence, planning and preparation to million pound business,” he and shows why we must delivery and operation.” stated. “I left medicine and reassess our understanding my career as a surgeon to of the term ‘programming’. Connexin’s system is built embark on an entrepreneurial That’s because Connexin’s around the Cisco Kinetic journey in a field I had pioneering local project for Cities platform which little to no experience.” has been credited with aggregates data from a range kicking off the age of the of IoT sensor types into a Connexin was founded ‘programmable city’. The certified set of urban service in May 2006 by Alamgir tech company turned Hull domains such as waste, and Alex Yeung. “Our into what it claims to be the lighting and parking. Hull determination led to us learn first smart city of its kind City Council is leveraging how phone systems worked following the deployment Connexin’s CityOS platform and how calls were carried,” of an operating system that to integrate, view, manage added Alamgir. “The further pulls together data that and respond to information we looked into it, the more sits within separate council from a range of council we felt the technology was computer systems, enabling services, sensors and systems. outdated and that things the management of the city’s Information from current could be done greener and public assets in real-time. and future data producing better. We took matters deployments, such as Furqan Alamgir into our own hands and “We have helped to smart lighting, parking, built our own platform that implement a true smart traffic, waste management could carry voice from one city approach focused and Wi-Fi deployments, I completed my medical device to another anywhere and driven by outcomes are to be integrated into degree and trained as a in the world using the centred around people,” the single pane of glass power of the Internet. stated Alamgir. “They are software platform. doctor while launching and innovating with Connexin’s “Before we knew it, CityOS and implementing a “Smart technologies have expanding Connexin into a Connexin was born. We fully-fledged platform that now come of age, but the needed to ensure our can be agnostic with any truth is no single organisation million pound business customers had reliable system, so the possibilities can make smart cities broadband connectivity, so are endless. I look forward happen on its own,” added infrastructure and provide service suppliers and we started building our own to showcasing to the world Alamgir. “Much of the public service capabilities.” manufacturers, central broadband infrastructure what a programmable city information brought together Government, universities before pivoting the use of is capable of; and our focus will become available, on Key investment and the NHS. Among the our infrastructure to connect for 2020 will be replicating an open platform, for the In addition to launching its company’s achievements is ‘things’ as well as people. the success of Hull with public to use to drive new own infrastructure networks an IoT Breakthrough award This led to the development other cities across the UK.” ideas and solutions to Connexin secured a £10 for Smart City Deployment of our smart city and Internet directly benefit the local million Series A investment. in recognition of a smart of Things services. We are Most domain specific smart economy. With open APIs, This year the company is road pilot in Newcastle. focused on becoming the city solutions do not easily local and global independent forecasted to achieve almost UK’s leading smart city integrate with other systems, software vendors and city 300 per cent revenue growth. Alamgir’s early curiosity about operator, and passionate so Connexin took a different application developers can Its primary customers are how things function led to about improving the world approach. “To address this plug into the management local authorities, municipal an interest in anatomy and through technology.” n
Cutting-Edge Business Analytics, Call Recording and www.tollring.com Telecoms Fraud Management
34 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com SECTOR REVIEW Catching the big trends
ony Martino, CEO data as it is the bottom line for companies to complete simplicity, self-sufficiency of Tollring, explores with cross-functional teams on a global stage. and ease of use. The cloud the three trends he now working collaboratively facilitates accessibility of data says are shaping where management Enabling remote working to remote teams anywhere Tthe future workforce – the conduits once stood. with quality collaboration in the world. Departments customer experience, remote tools is only half the can select the tools that working and the cloud... For all these changes to opportunity. Managing suit them, test them, and provide incremental value, teams, understanding overall deploy them – often without The customer experience they need to be underpinned Tony Martino business and departmental ever needing to consult Companies that already by insight and understanding. performance, and KPIs, is their IT department, or understand the value of Channel partners are the market and SME where a challenge for the mid- wider management. This a CX-first approach know gatekeepers, providing the there is rarely a CX leader market. The channel can means that sales cycles are that it requires a mindset means to marry up the within the business. provide unparalleled advice often shorter, and decision of continuous improvement data from different systems on this, showing how using making becomes more across the whole business. and provide guidance on Remote working tools such as analytics and agile. Departmental leaders Ultimately, everyone in a the actionable insights that Remote working is a massive call recording can make have the freedom to make business influences customer result. Whether they do enabler for businesses. It operations smooth and real change, quickly. So it’s experience, even if they aren’t this by delivering analytics enables them to source the high performing, no matter another great enabler for a designated touchpoint for systems that report from best talent without logistical whether team members increased competitiveness. the customer. A CX-focus the phone system, or by restriction, create teams are in the office all, some, will re-shape the workplace connecting internal systems that can service customers or none of the time. A consultative sell is essential, in almost every aspect. such as CRMs to provide in multiple time zones, or but the cloud removes many Customer service moves from context, the channel is best simply offer greater flexibility The cloud of the barriers to adoption. agent-first to customer-first. placed to deliver the digital in order to attract quality With the cloud, the way Not only does it de-risk Both strategic and tactical transformation needed to candidates. It’s changing that businesses expect to purchasing decisions, but it activity is driven as much make a CX-focus realistic the shape of the workplace purchase and use solutions can often provide the means by feedback and customer – especially for the mid- and extending the ability is changing. They want to try before buying. n
www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 35 CASE STUDY Video promo pays off
Former band vocalist William Copley knows a thing or two about putting a video together, but believes any comms providers scared of the process should think again if they want to upgrade their brand image.
arketers will tell going places and set up Studio 8, a video production us that adding a Armstrong Bell in 2001. company in Oxford, Copley slick, professional The company now boasts performed on camera in front video to a a turnover of £2.5 million of a green screen, moving Mcompany’s website is essential and has 18 employees and pointing as directed. A in a world where content focused on selling hosted team of professional actors is king, but few resellers comms to enterprise and were also recruited via a have taken the plunge after mid-market clients across a London casting agency weighing up the cost and variety of business spectrums. and Copley and the actors time involved against RoI. With his background and were then edited into a 3D On the flip side is Copley, confidence in front of a animated environment. The CEO of Worcestershire- camera it was inevitable result was a premium quality, based Armstrong Bell, who that Copley’s thoughts highly engaging but simplistic once fronted Indie rock would eventually turn to portrayal of what Armstrong band Fretblanket. The band producing an Armstrong Bell does – enabling people had substantial success Bell video to differentiate to collaborate successfully in the nineties, recording his website in a crowded on a ‘plug and play’ three albums and releasing market. But his motives were communications platform. two on the Polygram label not only to boost his SEO before folding when the ratings, as he explained. Three months after Copley’s big hits eluded them, and original brief the video family life took over. “When customers go onto Animation, storytelling and was completed and its a reseller website and see quality speaks for itself Copley identified comms an MD or owner talking life video, when utilised (see www.armstrongbell. as an industry that was about how wonderful his or co.uk). The entire production her business is on a video, correctly and creatively, are all cost £10,000 and when Did you know? they know it’ll often be that compared to say, corporate • The world reportedly person who answers the brilliant tools hospitality or a national watches one billion phone and does the installs,” newspaper ad campaign, hours of YouTube said Copley. “My strategy Kickers and The History stated. “Selling on features Copley is convinced it’s social video per day has always been to show Channel, among others, without focusing on value money well spent. “We are • 97% of marketers claim customers and potential on the expanding list of never works. People make very much in a ‘me too’ that videos help customers employees that we’re not companies he’s done work decision based on emotions industry so the video is all understand products a one man band, but a for. Ingels firmly believes supported by reason to about showing people we • 80% of all traffic team of professionals and that some facts can only be give it context. Animation, mean business and we have will consist of video by a well run organisation.” effectively explained, and storytelling and life video, fun doing it,” he said. 2021 (source: Cisco) some stories persuasively when utilised correctly and • 81% of businesses Music videos are specialist told, through animation creatively, are all brilliant Would Copley advise other are now using and not cheap to produce, and his 3D imagery brings tools for creating those resellers, perhaps with less video for marketing so instead of calling on old those stories to life. emotional trigger points confidence in front of a (source: Hubspot) contacts Copley turned to and explaining the facts in camera than him, to look • 90% of consumers Philippe Ingels, owner of Understanding value a clear and engage way.” at the benefits of video? claim a video will help Wakster, who he met at a “It’s all about what gets “Undoubtedly yes, but firstly them make a purchasing local BNI networking event. people to make a positive Copley briefed Ingels on you must find a professional decision (source: Social Ingels has a background decision, and a key part of the fundamentals of hosted to work alongside,” he said. Media Today). in video games and social that is helping customers communications, which “Secondly, it’s all about • 74% of people who get media marketing, but for the understand the value of Armstrong Bell sells alongside preparation. I have done an opportunity to see last six years has specialised the products and services MyPhones and Wildix, and a many videos in the past and a product in action via in producing ‘explainer’ a company provides and story board was developed my experience has taught me an explainer video will videos and counts Microsoft, what that value means based around ‘connecting that if you don’t prepare it buy it (source: Wyzowl) TalkTalk, SAS, Workspace, to their business,” he spaces’. In collaboration with won’t work.” n
Thursday 21st May – The Marriott Grosvenor House www.cdsalesawards.com
36 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com POWERED BY
THURSDAY 21ST MAY, THE MARRIOTT GROSVENOR SQUARE Put your astounding teams in the spotlight for heroes!
Does your sales team smash through walls to make sure your company meets its revenue targets? Has your marketing team put together punchy campaigns to supercharge your brand and generate
red hot leads? Reseller Awards Sales Team of the Year – (up to £2.5m) Marketing Team of the Year – (up to £2.5m)) Campaign of the Year – (up to £2.5m) Sales Team of the Year – (£2.5m to £7.5m) on’t let your experienced first-hand the Marketing Team of the Year – (£2.5m-£7.5m) company positive impact it has on a Marketing Campaign of the Year – (£2.5m-£7.5m) teams go team. Entering the awards Sales Team of the Year – (£7.5m+) unrewarded for can be a huge incentive Marketing Team of the Year – (£7.5m+) D Marketing Campaign of the Year – (£7.5m+) the magnificent work they for your teams as they carry out for your business. want to win and celebrate Acknowledging the success their accomplishments.” Service Provider Awards Channel Sales Team of the Year of your sales and marketing Channel Marketing Team of the Year teams should never be “Winning, or even being Channel Marketing Campaign of the Year underestimated and the shortlisted for these awards, opportunity to give them brings a huge uplift in Distributor Awards the recognition they deserve morale as everyone feels Channel Sales Team of the Year has come around again. valued and they can see how Channel Marketing Team of the Year their hard work is paying off. Channel Marketing Campaign of the Year Now in its 9th year, the Last year, our IP Specialists Vendor Awards Comms Dealer Sales & team won the Sales Support Channel Sales Team of the Year Marketing Awards will once Team of the Year Award for Channel Marketing Team of the Year again give ICT channel the hands-on support they Channel Marketing Campaign of the Year businesses a unique provide to our partners. opportunity to showcase When they were announced Special Awards the skill, determination as the winner, it was clear Best Partner/Customer Event DEADLINE and success of their sales to see how much it meant Best Sales Support Team Charity & Fundraising Award and marketing teams. to the team and it was a Best Social Media campaign EXTENDED TO The 2020 Awards will once fantastic opportunity to Best PR campaign again ensure that effort recognise their contribution Best Company to Work For MARCH 16th and quality throughout Digital Wholesale Solutions CEO to not only our business, but Best Apprenticeship Scheme channel engagement Terry O’Brien the wider channel as well.” processes are recognised Event Details (see award categories). forward to witnessing “We’re proud to be the Thursday May 21st 2020: 12:30pm - 6:00pm another bumper entry headline sponsor of the Specifically aimed at teams from channel businesses Comms Dealer Sales Table Booking rather than individuals, the and Marketing Awards The Comms Dealer Sales & Marketing Awards provides Comms Dealer Sales and DWS CEO Terry O’Brien, for the first time, and a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the success of Marketing awards will this commented: “Over the we encourage channel your ‘superheroes’ in style at the glamorous Grosvenor year be fully supported by years, we’ve been fortunate businesses, both large and Square Marriott Hotel in London’s Mayfair. For table Digital Wholesale Solutions to win multiple Comms small, to enter the awards booking details please contact Simon Turton on which takes up its position as Dealer Sales and Marketing and celebrate their teams’ 07759 731134; email [email protected] lead sponsor and is looking Awards, so we have hard work and successes.” HEADLINE SPONSOR Enter now at CATEGORY SPONSORS www.cdsalesawards.com www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 37 INTERNET OF THINGS KALEIDOSCOPE Can you really make money out of the Internet of Things?
help customers interact directly and indirectly with everything in the store and give them a unique and personalised experience in the store. By using IoT applications in manufacturing, companies can reduce their costs and improve safety in their workplace. Aside from this, they are also able to produce customised products in volume, making their production time lesser.
There are countless other applications, not least in healthcare where IoT applications have changed ordinary medical devices by collecting invaluable additional data.
Unsurprisingly, there is a growing number of channel-facing organisations lining up to help ICT solutions providers understand and grasp the IoT opportunities that are emerging across s a potential revenue generator ecosystem and taking more advantage potatoes that can monitor growth, private and public sectors, which should for the channel, The Internet of from IoT business. ground temperature and moisture. easily dovetail into ‘as a service’ AThings has been regarded with business models. a large dose of scepticism on many Finally, IoT has been perceived as a bit IOT devices can control household levels. of a ‘fad’ that would go the way of the appliances, door locks and streetlights According to this month’s Kaleidoscope 3D television. and the data they provide can save contributors, there is money to be Firstly, many still feel the investment in energy, manage traffic flow and make made from the IoT and this will be time and resource to get in-house People may be unaware that IOT is not people’s lives safer. driven home at Comms Dealer’s Margin teams – both technical and sales - up a recent innovation. Its roots can be in Mobile event in Northampton on to pace with the opportunity just traced back to 1982, when computer In retail environments, IoT solutions can May 26th. doesn’t stack up against the revenue science grad students at the Carnegie models. Melon University connected a Coca Cola vending machine to the internet. Secondly, IoT has always raised a lot of The programmers coded an application privacy and information security that would check the availability and concerns. Cyber criminals can attack temperature of the drink. the device as well as the network that Add one IoT roaming SIM to complement is used to transfer the data, at various Now, with the 5G high speed mobile levels. IoT security challenges have network on the horizon, IoT has a fixed line service to every customer on your become a question of highest concern entered the mainstream. It is predicted although applying security measures at that by 2020, there will be 28 billion base and you are instantly making money in IoT all levels of IoT product development connected units globally and the reduces the risk of these attacks. market for IoT solutions will top £5.6 whilst solving future problems. trillion. Thirdly, the lack of generally accepted Anton Le Saux, Zest 4 IoT standards limits the potential of Indeed, at its recent partner conference, this technology and prevents network provider Spitfire was talking companies from connecting their about farmers being able to calculate products and services into a larger the best harvesting time via ‘Smart’
NEW We go further than Microsoft. Join the voice revolution TeamsLink Pro brings contact centre features overlaid on Microsoft direct routing, available as both an Agent licence and a Supervisor licence. Call 0333 234 9911 Secure and efficient external voice calling Boost your capabilities with skill-based routing, wallboards, supervisor wavenetwholesale.com from within your Microsoft Teams client. dashboards and Power BI reporting.
38 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com INTERNET OF THINGS KALEIDOSCOPE Can you really make money out of the Internet of Things?
“Yes, you can make money out of the IoT. The opportunity “When IOT first emerged, it was viewed as a mass is here now, and our partners are actively monetising manufacturer sector, very much consumer based. But managed connectivity. The perception may still be that you that’s not the case today as mainstream consumer trends need to be selling tens of thousands of SIMs at low value will hit the business market in quite a significant way. to succeed, but it’s not the case. Take fixed line outages Whether that’s this year or not remains to be seen. The as an example. Businesses without connectivity means full roll-out of 5G will be the main catalyst. It could be customers are unable to contact them and undoubtedly 18 months away. I think when you combine 5G and Fibre results in losses in sales and consumer dissatisfaction. to the Premise, that’s when IOT will come into its own. An IoT roaming SIM will solve this problem. If it can’t IOT will become more mainstream and more affordable find a network, it will automatically connect to another, and therefore more sellable. It could be smarter ways of simple. Add at least one of these SIMs to complement a working such as knowing how many spaces are free in fixed line service to every customer on your base and you a car park and where they are located. Energy saving is are instantly making money in IoT whilst solving future another sector where smart devices can dim the lights or problems for you and your customer.” switch them off along with PC’s at the end of a working day. CCTV and remote monitoring can help with building ANTON LE SAUX GRAHAM WILKINSON management through IOT. A whole new world is dawning ZEST 4 BEYOND when IOT becomes reality.”
“Resellers have bid for thousands of IoT data SIMs, “IoT has gone from strength to strength, to the point often to existing customers, but with little success. MNOs where it’s now a household term for businesses and view IoT as their own domain. They are reluctant to give decision-makers. And no wonder! Right now, the tech is resellers a wholesale price to compete, and they discount at its most potent and secure. Solutions are easier than to win deals direct at the last minute. A recent innovation, ever to deploy, and uptake is growing across the board. global multinet eSIMs, give the channel a big advantage But most of all, data—that digital gold gathered by IoT in IoT because they offer a product the MNOs cannot solutions—is one of the most valuable assets any business - all the networks on an un-steered SIM, that can be can have. How do you tap into that value? Adaptive, re-programmed remotely over-the-air. With eSIM, resellers intelligent, resilient connectivity. Businesses are actively can beat MNOs on price and still make a reasonable looking for the data-driven decision-making, automated margin. This is because eSIM MVNOs buy direct from processes, and game-changing efficiencies brought by massive global data wholesalers, not local MNOs. Using IoT. And partners who equip them with the intelligent multinet eSIMs means end customers don’t need expensive connectivity solutions to do so will be first in line to reap site surveys and they can’t be locked into uncompetitive the benefits.” commercial terms by individual MNOs. eSIMs can come ANDREW DICKINSON on a reel ready for manufacturers, or a standard triple-cut DAN CUNLIFFE JOLA plastic SIM card.” PANGEA
“There is no doubt there is cynicism in the channel about “The initial scepticism around IoT may have dissipated but IoT, I hear it often. The opportunities within IoT are virtually this has been replaced with a degree of uncertainty around endless and in some ways that is part of the problem, how this will manifest. The first iteration of 5G is fast it does not take a genius to realise a level of focus is becoming a reality in many parts of the UK but it’s difficult essential, be that by vertical or application. The key thing to predict the impact it will have until its full capability to understand is that IoT is not just selling data SIMS, data is rolled out. 5G doesn’t just deliver speed, it opens the transfer is an essential part of the solution, but harvesting door to extraordinary possibilities for mobility. What we do the data and then more importantly making sense of it know is that the world will be driven by data connectivity to give the customer value is key. In my experience ICT and if partners want to stay relevant for end users then providers and resellers will broadly fall into two camps, they must be involved in that discussion now, whether it’s those that have the desire, experience and resources to around fixed line, 5G or IoT. IoT forms part of the mobile build their own IoT solutions and those that want to bolt revolution and is driven by innovation in the enterprise existing solutions into their portfolios. Either way there are space, there’s no doubt that the customer demand is good upfront and recurring incomes to be had from selling coming. It’s essential that service providers and partners these solutions to their existing customer base.” are prepared, ahead of when the technology matures, and DARREN GARLAND ROB DOWNES the opportunity presents itself.” ALLIOT TECHNOLOGIES 9 GROUP
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www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 39 INDUSTRY COMMENT A new taste for comms
Having sniffed the telco pie more and more IT resellers are following their noses into comms channel territory, writes Nathan Marke, Chief Digital Officer, Digital Wholesale Solutions.
onfession: I love buying decisions for the transformation experience the telco industry new. And, as befits our without embracing the and I love the telco fabulous peer group, I don’t change and skilling up for the channel. Our industry see telco resellers ‘doing future. It’s our job to educate Cis a brilliant place for the the ostrich’, heads in the and enable the channel. restless mind. No time for sand, clinging on to ‘legacy’ boredom. Here, a career revenues in the hope that You will already know all requires constant reinvention. customers don’t notice. I about the opportunities I started off in PBX 25 years see a community motivated in telco - the PSTN switch ago, then got involved in by change, diversifying and off, 5G, the fibre roll out DECT which took me in the reskilling, capitalising on the and the Microsoft/Google early days into Microwave disruption, capturing growth. opportunity. What you may and Wi-Fi, which led to not be thinking about is structured cabling, LANs There’s plenty of evidence the wider telco opportunity and WANs. Convergence to back this up. Data from stimulated by IT projects. In fell upon us and we started strategic advisory firm Larato medium sized businesses, ‘muxing’, bringing telco shows how in the last four customers need resellers and IP networks together years the percentage of to bring them converged to save money on calls resellers in the UK identifying solutions. For example, around the world. This tech as telco has shrunk from 30 behind the big trends of was the precursor for the per cent to 10 per cent. The re-platforming into hybrid big IP revolution that now rest haven’t disappeared – cloud comes a need to brings us all the wonders they have changed – with 28 restructure networks to of UC, omni-channel, per cent of all resellers now Nathan Marke cater for the new demands Teams, G Suite and bots. identifying as ICT resellers, of cloud traffic. That’s up from 15 per cent over the telecoms, right there. And And the channel? For me it is same period. They’ve skilled IT resellers are on the hunt don’t get me started on an incredible force for good up, organically and through SD-WAN, IoT, Edge… and an essential feature in M&A, equipping themselves for new a feast, and our telco the UK landscape. We are to continue to earn the And in the UK’s five million a cohort of entrepreneurial right to take customers on market is a tasty looking pie SMBs we are seeing strong businesses formed to go their technology journey demand for more mobile, where the Tier 1 telcos and – PBX to UC, ISDN to SIP, manage 11-12 per cent. to IT resellers. Microsoft more fibre and more cloud vendors can’t. We help small copper to fibre, and taking Telco resellers also average and Google aren’t helping, technologies. Start-ups are and medium sized businesses a bite out of IT resellers’ more than 90 per cent spending their dragon eggs no longer building their to connect to the Internet, to pie while they are at it. recurring revenue, whereas to advertise their latest UC businesses on premises. talk, to text, to message, to IT resellers struggle (if they and collaboration wares on They’re gunning straight collaborate. And we make all Pie threat warning! Please are lucky) into the low 30 primetime TV. No surprise for the cloud, creating of this work for customers, watch out for IT resellers. You per cent region. All of this then that IT resellers are virtual, agile operations. securely and reliably. That’s see, IT resellers need to do is making it hard to make getting a sniff. Let’s hope not Comms resellers have a huge a pretty important job. something. They have a big money running an IT practice. too many of them notice. opportunity to provide them problem. Although operating with a one-stop-shop for In 2020, the pace of change in what they seem to view as Appetising market We’re passionate about all their IT and telco needs, shows no sign of letting a far more attractive market IT resellers are on the hunt helping our partners to grab allowing them to consume up. I can’t see one area of than the dull, untechnical for a new feast, and our telco the amazing, unprecedented their technology in one telco immune to disruption. world of telco, on average market is a very tasty looking opportunity ahead of us with easy to manage monthly The PSTN switch off, 5G, IT resellers make a lot pie. It’s a massive, profitable both hands, embracing the subscription. So come on, FTTP, Microsoft, Amazon, less money than we do. market, worth £10 billion a convergence of telecoms my telco friends. Let’s step and Google – all incredible According to Megabuyte, year. And because of all the and IT. I find it hard to see up and sort this out. It’s our innovations motivating the average EBITDA margin disruption and convergence, how you can help your pie. It’s tasty, it’s steaming, our customers to throw of an IT reseller ranges from it is starting to look more and customers and provide it’s hot, and there really is no away the old and make 2-7 per cent. Telco resellers more like a market accessible a truly valuable digital need to share. n
Thursday 21st May – The Marriott Grosvenor House www.cdsalesawards.com
40 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com CHANNEL INSIGHTS
Why every business BUILD YOUR 4G needs a customer AND IOT ON
retention strategy On Platform One you can oer 4G as part of a resilient MPLS/SD WAN network,
eeping hold of they don’t like what they giving your customers enterprise grade customers is as see, or can’t find what 4G solutions for pre-ethernet, failover, important as adding they are looking for. rapid site, bespoke IoT solutions and new ones, and a Kretention marketing strategy Use marketing to improve more. will also determine how a customer interactions business is perceived, writes Marketing’s ability to simplify Join us in April when we will be hosting 9 Group Marketing Director and optimise customer Mark Saunders. It is a long- facing processes can also two regional round table events to take held belief that a five per have a significant positive you through, and discuss, the full range cent increase in customer impact on retention. This of benefits on oer and how to build your retention can improve is not just about deploying profitability by as much as leading edge design and business with our secure, agile and easy 55 per cent. And it is a fact impressive language, it is to manage solutions. that creating and maintaining Mark Saunders about defining all the touch customer engagement points you have with your should be the definitive list. In the consumer world customers and tapping into strategy for preventing loyalty schemes are key, but marketing peoples’ ability customers going AWOL. in the B2B space adding real to think ‘customer first’. Marketing is the key weapon value to the relationship is in any retention armoury. more important. So keep Delving into your communicating, use the right customer data Why do customers channels and personalise A Salesforce level CRM want to leave? these interactions. may not be commercially To answer this question sensible for everyone, but start with a short brainstorm Rules of engagement whatever system you use, exercise to see why you think Share relevant information interrogating your data to customers might want to and insights with customers. hunt for opportunities and 4G jump ship. You may conclude Inform and surprise them, identify customers who AGGREGATED NETWORK that a poorly handled or understand their business, may have been relatively unresolved service matter is ask about their issues – neglected can improve motive enough. A personality and listen. Make yourself your retention overnight. issue or negative PR about easy to reach using the your business may deter communications channels Referrals and retention certain customers from that your customers use. If you rely on referrals being loyal. The lack of a Why not use some free for some of your new CSR strategy might not go software to conduct a short business, you can’t afford down well with some clients. survey? Everyone likes to to lose your source material. Market changes, regulatory release their inner Trip Investing in marketing shifts, new technology and Advisor, so you might learn to increase retention can cost may also come into play. something that can stop you produce additional benefits Meanwhile, a competitor may losing that one customer. from increased advocacy offer a compelling alternative. among your customers. Make your positive How can marketing help? presence felt How to start? If you’d like to attend, email Prevention is better than Your website and social Kick off with at least one channel@fluidone.com a cure, so the answer is media activities are your shop change, and because ‘engagement’. The in-life care window, so make sure they measuring retention by of customers is crucial if you are enticingly merchandised volume and value is relatively want to avoid them being and welcoming. Customers straightforward you will spoilt for choice by your can still behave like prospects quickly see what is working potential ‘reasons to leave’ and will look next door if and what needs a rethink. n channel@fluidone.com To advertise in https://info.fluidone.com/request-a-call-back contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411 www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 41 COMMS PEOPLE Graham moves up Brown covers
9 GROUP long-termer Carl Graham has been promoted northern area to the role of Partner Business Manager with a remit to develop FIBRENATION’S channel relationships and stay UK expansion bid abreast of industry changes received a boost as an advisor to resellers. He with the hire of Chris joined 9 almost 15 years ago Brown as Regional from Club Communications Development (which was acquired by 9) Manager for the and has 18 years channel northern area. experience under his belt, He joins from including a three year stint at E.on where he Carl Graham reseller Data Comms. “The hot helped launch a topic at the moment is the 2025 network closure,” said Graham. “We support commercial electric partners daily by providing regular updates and advice, as well as educational material vehicle scheme and and marketing campaigns designed to educate customers and drive sales.” worked on smart 9 Partners MD Adam Cathcart added: “Carl has seen many changes throughout the city projects. years, from the days of dial-up to the transition of WLR and the growth of hosted voice. His Paul Crane, Head experience made him an ideal candidate for the role. His product knowledge is extensive of Engagement Chris Brown and he talks authoritatively about the WLR switch off and the opportunities this presents.” and Rollout at FibreNation, said: “Chris brings experience that will enable us to bolster the company’s expansion over the Also on the move... coming years. We have big plans in place to deliver the full fibre network to as many homes and businesses in CISCO’S VP for DISTRIBUTOR ScanSource has the UK as possible.” Brown added: “I’m keen to work the EMEAR Partner appointed Marcus Ollenbuttel within communities, speaking to local authorities and Organisation David as Senior Vice President businesses about the benefits that full fibre will bring.” Meads is to lead the of Digital Distribution for vendor’s UK&I business its business in Europe. This GLIDE has posted Richard Jeffares as CTO. He brings 25 years as CEO. Cisco has over division includes the recently experience in the global finance, Internet and infrastructure sectors, 4,000 IT partners in acquired intY CASCADE and held exec roles at UK Broadband, Ultrafast Fibre and Collinear the region. Meads will platform and ScanSource Networks. Jeffares said: “We will grow our fibre footprint rapidly as leverage his 30 years Cloud Services businesses. the UK broadband market undergoes a period of seismic change.” David Meads ICT industry experience He joined ScanSource in and steps into the role previously held by Scot Gardner, who 2013 as a team leader for now leads strategy and sales on the Global Specialists team the UK and progressed to across compute, cloud, IoT and service provider. “The UK the role of Vice President of Ferry cruises into ITS represents an important market for Cisco and is at a pivotal Merchandising for ScanSource point in its digital transformation,” stated Meads. “Technology POS and Barcode in Europe. as chief biz developer has the power to help the UK and Ireland accelerate its digital future to advance cultural, economic and social development.” ALEX Thurber has beaten a FULL fibre network path to Pulse Secure where he operator ITS has ZEN Internet’s strategic focus has been sharpened with the is now Chief Revenue Officer pulled in Dave Ferry as appointment of former TalkTalk Commercial Director Jon responsible for global sales Business Development Perkins as Strategy Director. Perkins will also sit on Zen’s strategy, management and Director. He joins from Executive Committee. The move reflects Zen’s intention to team development. He brings Virgin Media Business become a ‘true challenger more than where he was Head of brand’ to the big telecoms 20 years of SME. Ferry said: “ITS’ providers, according international approach to reusing to CEO Paul Stobart. leadership infrastructure to build “Our ambition is also to experience networks plays well establish Zen as a pioneer across to my strengths and in ultrafast connectivity, the technology industry the relationships I cloud communications in security and channel have nurtured with Dave Ferry and cloud computing,” he development. Thurber local authorities.” commented. “Jon will make previously served as SVP, ITS was boosted by a New Year £45m investment deal with an invaluable contribution GM, of Blackberry’s Mobility Aviva Investors. CEO Daren Baythorpe added: “Having recently Jon Perkins to the development Solutions Business Unity. He secured our investment, we have the fire power to deliver and delivery of our evolving strategy.” Perkins added: “I also held sales leadership on our business plan at pace, connecting more premises to look forward to playing my part in helping Zen become roles at Tripwire, McAfee future proof full fibre connectivity. Dave will be joining the a challenger brand in the markets we serve.” and Cisco Systems. business development team to help deliver on this strategy.”
Contact Abrahan Keinan Building your telecoms business Become a partner Tel: 0344 545 0051 • [email protected] has never been easier www.swiftnet.co.uk 42 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2020 www.comms-dealer.com THE COMMS PRODUCTS AND COMMSPAGES SERVICES PAGES To reserve your place and to be a part of the comms directory contact the call Simon now on 01895 454603 or email [email protected] for details
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