www.commsbusiness.co.uk • October 2009 No 1 in Voice, Data & Mobile Convergence Channels – More readers, more advertisers :Wl_ZF^_bb_fi J[Y^d_YWbIkffehj#J[Wce\/ :Wd_[bb[I[Y^Wj_iWc AWhbFWhiediAWhbFWhiedi IWcWdj^W>Wma_diI \\ WcW Ef[hWj_ediJ[Wc#J[Wce\, / J[Y^d_YWbIkffehj#J[Wce\/J[J[Y^Y^d_d_YWYWbbIkIkffffehehjj# J[J[WcWc e\ Ef[hWj_ediJ[Wc#J[Wce\,EfE j^W > [hhWjj_ Wma_di SFBMQFPQMF© SFBMTPMVUJPOT 4&&0",0/1"(&4 CWh_W9WhhebbC Wh_ Ef[hWj_ediJ[WcB[WZ[h#J[Wce\,W ed_W=_Wh Ied_W=_WhhWjWdeI J In this issue: Ef[hWj_ediJ[Wc#J[Wce\, Convergence Summit Preview NGNs & LLU - The Facts Adding Value with Jedo=WhZd[h PWYMWhh[d Billing J[Y^d_YWbIkffehj#J[Wce\/h J[Y^d_YWbIkffehjJ[WcB[WZ[h# J[Wc J J[Wce\/ Ij[l[HWdZWbb PBLDPVL Ie\jmWh[:[l[bef[h#J[Wce\+ Don’t miss the largest UK Channel event of the year – the Convergence Summit South! Register to attend for FREE on www.convergencesummit.co.uk Oak_CB_Cover_NEWARTWORK.pdf 1 15/9/0910:16:38 Enjoy Freedom with Jabra Pro™ & Go™ The first professional headsets with touch screen Move Freely. Work Efficiently. t$PNQMFUFDPOUSPMPWFSDBMMTGSPNBOZQIPOF t0QFSBUFTXJUIJOBNSBOHFPGJUT touch screen +BCSB130TFSJFT Travel Light. Work Anywhere. t$PNQBUJCMFXJUIEFTL NPCJMFBOETPGUQIPOF t8JUINSBOHFPOMZPOFIFBETFUJT required whilst on the move Jabra Pro™ & Go™ available from 20th October ’09 +BCSB(0TFSJFT See us at Convergence Summit South 13th & 14th October 09 Images are for illustration purposes only. All information is correct at time of going to press. Subject to availability. Exclusions apply. †Calls charged at local BT rate however other networks and mobile providers may vary. [email protected] 0844 848 0920 Calls charged at local rate† www.nimans.net FROM THE EDITOR www.commsbusiness.co.uk • October 2009 •03 No 1 in Voice, Data & Mobile Convergence Channels – More readers, more advertisers Brand Loyalty :Wl_ZF^_bb_fi J[Y^d_YWbIkffehj#J[Wce\/ :Wd_[bb[I[Y^Wj_iWc AWhbFWhiediAWhbFWhiedi IWcWdj^W>Wma_diI \\ WcW Ef[hWj_ediJ[Wc#J[Wce\, / J[Y^d_YWbIkffehj#J[Wce\/J[J[Y^Y^d_d_YWYWbbIkIkffffehehjj# J[J[WcWc e\ Ef[hWj_ediJ[Wc#J[Wce\,EfE j^W >W [hhWjj_ ma_di It’s been about 12 months now since the current economic cycle began to really bite our business SFBMQFPQMF© and I feel that we have already experienced several phases of the downturn cycle. SFBMTPMVUJPOT 4&&0",0/1"(&4 Quarter four 2008 was a real ‘doom and gloom’ time; the media was providing wall-to-wall CWh_W9WhhebbC coverage and politicians of all hue were doing pretty fair impressions of headless chickens trying Wh_ Ef[hWj_ediJ[WcB[WZ[h#J[Wce\,W ed_W=_Wh Ied_W=_WhhWjWdeI J In this issue: Ef[hWj_ediJ[Wc#J[Wce\, to come up with solutions. Economists a plenty were proving without a trace of shame on their Convergence Summit faces just how much they really knew about what was going on and Robert Peston was, well, Preview NGNs & LLU - The Facts being Robert Peston. Adding Value with Jedo=WhZd[h PWYMWhh[d Since then we’ve all experienced a bit of a reality check; many of the larger companies in our Billing J[Y^d_YWbIkffehj#J[Wce\/h J[Y^d_YWbIkffehjJ[WcB[WZ[h# J[Wc J J[Wce\/ sector reacted with predictable jerking of both knees - serving, as many observers commented Ij[l[HWdZWbb PBLDPVL Ie\jmWh[:[l[bef[h#J[Wce\+ only to prove they are run by accountants. I’m sure that’s not entirely the case but I worry about Don’t miss the largest UK Channel event receiving press releases from vendors saying how well they are doing one day yet hearing about of the year – the Convergence Summit South! Register to attend for FREE on www staff cuts and pay cuts at the next. It’s been tricky. .convergencesummit.co.uk OAK: Real people, real solutions One of the themes I am seeing quite regularly however is the ‘Big Bad, Small Good’ effect where smaller companies in our sector are responding better to the market condition than their larger competitors or counterparts. This actually seems common across a number of industry sectors and appears to have proved out the ‘fleet of foot’ advantage theory that smaller companies often claim to have. Editor – Ian Hunter DDI: 01256 338425 Mobile: 07818 043276 Last month I spent two days at the Panasonic UK Channel Conference. I think it’s fair to say [email protected] that Panasonic has been hit as hard as anyone this year but over the two days I would guess Contributors around a hundred or so dealers and distributors took time out to see what the future held for Bob Emmerson – Electric Words them with the vendor. David Dadds – FCS Heather McLean–Editor Mobile Business Magazine The mood amongst their channel partners very positive and Panasonic helped things along a Tax Expert – Frankie Sheaky lot by focussing on a number of application areas where reseller can add value by solving real of Calverley Tax Consultants. 01892 536226 or business problems for their customers. Unified Communications and Mobility being just two key [email protected] areas. Advertising Sales Director – Paul Johnson DDI: 01892 559393 Mobile: 07887 944433 This month sees the Convergence Summit show return south to Sandown Park, Esher. [email protected] I think the mood will be a lot more positive around the halls this year compared to that Group Sales Manager – Mat Swift initial doom and gloom from certain quarters last time around. DDI: 01892 559392 Mobile: 07919 177099 For one thing - we have all gained 12 months more experience in [email protected] dealing with a difficult and challenging market. And whilst it may Production Controller – Gillian Jordan DDI: 01892 559391 be true that experience is often something we get instead of [email protected] money - many in the channel are now beginning to convert that Marketing Manager – Liz Rogers experience asset in to hard cash through hard won sales. DDI: 01892 559397 Certainly there’ll be no shortage of exhibitors to see at the [email protected] Summit again this year with channel commitment from Design – PK Media Works [email protected] vendors, carriers, and distributors being displayed by their own Printing – Headley Brothers loyalty to a brand which has in turn served them well over the Ashford, Kent years. The Convergence Summit opens for Business on October Publisher/MD – Miles Bossom DDI: 01892 559390 13 for two days. Mobile: 0777 5803475 We’d like to see you there as well! [email protected] Circulation Circ Data – 01635 588862 [email protected] Subscriptions Annual Subscription £75.00/Notification of change Ian Hunter of address should be accompanied by a wrapper bearing the address. Editor While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, howsoever caused. No liability can be accepted for illustrations, photographs, artwork or advertising materials while in transmission or with the publisher or their agents. The views expressed in Comms Business magazine are not necessarily the views of miles publishing limited or its Editor and its contributors. Total Net Circulation for period January – December 2008 12,195 04•THIS MONTH 7 24 17 NEWS INSIGHT 7 Kenneally Departs 34 Case Study Mitel reorganises A flexible solution 8 Come on England! 35 Insight World Cup Incentive Global Ethernet 10 New ‘Soft’ PBX 42 Case Study from Aastra 46 Top Billing 12 ScanSource Target 44 Insight More Avaya Business FEATURES Fraud is big business 14 Free School Phones 28 Cover Story 45 Insight From Toshiba Oak Telecom Optimal Performance 15 Moving on up! 30 Adding Value 48 Insight Fused Group Billing Services Driving Virtualisation 16 New Faces 37 Market Report 52 Case Study At Swains Voice & Data Next Gen Networks Splicecom Master Class 17 Channel Incentives 54 Interview From Opal GETTING Tempest and C&W 18 NGN Broadband 56 Expert Witness Gets the acceleration from PERSONAL FTTH BT 24 62nd Interview Phil Mullen of Easynet 58 Insight 20 Board Changes NGN Delivery ...at Daisy 46 Interview ShoreTel Core Values 59 Opinion 22 Bells & Whistles Exit strategies Panasonic Conference 62 Insight Miles Publishing Limited Successful IVR Scripting Oak_CB_Pg5_NEW ARTWORK.pdf 1 15/9/09 10:21:08 XXXPBLDPVLXXXPBLDPVL 4)06-%/µ5 :063/".& #&0/5)*4 0BLTFMMUISPVHIQSPGFTTJPOBMBDDSFEJUFE QBSUOFSTBDSPTTUIF6, 5IFQBHF´TJ[[MFSµIBTCFFOQSPGFTTJPOBMMZEFTJHOFEUPHFOFSBUF OFXBOEVQHSBEFCVTJOFTTGSPNFOEVTFSTGPSPVSQBSUOFST "OEUIFDPTUUPDSFBUFUIF1%'GPSPVSQBSUOFST "CJHGBU[FSPBMMQBSUPGUIF0BLTFSWJDF $BMMOPXUPKPJOUIF0BL5FBN PSFNBJMTBMFT!PBLDPVL Oak_CB_Pg5_NEW ARTWORK.pdf 1 15/9/09 10:21:08 Price Match Guarantee Nimans will match any like-for-like quote on Siemens OpenScape Office HiPath 3000 V.8 The HiPath 3000 offers a one box solution incorporating CTI, Presence and Contact Centre operations. Benefits also include: t 3FEVDFEUSBJOJOHBOEPQFSBUJOHDPTUT t .Z1PSUBMBQQMJDBUJPOTNBLF6OJGJFE Communications simple t "QQMJDBUJPOJOUFHSBUJPOJODSFBTFTTUBGG productivity t 3FEVDFEDPNNVOJDBUJPOCBSSJFSTFOIBODFT customer satisfaction t *NQSPWFENPCJMJUZ XPSLGSPNBOZXIFSF Order now for next day delivery* See us at Convergence Summit South 13th & 14th October 09 *Next day delivery applies to products in stock and ordered before 6.30pm Mon-Thurs. Images are for illustration purposes only. All information is correct at time of going to press. †Calls charged at local BT rate however other networks and mobile providers may vary. [email protected] 0844 848 0920 Calls charged at local rate† www.nimans.net/siemens WWW.COMMSBUSINESS.CO.UK NEWS•07 Kenneally Departs Mitel OUT NOW! Mitel has moved to quell rumours in the channel by Our Brand New Trade Directory issuing a statement regarding company performance and organisational structures. “Despite the recession impacting the market for business communications in the EMEA region in recent quarters, Mitel is performing well and continuing to win new channels and customers. Organisations are leveraging Mitel’s intelligent migration strategy to evolve to Mitel’s market leading portfolio of unified communications solutions to save money, stay connected, improve customer service and be green.