Comms Dealer

Node4 has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Consulting Partnership status with Standard level certification, recognising its expertise and capability in applying the AWS platform for customers.

The AWS Standard level exam tests both individual and enterprise competency and experience in designing distributed applications and systems on the AWS platform, while the Consulting Partner certification reflects a breath of AWS knowledge and expertise within Node4 that many companies do not have.

Node4 was the first technology company in the UK to gain the AWS Consultancy Partnership level recognition in 2012, when AWS was an established public cloud. Since then AWS' remit has expanded to offer a broad set of global compute, storage, database, analytics, application, and deployment services, all of which can be supported by Node4.

"Achieving the Standard Level Consulting Partner certification for AWS clearly validates Node4's commitment to working with new technologies and enabling our customers to transition seamlessly to AWS," said Andrew Gilbert, CEO, Node4.

"Through this accreditation, our customers can be confident they are working with the right partner to help them fulfil the potential of AWS in delivering a scalable, flexible cloud platform."

Intermedia is reselling Microsoft Office 365 under the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider Programme.

Intermedia Office Apps is now available from Intermedia as a standalone service or as an integrated part of Intermedia's Office in the Cloud suite.
 
Partners and customers can integrate their business productivity software alongside the other IT services Intermedia offers, including email, file backup and sharing, identity and access management, mobility, security, archiving, and others.
 
"With this expansion, Intermedia is integrating additional productivity benefits within our suite of more than 20 cloud services," said Michael Gold, CEO at Intermedia.

"Our channel and direct customers get the Microsoft business applications they need along with the advanced data protection and security services that Intermedia offers."
 
Office Apps includes one bill, one control panel, and comes backed by Intermedia's Worry-Free Experience which includes 24/7 support with typical hold times of less than 60 seconds.

Mitel has unveiled its newest generation of MiContact Centre, a 'mobile-first, millennial-ready' customer engagement platform.

By enabling an advanced digital customer experience across real-time communications social media and CRM integration, MiContact Centre offers a cohesive view into a customer's profile which can intertwine with advanced skills-based routing capabilities.

MiCloud, Mitel's cloud communications solution portfolio, now intersects with more than 20 leading cloud-based CRM platforms along with productivity applications like Microsoft Office 365 and Google Apps.

MiCloud also integrates into cloud-based application environments for HR and recruiting, dealer and franchise management, financial management and more.

The MiCloud portfolio now integrates directly into more application workflows, providing access to real-time communications capabilities without the user ever having to leave the application.

Also, in partnership with Unisys, Mitel is introducing MiStealth security technology to provide enterprises and service providers secure mobile access to the cloud.

Using Unisys' Stealth identity-driven segmentation and encryption, MiStealth allows businesses to control who can access enterprise networks based on users' identities, whether within the enterprise or on the cloud, while reducing the attack surface and providing the elevated levels of security typically associated with private cloud deployments.

MiStealth also simplifies security management as users can access public networks (such as the Internet) without threat of exposure to their real-time communications.

In other developments, Mitel is making real-time communications for large campuses more intelligent and capable with advanced monitoring, analytics and mass-notification tools.

Mitel Performance Analytics proactively detects and addresses performance problems before they impact the user, with 24/7 monitoring, real-time alerts and testing tools for fast problem resolution.

And Mitel Mass Notification services provide a reliable communications channel when conventional email, text, voice and video communications fail due to throughput, technical or 'contact-ability' issues.

"Our users are seeking the convenience of a mobile phone, the speed of deployment and ease of management found in a cloud solution and the proven capability of a traditional desktop deployment," said Marcell Galatiano, board member, Mitel User Group.

"Mitel has invested in making communications and collaboration seamless, whether wireless or wireline, cloud or on-premises, providing a pathway to the future for the companies it serves."

Rich McBee, CEO, Mitel, added: "Workplace and consumer communications are becoming increasingly centred on mobile devices with network users expecting instant and seamless access to services from anywhere.

"Mitel is positioned to help businesses understand how to overcome these challenges and gain the benefits of tying together different modes of communications for greater speed and simplicity."

Gamma's nationwide build-out programme has enabled the firm to lower Ethernet prices by 'cutting out the middle man' in locations where it has extended its network to key BT exchanges in order to consume Ethernet directly from Openreach.

The build kicked off with the creation of a London Metro Area Network connecting 19 of the busiest exchanges to Gamma's core, with the potential of connecting customers across 38,000 postcodes.

James Bushell, Head of Product Lines at Gamma, said: "Building out to exchanges in this way is really about recognising the importance that Ethernet plays in the delivery of applications to businesses and their increasing need for bandwidth.

"The build underpins our IP voice and MPLS strategies, but the need for cost effective and high bandwidth Internet access is a key driver behind this programme."

Luke Hunt Head of Network Services at the Focus Group, added: "This is great news for us as we are seeing the level of Ethernet orders increasing month-on-month.

"There is a large appetite for low cost Ethernet in our base, but customers simply won't compromise on quality in order to make the savings they have budgeted for.

"London is an obvious place to start this sort of build and we look forward to the new sites coming on line as the year progresses."

Pricing for Gamma's London network is already available in its pricing tool, with Gamma expecting to take orders from May this year.

Hello Telecom is one of only five successful companies to be awarded the revamped Internet Telephony Services Providers' Association (ITSPA) Quality Mark.

The Quality Mark, which was first launched in 2009, helps customers identify providers who go above and beyond current best practice, ensuring a reliable and trusted service.

Due to significant developments across the industry, ITSPA felt that an overhaul was needed to ensure that the Quality Mark reflects recent changes and remains valuable for members. The changes have involved extensive consultations with ITSPA members, ensuring that new requirements for the accreditation remain an effective tool to measure standards by.

Nottingham-based Communications Provider Hello Telecom has been a Quality Mark member of ITSPA since 2012, recognising their commitment to delivering high quality services to their customers. In 2015, Hello Telecom was also awarded Best Business ITSP (SME) by ITSPA for its cloud-based VoIP platform, Contrex.

The new ITSPA Quality Mark now has ten requirements, which have all been met by Hello Telecom, and provides consumers of next generation communications assurance that they are buying a quality service.

Steve Jones, Director at Hello Telecom, commented: "We are delighted to be awarded the new and improved ITSPA Quality Mark. With the new requirements in place, we feel it truly reflects our commitment to always delivering an excellent service to all of our customers."

IBM shares fell after revealing a fall in margins in Q1 with a 5% drop in total revenue to $18.7bn.

It has stopped breaking out figures by geography and revised its reporting structure, so by division, it reported that Cognitive Solutions (solutions software + transaction processing software) revenue fell 1.7% yr/yr to $4bn, with operating margin dropping to 21.8% from 32.6%. Global Business Services revenue was down -4.3% to $4.1bn, with operating margin dropping to 4.5% from 13.2%.

Tech Services & Cloud Platforms revenue was slightly lower - down -1.5% to $8.4bn; operating margin dropped to 3% from 13%. Systems (hardware) revenue dropped on disposals -21.8% to $1.7bn, although the mainframe upgrade cycle also played a role as it moved to an operating loss as margin dropped to -0.5% from 11.3%. Global Financing revenue -11.2% to $410M; operating margin fell to 43.1% from 49.2%.

The good news is 'strategic imperatives' revenue (cloud, analytics, and 'engagement') rose 14% yr/yr to $7bn with annual 'cloud delivered as a service' revenue run rate (boosted some by M&A) up 42% yr/yr to $5.4bn.

Mobile revenue rose 88% yr/yr, security 18%, and analytics 7%. It is cash-rich as free cash flow was $2.3bn, up from $1.1bn a year ago. IBM ended Q1 with $14.9bn in cash and $18.8bn in non-Global Financing debt.

Europe is preparing for another legal showdown with Google, this time over its Android mobile operating system.

"Our concern is that, by requiring phone makers and operators to preload a set of Google apps, rather than letting them decide for themselves which apps to load, Google might have cut off one of the main ways that new apps can reach customers," EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager has said.

The comments come a year after she accused the company of favouring its shopping service in delivering search results at the expense of rivals.

Privately-held Veeam Software, which has been building its European channels and pushing its cloud backup and disaster recovery, has reported a 24% rise in bookings in Q1 over the same period last year, doing well particularly in the bigger deals.

Ratmir Timashev, CEO at Veeam, said: "Our Q1 results show that demand for Veeam Availability solutions continues to accelerate rapidly and we fully expect this growth to continue at a similar pace for the rest of 2016."

In in its sixth year, the Veeam Cloud & Service Provider (VCSP) programme, which offers opportunities for service providers, reported an increase of 82% in the number of transactions year-over-year. It says it added close to 11,000 total paid customers in Q1 2016, consistent with a historical average of approximately 3,500 new customers each month, and channels are expanding, with 39,000 ProPartners worldwide.

In the UK & Ireland, Veeam says it now has 13,752 customers, a rise of 28% customers since Q1 2015, and 2,527 ProPartners, up 14% yr/yr.

A consortium led by Seneca Partners, including Barclays and Finance Yorkshire, has given Vapour a £1m-plus funding boost, making the cloud provider the first north of England business to receive Barclays' Innovation Finance Product.

The move sees Vapour Media rebrand as Vapour Cloud and the funding will support the growth of Vapour's technical and business development teams as well as enhance its cloud portal capabilities.

Vapour has witnessed rapid growth since it was established in 2012 and has previously attracted a multi-million pound venture capital investment.

Vapour works with organisations across the UK, providing business solutions encompassing Internet access, a cloud voice platform and UK-based storage, back-up and replication - all private and fully functional in the UK.

Last year the business merged with Manchester-based Everycloud in a transaction backed by Finance Yorkshire and private investors.

Vapour plans to double its headcount to 42 in the next 12 months, expand its private MPLS network, move to larger premises with a demonstration suite, and launch a new portal.

Tim Mercer, co-founder and CEO at Vapour, commented: "In the two years since conception, Vapour has developed over 50 partnerships, securing a number of rounds of equity funding and now has the support of a major high street bank.

"The investment from Seneca Partners, Barclays and Finance Yorkshire is testament to our vision and ambition. As a relatively newly formed company, it is a major boost for us to secure this support.

"All of the teams involved demonstrated from the start that they fully understood our market proposition and recognised the potential of the business to achieve rapid growth."

Richard Manley, Director at Seneca Partners, added: "Through our group company Acceleris, Seneca Partners has been involved with Vapour since the EveryCloud merger last year.

"As with the merger and previous funding rounds, Acceleris successfully project managed this £1m+ fund raise, which was led with a significant equity investment from Seneca's EIS fund.

"With the new funding and an experienced senior management team, the combined business now has the fire power to drive significant growth through its 'one-stop-shop' sales offering."

David Parr, Relationship Director at Barclays in Manchester commented: "As part of our plans at Barclays to enhance our high growth offering to the market, we are extending our lending capabilities and credit appetite in the technology sector for ambitious, entrepreneurial businesses like Vapour."

David Best, Investment Manager at Finance Yorkshire commented: "We first backed the management team at Vapour Cloud in June 2013 with an investment from our Seedcorn fund, and have now committed £1.3m to support its ambitious growth plans."

Enghouse Interactive is enabling enterprise customers of its Quality Management Suite (QMS) to bring more emotional intelligence to bear in their interactions with customers.

This is achieved through a new real-time soft evaluator capability in the latest version of the software, QMS 2016.

The new soft evaluator tool offers fully automated quality assurance and call optimisation for every call.

The technology helps encourage agent empathy and gauges the emotional state of both customers and agents by evaluating their voices and improving conversations in real time.

The soft evaluator capability can assess live calls to identify incidences of cross-talking, changes in conversational tone, speech ratio balance, speech volume and the stress levels of both parties.

Users can employ the tool to produce scores against each of these criteria either automatically in real-time to be attached to recordings in the QMS or to make them available in a batch format to be assessed and reported on at a later time.

Steve Ellis, Managing Director of Enghouse Interactive distributor, 5i, said: "This new real-time soft evaluator capability is helping to move enterprises to a new level in terms of the way they interact with their customers through the contact centre."